Week11: SUJO at bridge bar!

I've known SUJO (Southampton University Jazz Orchestra) for a while, but never had a chance to see them practicing or performing. One day when I finished practising and was about to go home, I passed by the classroom at the ground floor of the management building. I saw a big band rehearsing, and among them I noticed several undergrads I've met at the soul cellar before. I knew it wasn't good to peek what other's doing, but I stood outside of that classroom watching them rehearsing for 5 minutes. I noticed that there were only two trumpets in the session, so I thought: "If only I could play with them..."

The next day after the Rock History class, I bumped into Jai at the corridor, who was the trumpet player I saw at soul cellar gig with Owen two months ago, and he happened to be one of the two trumpeters from that big band I saw. He saw me carrying my horn, asked: "you practising?" "yeah." "Mind if I join you and see what you got?" "definitely not." Then he grabbed his horn and walked me to the practicing room. I told him I saw them rehearsing yesterday, and asked whether there's any chance for me to join them. "Do you improvise? Which key you play?" He sat down in front of a piano, started playing blues. "Do you know any tunes? How about Blue Monk?" He said while he continued playing, that he was the principal of the 'SUJO 2,' who takes care of the audition for new band members. So we worked on several tunes and finally he said he'll text me the details for rehearsal. I was very happy and excited, this was how I got in and started playing in SUJO2. 

The first rehearsal, I arrived with only two options: either playing the1st or 4th trumpet, because the 2nd and 3rd were already taken (Jai plays the 2nd, as I supposed.) Albeit knowing that I am very lousy at hitting the high notes, I still picked the 1st chair, imagining that there would be probably no other chances for me playing as the 1st trumpet in other occasions. Anyway, this will be a good opportunity to train myself as a lead. However, I didn't manage doing it well, because I couldn't force my embouchrure to do things it couldn't do, it turned out that, I played the lead trumpet with one octave register lower. However, I decided not to feel shameful this time, for I am trying my best here and it should be left with no regret. 

Jai invited me to their gig, the guerilla jazz band at the bridge bar last week, yet for some reason I was late and missed theirs. It's a shame... but fortunately, when I arrived the 2nd set was just about to start, and it happened to be the SUJO!! Luckily I brought my camera that day, so I am now having the chance sharing the clip I took there:  (uploaded with the band director's permission)

Groovy (funky) tune, I like it!!