Jazz and Pizzazz 26 at Chantilly High School

by Sadie Jones

This year’s Jazz & Pizzazz is a bittersweet extravaganza. The amazing choral director, Glenn Cockrell, whose vision and dedication made The Chantilly Jazz and Combo bands and the Touch of Class show choir what they are, retires in a few weeks. The show plays 5/23 - 5/26 so don't miss out.

The 40 plus piece Jazz and Combo bands are worth the price of the ticket as they set your toes tapping with  hot jazz or mellow your mood with cool blues. Thirty (30) numbers from start to finish and the kids were just as fresh at the finish; as well, you’d expect kids to be. Except the musicians are far more polished, far more professional in demeanor and talent than what anyone should suppose from people who aren't yet old enough to vote. Amazing.

The Touch of Class show choir is, for those who don’t know, the type of choir the TV show “Glee” is about. This glee club was voted America’s Favorite Show Choir in 2011. The featured vocalists were as wonderful as expected, but the diva moments were a little surprising. Hopefully it was opening night nerves that caused one songstress to yank her partner into place while the lights were dim and glare at another partner for some unseen faux pax. The only other suggestion to make it more enjoyable for the audience is to rotate the lines so we aren’t seeing the same half dozen faces for most of the night or space the performers in group numbers so we can see the people in the back more clearly. The serious numbers such as “Fix You” (Wed/ Fri performances only) and the pure
fun “California Gurls” shows what range these young people are capable.

The wardrobe, scenery and lighting folks get full marks. The smoke machine did make the first few rows foggy for a couple of numbers, but they may have control of that now. The audience participation number is a hoot. Sit close to an aisle if you think you may want to get caught in a “Time Warp”.

You don’t have to be a parent or know a child in the Chantilly School pyramid to come down to see Jazz and Pizzazz. For $10 a seat, you can bring someone along for 2 hours of pure fun, stop for ice cream on the way home and have had a grand night for less than $30 combined.

See you later,
Sadie


Jazz and Pizzazz 26 plays May 23–26, 2012, 7 pm, Chantilly High School, 4201 Stringfellow Road
Chantilly, VA 20151 - Tickets are just $10 assigned seating and can be purchased on line here: http://www.fcps.edu/ChantillyHS/ > Up Coming Events > CHS Performing Arts Box Office

Or click here:
https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?w=5c92fe00cb9d1a425b3e1a1949103145&t=tix