The band’s rhythm section was now completely formed, with Daniel on guitar, Tim Wilkinson on drums, Eric Acosta on bass, and Nick Feraducci on keyboards. Daniel and Tim began to discuss potential horn players to add to the band. Tim told Daniel about a really good reed player, a kid named Jonathan Kowalski. “Not only is Jonathan a very good saxophone player, but he also plays jazz flute and a credible Dixieland clarinet. Just think of the dimension that those instruments could add to our sound!”
Daniel asked Tim, “Is Jonathan reliable? Is he doing well in school and can he commit to our vision for the band?”
“Jonathan is a really neat kid, Daniel. I can’t say that I am the most reliable of recommenders for other people after what my life was like. But I think that the band should take a serious look at Jonathan. I can’t tell you about his grade point average but I think he is an awesome musician!”
Daniel went over to Tim and put his hand on his shoulder. “Don’t stress about it, Tim. You are a full partner in our operation, and your recommendation is worth a lot. I say, let’s invite Jonathan to come and audition with us. Do you think he would be interested?”
“Oh, yes, Daniel. I mentioned to him what we are doing and he told me that he would do whatever it takes to get a chance to audition. He’s a really nice person, Daniel, and I know that he would fit in here. Let’s give him a chance!”
With Tim’s enthusiastic endorsement, Daniel brought up the idea with the rest of the band. Both Eric and Nick said “go for it” so it was arranged that Jonathan would come to their next rehearsal. Today was that day.
Just like they did when Tim and Nick auditioned for the band, Daniel and Eric got together over the previous weekend and worked out the charts and arrangements that they wanted Jonathan to try. They ended up choosing a variety of tunes that they had used for Tim and for Nick, and a couple more that would be tour de force type pieces for a talented reed player. They had selected pieces that would feature Jonathan’s saxophone work, and numbers that he could play on flute and clarinet. With their list of songs, and their own personal preparation to make sure that they could perform all the pieces, Daniel and Eric felt that they were ready to assess Jonathan.
About ten minutes before the rehearsal was scheduled to begin, Jonathan Kowalski was knocking on Tim’s studio door. Quickly Tim went to the door and let Jonathan in. Jonathan was fifteen, about the same height as Tim, and had light features, with light brown hair over his ears and swept in a bang over his forehead. He had light brown eyes, a winning smile and a thin physique. He was dressed in a rugby shirt, jeans, and optical white high top chucks. All of his clothing was well worn, but he was clean cut, and very enthusiastic and personable as he was introduced to Daniel, the other band members, and Jason, who had begged to attend the rehearsal when he heard that they were auditioning a potential new member for the band.
“I have heard so much about you guys, mostly from Tim here, that I am honored that you would consider me for your band!” Jonathan said.
“Welcome to our rehearsal, Jonathan,” Daniel replied. “We are just teenagers like you looking for quality musical experiences. Tim here has told us a lot about you and your skill as a musician, so we are pleased that you are interested in us, and that you are here to play with us!”
“I hope that I will live up to the hype that my friend Tim here has been giving you! How would you like to proceed?”
“Why don’t you get out your instruments and get warmed up,” Daniel continued. “Eric and I have put together a set of songs for us to try. We have lead sheets for you if you need the music for our selections, some for saxophone, and a couple of numbers for flute and clarinet.”
“That sounds great, Daniel” Jonathan said. “I usually prefer to play alto saxophone, but I also have some experience with tenor and soprano sax, although I don’t own those instruments.”
“Alto will be fine to get started, Jonathan.” Daniel then directed Jonathan over to an area of the rehearsal studio where they had set up a music stand and a set of charts for Jonathan to read through. “Some of these are written for alto sax, and some are in concert pitch.”
“No problem there,” Jonathan replied. “I am pretty good at transposition already, and will take the time to write in the correct notes if I have a problem with any of your lead sheets.”
The other band members then went to get their instruments while Jonathan got out his alto saxophone, flute, clarinet, and an instrument stand where he put his flute and clarinet. Jonathan put on his neck strap, took out a reed and attached it to the mouthpiece of his alto. Soon everyone was warming up and a pleasant cacophony of sound filled the studio.
Then Daniel raised his hands and called for everyone’s attention. “Let’s start with “Kansas City” in the key of C. Nick, why don’t you begin with a couple of blues choruses? Then I will sing the vocals. Jonathan, why don’t you do the responses to the vocal lines? Watch me for breaks during the vocals, and then let’s stretch out with some longer solos. Why don’t you go first, Jonathan, and then I will do a guitar solo followed by a piano solo. I will close the song with some vocals. We’ll repeat the last four bars of the tune for an ending.”
“Sounds good, Daniel!” Jonathan replied enthusiastically.
