On Jan. 16th, the Lexington High School Jazz Department hosted the second of four events in its annual Jazz Nite series, a performance centered on improvisation and small jazz ensembles. Held in Commons II, the free event drew 40 to 50 attendees, including parents, students, and community members, to experience the work jazz students had been developing throughout the quarter.

“[Jazz Nites] are sort of quarterly performances for the classes at LHS that focus on improvisation,” Justin Aramati, a jazz instructor and music teacher at LHS, said. 

Unlike traditional concerts, Jazz Nite focuses on smaller ensembles rather than large jazz bands. This year’s performances included the Intro to Jazz classes—which only perform during the second Jazz Nite—the Jazz Septets, and the Jazz Combo, LHS’s highest level, audition-based jazz group. 

For many students, improvisation is one of the most challenging skills in jazz. Unlike reading from sheet music, it requires quick thinking, strong listening skills, and confidence. Jazz Nite gives students the opportunity to showcase their composition and technical abilities, as well as their growth over time.

 “When you write a tune for a small jazz group […] you just need to come up with a melody and chord changes […] then the ensemble improvises it into a performance,” Aramati said.

The preparation of Jazz Nite is intensive. According to Vyom Srivastava, a senior at LHS, students spent about four weeks practicing their compositions and rehearsing as ensembles, meeting multiple times each cycle.

 Srivastava echoed Aramati’s sentiment, highlighting how the rehearsal process provides students the opportunity to demonstrate their creativity and collaborate closely with their peers.

 “The third quarter is when a lot of students in the Jazz Combo […] compose their own tunes,” Srivastava said.  

Srivastava reflected on the night with a mix of excitement and nostalgia, recalling his past experiences performing in Jazz Nite while also looking ahead to the future. He commended Aramati and fellow jazz instructor Patrick Donaher for helping students gain confidence and deepen their understanding of jazz and music as a whole.

“It’s really amazing to see […] complete novices to jazz come into the class,” Srivastava said. “I was super excited to hear other people perform their tunes. I wanted to hear how they sounded. I wanted to hear the Septets. I also wanted to hear the intro class.”

Whether someone is a beginner or has a strong passion for jazz music, the program emphasizes that creative performance and music are available to everyone.

“[Jazz Nite is] a chance to have a full performance to really celebrate all the hard work they’ve put in,” Srivastava said.