‘It really takes a village’

By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Editor

 

“Thank you for encouraging me to bring these students to you,” Chris Levister, the past president of the Blue Jay Jazz Foundation told the members of the Women’s Club of Lake Arrowhead at their June 18 meeting. “We’re not just the Blue Jay Jazz Festival.”

In fact, the Foundation supports talented young musicians with scholarships – the Future Generation Jazz awards. They also have an instrument “library,” lending instruments to students who are unable to afford renting or purchasing them.

Brenden Watson and Jaden Martinez – who will be seniors at Rim of the World High School in the fall – then played “Dream a Little Dream of Me” for the women on their saxophones.

“I’ve been working with these young people since they were in middle school,” Levister said. “This is where your money goes. Thank you for supporting us.”

Brenden and Jaden were joined by Dylan Whitter, a 2024 Rim High graduate who just completed his first year at Cal Poly Pomona, majoring in mechanical engineering.

“It’s as hard as it sounds,” Dylan said. “It’s been very different from up here on the mountain. I carrier my music with me.”

Noting he had wanted to “do music” since he was little, Dylan said he had asked his grandparents for a drum set when he was 5. That didn’t happen as they felt it would be too noisy. When he was 13, Dylan learned the guitar. At Rim High, he joined the jazz band, playing guitar. But when the drummer graduated, he switched instruments, teaching himself to play drums.

“I’ve kept music with me in low moments,” Dylan said. “I play my guitar in my room.

“One reason we’re all here,” said Jaden, “is we love music but it’s not free.” His baritone saxophone, he noted, would cost almost $6,000; he is renting the one he is playing.

Jaden told the women he plays his sax in Lake Arrowhead Village most weekends to earn tips. “People ask us to play tunes they know,” he said. “I love bringing that music to you.”

But the reeds for his sax are expensive – about $60 per box, which lasts a month. He wants to go to college for sax performance and wants to join special bands. “But that takes gas,” Jaden said. “If there’s any way anyone here can help, we’d be so thankful for any assistance. It really takes a village.”

Brenden started his musical career on the trombone before switching to the saxophone. “All these years of playing sax brings me insane amounts of joy. There has never been a moment when I’ve thought about dropping it. I want to do this my entire life.

“Music is really expensive,” Brenden said. “Musicians everywhere are always asking for help. I apologize for asking but hope you can help us.”

Anyone who would like to offer some assistance to these young musicians may write a check to the Blue Jay Jazz Foundation, marking the student’s name on the memo line, and mail it to P.O. Box 3334, Blue Jay, CA 92317.

 

Blue Jay Jazz Festival

This year’s festival – “Shuffle, Swing, Sizzle!” – will take place on Aug. 21, 22 and 23.

On Thursday, Aug. 21, Ms. Monet and Friends will take the stage at Tavern Bay Beach Club. She is known for R&B, jazz standards and soul. The Friends will include Lake Arrowhead resident George Whitty on keys; Michael O’Neill, guitar; Joel Taylor, drums; and André Berry, bass.

Then on Friday, Aug. 22, Gordon Goodwin’s Little Phat Band will present big band swing, funk and jazz fusion at Tavern Bay Beach Club. The band – called one of the most exciting large jazz ensembles on the planet – is made up of 18 musicians.

The festival will conclude on Saturday, Aug. 23 with piano virtuoso Tamir Hendelman and singer Eddie Wakes presenting the music of Nat King Cole on the lawn at the Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa.

At the Women’s Club meeting, Levister played a snippet of singing, which everyone identified as Nat King Cole himself. It was, in face, Eddie Wakes.

Tickets for the Blue Jay Jazz Festival will go on sale on July 1. Visit www.bluejayjazz.org.

Remembering Ianita Wagner

Martha Bush took a moment at the June 18 meeting to remember her good friend Ianita Wagner, who passed away on June 9.

“She was president of our club many times,” Bush said. “She saved our club, kept it going when membership was down.”

Bush went on to say she met her friend in 2002 at a meeting at Wagner’s house. “She cooked dinner for us – there were only eight members. The program was presented by Dr. Win on geriatric sex (which drew a laugh from the women at the June 18 meeting). It was an interesting program!

“We would not have a club if it were not for her.

“She spent almost four decades with the Women’s Club of Lake Arrowhead and served six terms as president. In 1970 she was declared the “remarkable lady of Lake Arrowhead.”

As Bush concluded her remarks, everyone raised their glasses in a toast to Ianita Wagner.