Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage
Welcoming the 2022-23 YJED Members!
NEW NEWS
My sincere thank you to everyone who auditioned for the YJED 2022-23 season. The competition was stiff and the talent pool is impressive. My deep appreciation for your commitment to excellence and pushing yourself to excel.
If you are a senior that was not selected, my wishes for a great final year of high school...keep making music. To everyone else, keep pushing yourself, I hope to see you next season! All the best,
Mr. Blazek
The new band roster is shown on the Members tab. If you are a new member (or parent), please see this tab for important dates!
Our NEW 2021-22 Album is available
NEW NEWS
Annually YJED records an album of our best and favorite charts over the past year, and invite Featured Guest Artists to join us. So not only recording with the best Pro musicians, but also working in a Pro studio with Pro engineers.
Learn more about the album or go directly to BandCamp to hear it! (You get to "name your price", so the price is right whether you want to contribute to YJED music-making or if you are a high school student checking out the band for next year's auditions!
2022-23 Events announcements!
NEW NEWS
Details on place and time to come, but already on the calendar:
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10/24: First rehearsal (6:30p) AND Parent's meeting (8:00p)
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11/14: Shawn Maxwell Clinic (in rehearsal)
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1/10: Open at The Venue for the Pete Ellman Big Band
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1/22: Winter Concert with Guest Artist Dr. Matt Shevitz
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4/19: Open at the Jazz Showcase for Bob Lark's Alumni Band
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4/30: Spring Concert with Guest Artist Tom Garling
Pix and video from our 2021-22 performances!
Sept 22: NEW PIX AND VIDEO ADDED!
Coming back from 2 years off for COVID, we had 2 performances in January. Pete Ellman invited us on short notice to open for his big band (the Pete Ellman Big Band aka PEBB) at The Venue in Aurora and of course we jumped at this invitation.
A few days later, our first Winter Concert since 2020 featured Guest Artist Adam Larson. It was quite the kick after playing his ILMEA Honors Band piece "Out The Window" in 2019, and having him give a MasterClass in 2021.
In May (albeit postponed for a couple of weeks), our Spring Concert featured Guest Artist Kirk Garrison. And a couple days later, to close out our live performance schedule we traveled to the Jazz Showcase to open for Bob Lark and his group.
Click on the Video and Photos tabs for pix and selected videos from these performances
YJED year-end recording - Support through GoFundMe
On June 5, the band as it typically does trooped down to Transient Sound to lay down a recording with the best of their season's songs. GoFundMe donations help to fund studio time, plus the sound mixing and mastering, and production still in process.
Click on the yellow "Donate via GoFundMe" button for more details and to make a donation electronically.
If you prefer to donate by check, make the check payable to “Youth Jazz Ensemble of DuPage” and mail it to the YJED Treasurer at Judi Jenz, 305 S. Naperville Rd., Wheaton IL 60187. (Make sure your name and address is on the check to receive a tax deduction receipt). Thanks!
So what is the story with YJED???
Well, we have a whole tab "About YJED" with a lot of details, and yeah you probably should go there and take a look at the details...but here's the short version:
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YJED members get to play with the best high school musicians in DuPage County and surrounding areas. 20+ high schools...but only 5 trumpets, 5 bones, 5 saxes and one rhythm section. You do the math.
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You get to play pro-level music. That's what you can do when you have a section full of 1st chair players selected from 20+ high schools.
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You get to play at cool places (hopefully). COVID makes it hard to make promises, but the last couple full seasons YJED had on the calendar The Jazz Showcase, Fitzgerald's, Fulton Street Collective, Plus ILMEA and downtown Chicago gigs. And, by the way, a couple of concerts.
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You get to play with great featured artists. Pros like Victor Garcia, Chris Madsen, and Dave Katz who have played with the best in the world, and who will push you to step up your game...seriously.
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And you get to make a pro-level recording, in a pro-level studio, with a featured artist or two. Laying down the best charts of the year, engineered by industry guys who do this for a living. Many of our alumni say this is the most memorable part of YJED.
So, if you want details, go to the "About YJED" tab.
Enough with the words...what does YJED sound like?
You can click onto our "Video" tab to see and hear a number of performances. Or go to the "About YJED" tab, and click through to three of our recordings under "Selected Recent Discography"
But right here are links to a few videos of us (new window will open):
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Friday Night at the Cadillac Club (with guest artist Chris Madsen)
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How Sweet it Is (with guest artist Dave Katz)
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Just Friends (with guest artist Dave Katz)