Jazz and dinner make a delicious combo for high school fundraiser

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

It was a night of sweet beats and sweet treats as Charles City High School vocal and instrumental jazz groups treated an almost capacity house to some swinging tunes, dinner and a lavish dessert assortment.

The Jivin’ with Jazz music department fundraiser was held Tuesday evening, March 25, at the Youth Enrichment Center at the Floyd County Fairgrounds. Proceeds from the annual event – which has been going on in various locations for more than 20 years – support the CCHS Music Department.

Guests were attended to by sharply dressed students in the school’s traditional orange-on-black as applied to wait staff attire, serving the meal, keeping water and coffee pitchers full and clearing tables – all except for the souvenir glasses, which the patrons were encouraged to take with them.

At each guest’s seat was a ticket to the dessert area, which included several tables filled edge-to-edge with a wide variety of cakes, cookies, bars and other treats provided by parents. Guests were also encouraged to purchase additional treats to take home, and were assured that to-go containers were available.

Performing after the meal were the Jazz Band, with students in grades 7 to 10; then the high school’s vocal jazz ensemble, Rhymes With Orange; then the Jazz Ensemble, the high school’s varsity instrumental jazz group, finishing the evening.

Vocal Director AJ Weber directed Rhymes with Orange, and Band Director Jacob Gassman directed the two instrumental groups.

Both directors commented on how involved their student musicians are, not only in the groups they represented at the concert Tuesday evening, but in sports, drama, other clubs and additional musical groups at the school, as well as their classes.

Gassman announced the winner of silent auctions and a cash raffle after the penultimate song, adding, “This is one of my favorite things I get to do every year. Working with these guys is a blessing and a joy, and I can’t say thank you enough.”

The Jazz Ensemble concluded with what Gassman called “a big departure from any of the other pieces you heard tonight,” a song based on a chant by a tribe in the Congo.