Jefferson Area High School Stage Band - From the Be·gən·ning (2019)

The Jefferson Area High School Stage Band is a five-day-a-week course featuring students grades 9-12. This ensemble has performed at various jazz festivals across northeast Ohio as well as opening up for jazz group The Huntertones on April 8th, 2019. This album was initiated by band leader Fred Burazer but was organized, developed and performed by the students in the JAHS Stage Band. All songs are original works and some have been in the works for more that three years before their release date. The JAHS Stage Band uses composition regularly to teach concepts in form and structure in jazz. A major focus on improvisation resides over the operation of this class and the ensuing music created by these talented and creative student musicians.

The title of this album, from the be·gən·ning, is apparently the phonetic spelling that students think that director Fred Burazer says the word "beginning". For the record, Mr. Burazer doesn't hear it and thinks he says it perfectly normally and that everyone else says it weird.