On March 14, the Advanced Performance Workshop (APW), Intermediate Performance Workshop (IPW) and Jazz Band classes took the stage at the Corte Madera Community Center for their annual Night of Blues. The event is significant for the classes as they lead this night, which is one of the most widely attended music events of the year.
Music teacher and director of the various school bands, Chip Boaz, emphasizes why Night of Blues is such a beloved event.
“[Night of Blues is] a very vibrant scene [when] the music program shares their talents. Everyone has fun [including] the people in the program because when you’re not playing, you get to dance in the audience, and it’s the only performance [that’s] interactive,” Boaz said.
Sophomore Kelsea Jambeck, a guitar player in APW, commented on the joyful atmosphere brought upon by the dancing.
“It creates a sense of community because all the songs are geared towards dancing and you’re supposed to dance. There’s always a mosh pit. It makes the performers and the people in the audience feel [something],” Jambeck said.
Claire Mussche, a junior APW violinist and guitarist, opened up about her favorite aspect of Night of Blues and how it inspired her musical journey at Redwood.
“I like seeing everyone dancing while you play. In fact, the first time I went to [Night of Blues], I wasn’t in the music program, but it was so vibrant and inspiring that I decided to join [Performance Workshop],” Mussche said.
Mussche adds that the Night of Blues’ appeal extends beyond the experience of a fun night and is grounded in the celebration of blues, which, for a musical style, has had a profound sociological impact on American culture.
“[Night of Blues] is also a way to celebrate American tradition because blues have played a huge role in the foundations of society,” Mussche said.
Blues, which originated in slave songs that were spiritual-based, dates back to the Civil War — one of the most violent eras of American history. Blues spread during the Great Migration and found its way into cities’ music scenes, such as in Chicago and New York. Today, the roots of blues music are threaded in jazz, R&B, rock and hip-hop.
Despite the importance of celebrating and commemorating blues, it is a challenging style to perform as a musician.
“Blues is a tricky thing, not only to play, but to perform because it’s a very emotional genre, so you have to show that emotion on stage — even if it’s feigned sometimes,” Jambeck said.
This year’s Night of Blues was particularly exciting due to its change of venue, Boaz mentions, calling the transition from the Redwood cafeteria to Corte Madera Community Center a “step up.” This is especially relevant because blues were historically played in speakeasies and nightclubs, so the shift to the Community Center aims to reflect that more authentically.
“[The Corte Madera Community Center] is a little fancier and Night of Blues is supposed to be a kind of nightclub-type event. [While] we always put a little time into decorating the CEA and making it look a little more like a venue, it usually ends up looking like a cafeteria to a certain extent, so it was nice to capture that vibe in the community center in a little more authentic way,” Boaz said.
