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Arts & Entertainment

MIHS Jazz Band Gives Shoppers a Solid Performance

MIHS Jazz Band's Nordstrom Performance is a Study in Collaboration

The high-end fashion retail store, Nordstrom, is well-known for creating a wonderful ambience for shoppers by providing live music from a professional pianist. In fact, the grand piano, located directly in front of the East entrance of the store on the second level, often becomes a gathering place for shoppers to meet, or just sit and relax.

On Thursday night, December 23rd, shoppers were in for an extra jazzy treat with a performance by the Jazz Band.

As the trio played, a large crowd gathered comfortably around the band, enjoying the music.

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Bill Ward, a Snohomish resident and jazz fan who spent years in the Bay area was impressed by the performance, exclaiming that the music took him back to the San Francisco Bay area, where he listened to greats such as Vince Guaraldi and Dave Brubeck.

"These kids are really, really good!" Adding, after a pause, "I can smell the Bay, listening to them play."

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Another listener was amazed when she found out the performers were high school students. Pointing at pianist Derek Frank's hands as they skipped expertly down the keys, she exclaimed, "They look so much older!"

This was the MIHS Jazz Band's first performance at Nordstrom, and it came about in a bit of a surprising way.

Mercer Island resident, Bob Burmeister, had seen the youth perform at the Community Center at Mercerview's , and was so impressed by their skills, he decided to try to help them get some gigs. It turns out, Burmeister, a former coach for several MIHS teams, knew the Nordstrom family from their years at Mercer Island High School.

After speaking to a few people, Burmeister said, "Erik (Nordstrom) made this happen."

However, it wouldn't be so easy for the trio. The Sunday before the performance, while skiing up at Snoqualmie Pass, MIHS Jazz Band bass player Zack Hartmann broke his hand. It took him several calls to find someone available on such short notice. That someone was Andrew Imanaka from Garfield High School.

In the end, the MIHS Jazz Band's performance at Bellevue Square's Nordstrom was more than great entertainment, it was great collaboration, as well.

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