By Jessica Zhu Yunjie (24A01E), Chen Ying (25A01C)
Photographs courtesy of Raffles Photographic Society
“Now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for…presenting Raffles Jazz!”
As the curtains of the Performing Arts Centre (PAC) drew open to reveal various instruments decorated with leaves and fairy lights, audience members went wild—many shouting their friends’ names in excitement once they caught sight of the shadowy figures on stage.
Jazz’s concert, Afterhours, was phenomenal in providing a well-rounded performance; prioritising not just their sound, but putting in significant effort to ensure that every detail added to the experience. Featuring a beautifully designed programme booklet, eye-catching slides which helped set the scene for different songs, along with creative use of flashing lights to emphasise the rhythmic beats… Frankly, such quality completely surpassed the typical standard you’d expect from free ticketing!
Held on 17 May, (the day after Y6 GP TPs ended!) the audience turnout was incredible and quickly filled the limited seats. Despite the crowd, chatter respectfully faded into silence as the Y6 batch opened with a globally acclaimed Jazz masterpiece: Take 5, by Dave Brubeck. This was an extremely lively and upbeat start, with performers displaying an enjoyable stage dynamic as they bopped along to the music.
True to its name, the concert set a more casual tone that helped everyone ease into a genre they may not have been familiar with. Incorporating charming references such as the iconic Kdrama OST You Are My Destiny in the storyline used to link all the different songs together, the emcees earned quite a few giggles when they roleplayed a loving couple.
Their next piece Girl From Ipanema was much more laid-back, with percussionists sitting on a sofa while jamming along. Smiles were exchanged all around as spotlights alternated to grant each performer their own time to shine, and the relaxing atmosphere created a vibe akin to that of friends simply having fun together.
Following this came Tiktok-popularised L-O-V-E, which definitely drew murmurs of recognition as the singers danced along to the catchy chorus. Jazz, however, did add their own unique elements to the song by showing off smooth harmonisation, as well as inserting ad-libs. Though there were a few minor slip-ups, performers were quick to recover. As the incoming Chairperson, Shayna Cheong (25S06A), puts it:
“A mistake in Jazz is not a mistake. It’s just improvisation.”
The performers breeze through piece after piece despite the organisational nightmare it must have been backstage, what with them not just switching songs, but instruments as well! It’s safe to say that their passion for the CCA is evident, and each member displayed remarkable talent even when venturing outside of their comfort zone. In fact, violinist Bella Huang’s (24S03I) favourite piece is the one where she gets to play the bass! “It’s really quite special,” she said, grinning.
Straight No Chaser then saw their CCA instructor Mr Eric Lee joining in on the piano, featuring a ‘call and response’ melody. Lighting shifted towards more bright and fiery tones, helping to build up their crescendos. As Mr Lee bows at the end of his performance, he doesn’t forget to extend his well-wishes to the departing Y6 batch either:
“At the start, some of them couldn’t even play the instrument at all; I was a bit worried! But they’ve worked really hard, and you can see how wonderfully they play now. I hope they continue to play Jazz, and love it for the rest of their lives.”
Sentimentality aside, the title of ‘most memorable song’ from the first half would definitely go to Social Call. This piece was a genuine delight, with the singers acting as a bickering couple and making use of props, such as a bottle of wine.
Even the stage was set for the scene—complete with appropriate furniture, and the performers were clearly immersed in the characters that they played. There truly was nothing else like it; if you had no prior context, you’d probably assume that their performance was a snippet straight out of a musical!
This song was much more emotional, so Jazz did a wonderful job adjusting their subtle body language and tone to suit the mood. Their vocals completely leaned into the tense argument that was being held in the scene, and even included a verse of rap to stoke the flames further.
Following a 10 minute intermission, the curtains once again reopened to reveal the next performance—Spain, a fusion jazz standard by Chick Corea. A song full of diverse sounds and different layers, its rhythmic beats were highlighted by flashing lights. The audience also became “a part of the performance”, with the percussionists encouraging everyone to clap along.
Next came a jazzy take on Pachelbel’s classical Canon in C, with the Raffles Jazz members first starting off with the original version, before abruptly jumping into their own version. This unexpected switch took everybody by surprise, and the members really delivered on the “groovy twist” promised in the programme booklet.
Continuing with the storyline, the next song introduced was Street by Street by Laufey, a post-breakup song which represents one’s determination to not be held back by heartbreak. Featuring raw vocals and a melancholic melody, the song truly touched every audience member’s heart.
This was followed by a timeless Latin class, Sway. Starting off with a countdown in Latin, the members launched into a catchy rendition of the song, with the lights transitioning from a dim blue to a bright red as tension was built. At the climax of the song, the vocalist, Jed (24S05B), was so caught up in the music that he started dancing with the mic stand.
When it ended, it was evident from the overwhelming applause and a yell of “Jed, I’ll sway with you!” from the audience that this song was yet another crowd favourite.
After a couple more stunning performances, including My Favourite Things from the famous musical The Sound of Music and In a Sentimental Mood, it was time for the last performance of the concert, the finale. The curtains closed, and reopened for the final song: Five nights at Freddy’s, featuring the full band and an adorable surprise guest… a bear keychain! With beautiful harmonisation amongst the vocalists and red flashing lights, the crowd erupted into applause…
But! That was not the last performance. The Jazz members surprised everyone with a surprise encore of How Deep Is Your Love by Bee Gees, where they took the opportunity to thank their teachers-in-charge and their instructor with cards and bouquets of flowers.
All in all, it was a beautiful night, with rave reviews from the audience. We received many positive comments regarding the performance, such as:
“I was blown away by the production quality, the theatrical narrative, the lights, and of course, the music. I found myself grinning throughout the performance!”
Indeed, the performance was simply amazing, given that many members had little experience and entrance to the concert was free. The ending of Afterhours also marked the end of the Y6 Jazz members’ journeys in the CCA, as Afterhours was the final showcase of their tenure. To the Y6 Jazz members who would be stepping down, Shayna, a Y5 Jazz member, expressed with a smile:
“I hope that the Y6s will keep Jazz with them as they leave, and that they will continue venturing and exploring performance opportunities in the future, as their chemistry is very good.”
Lastly, we would like to leave you with a quote that best showcases the spirit of Jazz. When asked for comments towards her batch, outgoing Chairperson, Jadyn (24S05A) said:
“This year, this CCA, these people [have] been the most fulfilling thing, I don’t know how to find a better community, they are everything, I love them so much.”
Even as an outsider, the bondedness and chemistry between the members are plain to see, and this is also beautifully conveyed through their music. We, too, hope that the Jazz members will always keep Jazz in their hearts!
Performer list:
Year 6:
Yu Jingwen (24S07B)
Brea Tan (24S05A)
Chong Xinni (24S03E)
Bella Huang (24S03I)
Heidi Lim (24S03M)
Sun Lujia (24S05A)
Jadyn Choo (24S05A)
Tan Jed (24S05B)
Anupama Shankar (24S03N)
Year 5:
Li Anyi (25S03H)
Shayna Cheong (25S06A)
Olivier Lim (25S03N)
Julian Low (25S06A)
Isaac Teo (25S03D)
Ang Ben Yi (25S05A)
Brice Tan (25S02B)
Chloe Chee (25S03A)