Unbeknownst to many, children have been listening to jazz for decades and probably really enjoyed it.
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Raymond Scott was an American composer, pianist and band leader and created the iconic music to accompany Bugs Bunny and others in Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies.
The sounds of “wabbit season” and other cartoon scenes will echo through the Berry School of Arts this Saturday, a family evening, as part of the annual Berry Jazz Festival.
“If you’ve ever seen a Bugs Bunny cartoon you will have heard the Raymond Scott Quintet and we play a lot of that,” said Peter Dasent, part of the jazz group performing.
“It’s very well composed and it makes quite big demands on musicians. A lot of it’s very fast – like cartoon music tends to be – but it’s really entertaining and exhilarating.”
Dasent is no stranger to introducing children to music, having been the man behind the sounds for Play School for nearly two decades.
He said if children get a taste for music at an early age it can be really rewarding for them.
“As Keith Richards [from the Rolliong Stones] said ‘music is not a luxury it is a necessity’. It’s something kids instinctively respond to,” Dasent said.
“The fact that kids respond to it so early just proves that because they don’t have any choice in the matter, kids are completely instinctive, the way they learn and what they respond to it’s an essential part of life.”
As Keith Richards said ‘music is not a luxury it is a necessity’.
- Peter Dasent
The evening won’t all be cartoons however, with Raymond Scott also famous as a “pioneer of electronic music” according to Dasent.
Dasent’s band has transcribed famous, and hilarous, television commercials Scott produced into high energy jazz tunes.
This year’s festival will also see the return of youth workshops with Eric Dunan from Wollongong Conservatorium of Music.
Music students of any level aged nine to 18 can spend Saturday morning learning jazz essentials before performing together in the afternoon at the Berry School of Arts.
Dunan said jazz skills, like improvisation, were valuable though opportunities to play in a jazz group didn’t arise too often.
The fourth annual Berry Jazz Festival kicks off with the Steve Hunter Quartet on Friday night at the Berry Bowling Club. Other performers across the weekend include the Queen Porter Stomp plus Tricia Evy and Dan Barnett.
The Program At A Glance:
Friday: 8pm - Steve Hunter Quartet - Berry Bowling Club
Saturday: 12pm-1.30pm - Queen Porter Stomp - Rotunda (Apex Park)
Saturday: 10am through to 3.30pm - Young Berry Jazz Workshop and Performance with special guests - Berry School Of Arts
Saturday: 7pm - Great Scott - The Music Of Raymond Scott - Berry School Of Arts
Sunday: 2pm - Tricia Evy and Dan Barnett - Coolangatta Estate Winery
Desiree Savage
At the helm of Australia's premier publication for people aged over 55, covering hard hitting issues, travel, lifestyle and entertainment. Got a hot tip? Email me - edit@TheSenior.com.au
At the helm of Australia's premier publication for people aged over 55, covering hard hitting issues, travel, lifestyle and entertainment. Got a hot tip? Email me - edit@TheSenior.com.au
