Joshua Bloodworth, Central High School’s Band Director, recently hosted a jazz band dinner concert. The dinner held on Friday, May 3rd at 7:00PM was at Brainerd Baptist. The turnout was expected to be 200-250 people based on the sale of tickets. Tickets were $25 a person and included admission to the show, as well as a catered meal from Olive Garden. 

This concert was held to help raise money for the Chattanooga Central Sound of Music. Money raised during the concert was used to purchase new sheet music and maintain equipment that the band currently has. The jazz band played a variety of songs belonging to different eras, from the earliest dixieland of the 1910’s to more modern jazz, rock, and pop songs.

Jazz band students prepared for the concert for months and were ecstatic to perform. They practice inside and outside of school to achieve a good performance, many prepare by joining even more band classes.

“The Advanced Jazz Band meets everyday to rehearse during 6th period. They have put in many hours working hard on some really tough music for this performance,” stated Bloodworth. 

“Preparing for the concert has taken a lot of time and effort. Besides rehearsing almost every school day, I have a private lessons tutor who helps me with figuring out things that I don’t have time to figure out in class. I also joined a sax quartet a couple months ago that has made me a more confident player, which is key in a jazz band because there is only one player playing every part, ” replied Sophomore Meghan Wooten.