Daniel counted off the band, and Nick began with a piano solo. Ever since he had played “Kansas City” at his audition, Nick had been working to improve his blues solo technique. Today he started with two low key but get down choruses that led right into Daniel’s vocals. As Daniel sang each segment of the blues vocal, Jonathan answered with a little blues-like riff of his own. His sound was clear and his ideas down home. After some breaks, Daniel finished the starting vocals and indicated to Jonathan that it was his turn to solo.
Jonathan’s solo was like a story. It started out with a simple little idea that he developed over the length of the first chorus. Then in the second chorus, he started to ramp up the intensity by adding more complicated and technically impressive figures to his solo. In the third chorus, Jonathan soared into his high register and with some soulful wailing got the entire band to provide him with a bigger and more intense accompaniment. Then on his fourth chorus, he took an intense bar long figure and repeated it seven times to bring his solo to a roaring climax that concluded in the last four bars of the blues form. It was an awesome start and the other players of the band had big smiles on their faces as they nodded their approval for what they had just heard.
Daniel and Nick both played solos that were inspired by Jonathan’s impressive solo. When Daniel returned to the microphone to sing the vocals, Jonathan again was impressive with his filling, even more so when he made eye contact with Nick and they provided the responses to Daniel’s vocals in duet. After a chorus of breaks, the piece came to an end as the band vamped out on the last four bars of the tune a few time, finally ending on a chord that provided Jonathan another opportunity for a fabulous fill. When the band finished, Jason stood up and applauded and cheered.
“Sorry to interrupt your rehearsal, but that was amazing!” Jason exclaimed. “A very inspiring start!”
The band was in total agreement. “That was great!” Daniel said with enthusiasm. “Let’s play some more tunes!”
Over the next hour, the boys played through a variety of styles that featured the saxophone in different ways. Jonathan was up to the task in all of the numbers, playing with taste and style that greatly enhanced the music, and demonstrated that he was very much a top flight musician.
By the time they were ready to take a break, there was a very positive feeling in the rehearsal studio and the band members gathered around Jonathan to congratulate him and talk with him.
“You were so versatile in the way you handled the different styles we played,” Eric said. “You are a terrific saxophonist!”
“I really felt a connection with you when we were playing ‘Kansas City’ and some of those other tunes where we were able to work together in duet,” Nick added. “That was a lot of fun!
”
“Yeah, Jonathan, you walked in the door and it was like you had been with us all summer!” Daniel exclaimed. “So far I am very excited about what I have heard.”
“You were totally awesome, my friend,” Tim said, clapping Jonathan on the shoulder. “I am so glad that you were able to come here today!”
Jason then came up to Jonathan and asked him about his background and training. “How did you get to be such a great player at such a young age?”
“I am from this area, but haven’t always been involved in the school music programs, even though music has been a very important part of my life. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to play the saxophone and was lucky to get the use of a school instrument. Then I was very fortunate because one of the other kids taking saxophone was the son of a very talented saxophone player who regularly toured with big name artists. When he was around, he would help coach us on our playing, and he let us hang out at his house some times when he was practicing. He showed me so many good things, gave me good tips for soloing and playing popular music, and showed me a number of tricks to make my instrument sound better. Even though we were playing on inexpensive school instruments, they were kept in tip top shape, which really helped our sound and technique out. He also showed us how to play flute and clarinet. He told us that any respectable working reed player should learn to double on other instruments. By seventh grade, I was as good as any high school kid!”
“Are you involved in the music programs at Merriam High School?” Jason wanted to know.
“Unfortunately, no. When I started high school, my father was against me continuing in music. He thought it would be a dead end career for me! So I had to drop out of band. But in the last year, he and my mother broke up and divorced, and I immediately got my saxophone out again, and started playing, just with some other friends in a garage band. I had saved up a little money, and used it to take lessons from a really good teacher for a few months to get back in shape. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse financially when my parents broke up, so I had to stop the lessons. But this fall I am committed to being in the school music program, and hope to play in the concert band and the jazz band.”
“That’s too bad that your father would be so negative about music, when clearly you have a talent for it. Did he ever hear you perform?”
“He did when I was younger, but I don’t think he has much understanding about the value of the arts. He is totally into conventional business and finance. He no longer is a part of my life. After he divorced Mom, he moved back east and now has another family life. Right now my family life consists of just me and my mom.”
“I’m sorry if I brought up a sore subject, Jonathan. I am glad that you have music back in your life now. You are very talented!” Jason said with enthusiasm.
“I really hope I get the opportunity to work with this band. These guys are really good!”
Tim came up and ushered Jonathan over to the kitchenette. “How about a drink and a snack, Jonathan? You really worked hard on that set!”
“Thanks, Tim, that would be great. I am really enjoying working with you, and this rehearsal studio is awesome!”
After another ten minutes of break, Daniel called the band back together. “Let’s play some more music! Jonathan, we would like to try a couple of pieces where you play your flute or clarinet.”
