Seth Boyden students and teachers had the privilege of hearing some great jazz during Thursday’s two assemblies featuring a quintet from the Bufford School of Music in West Orange. Drummer Greg Bufford led the band in playing different types of jazz for the audience, and talked to students about the music’s origins in Africa, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Brazil, and the US. The wonderful musicians (Belden Bullock on upright bass, David Braham on piano, Doris Spears on vocals, and Lance Bryant on saxophone) had kids and teachers dancing in their seats with their renditions of songs like Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train,” Billie Holiday’s “God Bless the Child,” and Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” along with examples of various types of jazz and rhythms from all over the world. Mr. Bufford had students come up and play some beats with the band, got teachers and students to do the limbo, and ended each hour answering students’ questions about jazz, the musicians, and their instruments. It was a fantastic addition to the school’s celebration of Black History Month.
SB PTA Assemblies Coordinator