Ten WHSB pupils from the GCSE and A Level cohorts were lucky enough to snap up tickets to a very special evening of live jazz music at the Hot Box in Chelmsford. This trip, led by Mr Derrick and Mrs Williams, gave pupils the chance to experience live jazz from some of the very best musicians working today. The Fellowship features world-class saxophonist Zak Barrett, a musician that boys of the School are already familiar with as leader of the School’s Jazz Band. Alongside him was guitarist Guthrie Govan, once named ‘Guitarist of the Year’ by Guitarist Magazine. Guthrie has gone on world tours with Joe Satriani and film composer Hans Zimmer, and has worked with that Oscar-winner to write and perform music for films such as The Lion King and Dune. Seeing him perform with the rest of the exceptionally talented group was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity our pupils are sure to remember. 

The band played songs such as Jazz Crimes, Tipatina’s and Oneness of Mind, showcasing all the band-members’ incredible improvisatory skill. There was a real showmanship and playfulness to the performance, with one performer often alluding to a melody such as Guns ‘n Roses’ Sweet Child of Mine or Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and another taking the melody and incorporating it into their improvisation. This was an inspirational evening of music, with Lower Sixth guitarist, Seb Lambert, describing it as a “real experience to see such a virtuosic performance”.