Groton Jazz Musicians Play Boston Hard Rock Cafe

Groton’s jazz band, “Soul Sauce,” and two smaller combos traveled to the Hard Rock Cafe in Boston on January 26 for a special performance for an audience of Groton teachers, students, parents, and a few outside guests. The performance was a culmination of several months of hard work and rehearsals by Groton jazz students, led by jazz director Kenji Kikuchi.

This was Groton’s second year performing at the Hard Rock Cafe, after many years at the Ryles Jazz Club, which closed its doors two years ago. The Boston performances provide a glimpse into a real gig at a storied venue—a fresh setting outside of school.

This year, the jazz band tried some new material, from "poppier" songs like “Happy” by Pharrell Williams, to classics like “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse and “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, to originals by Groton students, including “It’s a Trap” by the talented Jane Park '21. The audience responded well to the unfamiliar repertoire, and the band found the material both a challenge and a learning experience.

The performance was bittersweet for five seniors, who made the most out of their final Boston performance with Groton. Perhaps they will return, as did Brian Xiao '19, who stopped by to fill in on saxophone. The gig allowed newer, younger talent to show off their growth and improvement, especially during the final song, “The Chicken,” which provided a solo to every member of the band.

Overall, the Hard Rock performance was an enormous success: musicians and audience members alike shared in the celebration of students’ talents while connecting through the power of music.—Joshua Guo '20

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