Hans Schuman, executive director of the music education group JazzReach and drummer for the group’s Metta Quintet, was among the musicians who gave a special presentation on Blues music to students from Fair Haven and Red Bank.
Press release from Fair Haven School District
On November 17, third graders from Sickles School in Fair Haven got a lesson in “learning the blues,” in an exciting event at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.
Accompanied by music teacher Vince Mottern and chaperones, the students attended “Yes Indeed!,” a program (presented by the musical education group JazzReach) that explores the evolution of the blues genre, as well as its impact on American music and history.
After a live performance of blues and jazz music by members of the Jazz Reach Metta Quintet, the Sickles students and their teachers – along with the Red Bank Primary School students and teachers also in attendance – participated in a Q&A session with the musicians as well as musical demonstrations.
Students learned the answers to burning questions such as “Are some instruments harder to play than others?,” “How and why do your hands move constantly when you are drumming?,” and “Is it really hard to play the saxophone?” (The answer to the last question – “As with everything, it is hard until you learn the fundamentals; once you get started and keep moving along, it becomes a whole lot of fun.”)
“We all enjoyed the show very much,” said Mottern. “In music class we studied some of the elements and history of the blues, and we also played a blues pattern on instruments.”
“It was really great to bring the topics full circle in this way.”
Jazz Reach members performing and presenting at the event were Beresford Bennett (Narrator), Zach Brown (Bass), Chad Lefkowitz (Tenor Saxophone), Hans Schuman (Drums), Greg Ward (Alto Saxophone) and Glenn Zaleski (Piano).
