Featuring Bridgeport vocalists and instrumentalists, “The Songbirds” will make their public debut this weekend in downtown Clarksburg. 

 

The group will perform 6 p.m. Saturday at Main Street Café and Gallery as the opening act for the West Virginia Jazz Society’s Fifth Anniversary and All-Star Jam, which follows the Friday night holiday jazz stroll. 

 

“The Songbirds” features vocalists Aika Takahashi, Hannah Cottrill, Luke Sambol, Jada Adlington and Hannah Dunn and instrumentalists Robin Bohn, piano; John Marshall, guitar; Isaac Riffle, drums, and Bridgeport High School Band Director Chris Hayslette, bass.

 

Hayslette said the group was formed specifically for the holiday jazz event and at the request of Eric Spelsberg, president of the West Virginia Jazz Society, Inc.

 

“He contacted me and said they were doing this big jazz weekend and thought it would be a neat idea to get some some kids interested in vocal jazz to get together,” he said. “So I just threw it out to the kids to see who was interested and six kids said they would like to sing. So we found some charts and got a little rhythm section together and it kind of went from there.”

 

The small group gives students an opportunity to do something different.

 

“All these kids are in the jazz band, but most of the time they are playing instruments, so this gives them a chance to explore something with a little different style,” Hayslette said. “I think at their age, they should be exploring as many different things as they can – and then as they go to college and later in life, they can pick out the ones they really want to pursue.”

 

Saturday morning, the young musicians will take part in a workshop, working with other musicians being featured this weekend. 

 

Cottrill said she is very happy about the entire opportunity.

 

"I think it will be a great opportunity for my peers and me to work with and play for professional jazz musicians," she said. "We'll get the chance to better ourselves in something we really enjoy doing. I'm looking forward to listening to Karen Greene as well." 

 

Practice time has been limited because of the number of engagements the BHS bands has had over recent weeks, but Hayslette said they are ready to deliver some quality tunes.

 

The group will perform a 45-minute set including several well-known numbers; “Summer Wind,” “Blue Skies” and “It’s Only a Paper Moon” included.

 

Friday, the ensemble worked with jazz singer Barbara Martin and her guitarist Vince Lewis, both of whom are performing at this weekend's event. 

 

That mentoring session proved beneficial to the students and the entire West Virginia Jazz Society has been instrumental in providing quality education and entertainment with regard to jazz, Hayslette said.

 

“If it weren’t for organizations like the West Virginia Jazz Society and people like Eric Spelsberg who are so passionate about this work, this music might just disappear forever,” he said.

 

Spelsberg said he is quite pleased with “The Songbirds.”

 

"I love the fact that the project has been 'owned' by the students with very little involvement on my part,” he said.

 

He said he’s like to see them perform beyond this weekend. Hayslette said that is quite possible. 

 

"The Songbirds" will be followed Friday night by various acts. See below.