Soon the band was jamming on the Herbie Mann tune “Comin’ Home”. Jonathan’s flute sound was bright and clear, a refreshing change of pace from the intensity of his saxophone work. Again Jonathan’s solo work was very impressive, like he was taking you on a musical journey. Later, they had Jonathan play a Dixieland number, “When the Saints Go Marching In”, to hear him on clarinet. With Eric playing a mean walking bass, Daniel a strumming guitar, and Tim providing a light swing beat, Jonathan was soon wailing on that standard too.
By the end of the audition, it was apparent to everyone that Jonathan would be an excellent addition to the band. He clearly brought in another dimension to their music, and his soloing technique was a definite strong point.
“I think that I speak for all of the band, when I say that we would like you to join us,” Daniel said. “Your audition today was very impressive, Jonathan! We are going to meet as a band to discuss things, but if you can make the commitment to the band and provide us with the quality of music that you did today, I know that you will be a valuable addition to our band!”
Jonathan beamed at the praise and the potential of what Daniel was offering. Things had not been easy for him in the last year and this was one of the first positive things he could look forward to. The last couple of hours made him forget his problems, and he had a huge smile on his face because the other musicians were also at a high level. Playing in Daniel’s band would be a lot of fun and hopefully a way to earn extra income in the future.
“It has been a real pleasure for me to play with you guys today,” Jonathan said in reply. “I really would like to join the band if you will have me!”
Everyone talked and socialized for a while after the rehearsal. Then it was time for Jonathan to leave. Everyone came up to him to shake his hand and wish him well.
After Jonathan left, the band members sat down for a meeting. Daniel started the discussion. “Unless I have misread one of you, I think that we all are very pleased with what we heard today. Jonathan is an awesome talent on saxophone, and the other instruments he played. His solos were first rate, and his sound clear and in tune! Are we all agreed on that aspect of the audition?”
“Jonathan has the skills we need for a horn player,” Eric said. “I was very impressed with his playing!”
“I felt a connection with him right away, just like I did when I first auditioned with you guys,” Nick added.
“I think you know how I feel, since I nominated him for the band!” Tim said. “I think he is a real talent and has the potential to grow with us!”
“So we are agreed that he is musically qualified,” Daniel summed up. “Now the other issue is personality and reliability. Will he be a dependable member of the band? Does he have any personal issues that could mess things up? Jason, what do you think? I noticed you spent some time talking with Jonathan. What were your impressions?”
“I sure enjoyed his music, as you guys did,” Jason answered. “Clearly he is very talented. The only thing that could be a concern is that his family life sounds somewhat unstable. His parents have been through a divorce, and now his father is no longer in touch with him, and in fact lives on the east coast. He didn’t really say anything about how his mother was doing, but I gathered from what he told me that their breakup was very difficult and most likely very trying on Jonathan. As far as him being reliable, I think maybe Tim should comment on that, since he has known Jonathan for some time. Music is a very important and positive force in Jonathan’s life. I would think that that would work in the band’s favor.”
“I have known Jonathan for several years now,” Tim responded. “Just like me, his parent’s divorce has not been good for him. His mother is very irresponsible right now, and that is a negative thing for Jonathan. But Jonathan is good people. You all saw how pleasant he is to be around. I think that joining our band would be one of the best things to happen to him. There is nothing we can do about what happened to his family. I think as a band, we could help serve that function for him. Jonathan is very serious about his music. You heard how talented he is! I think that music is number one for him. I think we should give him this chance.
“You guys know that my life was in a turmoil before I joined the band. Look at what a positive force it has been for me! If you have doubts about him being reliable, I don’t think you should keep that a secret. I think you need to bring your concerns out into the open and level with Jonathan. I believe he would be honest with us about things.”
“Yes, I agree with Tim that we should be open about things with Jonathan,” Eric replied. “Sure he may have had a tough family life. I certainly know w
hat that is like and I know how important music was during that time in helping me get through it. I don’t think we can deny Jonathan the opportunity to be in the band just because he has had troubles at home!”
“I think our first consideration should be that Jonathan has the talent to become a band member,” Nick stated. “He has already shown us today that he has the self-discipline and drive to succeed as a musician! How else could he have been prepared to play those awesome solos he played today?”
Daniel then summed up their group feelings. “As I understand what you are saying, we are all agreed that we want Jonathan to be in the band because he has the qualifications and abilities we need. At the same time, we have some concerns about his unstable home life. I think we should schedule a follow up meeting where we discuss this openly and fairly with Jonathan, and I hope not in a way that will make him feel offended or put down because he has been through some difficult times. It should be made clear to Jonathan that we really do want him as a member of the band, but we want to know if there are any circumstances that could interfere with the commitment he would have to make to us to join the band.”
Eyewitness News Page 2