The Melodic Voices of the Vocal Jazz Ensemble
By: Macie Jean Walker
Staff Writer
The Green River College Jazz Voices gives their members opportunity to rehearse, make friends, and perform with other advanced vocalists in a professional yet friendly setting.
The Green River Jazz Voices boasts 15 talented members. Nico Benabid, one of the choir’s youngest members, described it as a close-knit group and said they are able to get close in a way that is more difficult to experience in a much larger choir.
“I think it’s similar for all performers; people naturally like attention from others,” Benabid said. “Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted people to notice me, and singing has done that for me. I want people to see that I’m good at something and I’ve done that through music.”
For 12 years, the group has been directed by Kelly Eisenhour, who despite teaching other courses finds this group to be especially important to her.
“The standards are really high,” Eisenhour said. “I write for them and I do some of the arranging, so it’s sort of my signature group. I get to be creative, and they’re excellent singers, so I get to work with them on a high level.”
The choir’s repertoire currently consists of five songs and instead of spending rehearsals picking up different pitches and rhythms for each singer, the vocalists are expected to learn their part individually in order to maximize productivity in class.
When having auditions for the ensemble, Eisenhour is very particular about whom she allows in her class. Vocalists must be prepared to read sheet music, show musicality in performance and have an awareness of pitch and intonation. Eisenhour also assesses the singer’s tone and how they will blend with returning vocalists, as well as how quickly they can pick up highly complex rhythms, pitches and concepts.
While returning members still have to audition, “they have a leg up because they know what to expect,” said Eisenhour.
If students join the class that have never performed in a jazz ensemble before, it is much more difficult for them to anticipate the amount of practice and devotion that it takes to be a part of a college-level jazz choir.
“[Jazz is] a very different style, and you direct it differently because it’s not as formal,” Eisenhour said. “Once they’re on stage, I’m hardly directing them at all.”
In a performance, the director might count them in, but from there, it is up to the students to perform and put on the show that they have prepared. Eisenhour interacts more with the singers in a ballad or slow song, or if the piece is sung acapella. The style and culture of jazz permits the students to be more independent and musical together.
With only two weeks of rehearsal so far, the ensemble anticipates its first performance on Nov. 2. Co-hosted by Green River Community College and Auburn Riverside High School, the festival will feature seven choirs in total from Auburn High School, Auburn Riverside High School, Tahoma High School, Kentwood High School, as well as Green River College.
The choir tentatively plans on going to the Fullerton Jazz Festival in California this April. While this festival is non-competitive for college groups, there will be judges there that will work with each group individually. Eisenhour believes that her singers could benefit from the experience of working alongside professionals and experience the music industry in that setting.
Despite funding worries, Eisenhour is eager. “It’s a great festival because there’s college groups and high school groups, and even middle school vocal jazz groups, so you get to see a lot of different styles.” Eisenhour said.
She also explained that the sound one hears in a local setting has a very unique and distinct brand.
Vocal jazz in schools was born in the pacific northwest in the mid-1970s. All across the country, there are different pockets of jazz that have their own sound and culture, and the festival at Fullerton College gives singers the opportunity to experience that.
If the group is unable to go to the Fullerton festival, then they will plan on returning to Reno this year instead. Last year, the choir came home with the first-place trophy and their own Sage Eisenhour received the Outstanding College Vocalist award.
“I think my group is even better this year, so I’d love to take them to Reno again,” Eisenhour said.
The Green River Jazz Voices is an inspirational ensemble full of hard-working singers. Eisenhour is very excited to see the group perform together, and expects amazing things from them.
