In a quiet, closed-off practice room, band junior Anderson Spellman begins to play a saxophone more than half his size. His eyes close as he sways back and forth with the rhythm of the music; Spellman’s face starts to turn from a white paste to tomato red from blowing into the reed. His favorite jazz greats’ sheet music sits in his folder while he works his way through the scales of their songs.

Spellman will be attending the Music for All National Festival in Indianapolis from March 26-28 as part of the Jazz Band of America. The Jazz Band of America is made up of high school students from across the country who apply through a recorded audition. The program is recognized as one of the “top honor ensembles for young musicians in the nation,” according to its website. Many members of the jazz band have also been selected to play at the GRAMMY Awards.

Though Spellman has been playing the saxophone since the fourth grade, he was entirely trained in classical music until two years ago, when the trajectory of his music career changed. He started experimenting with other kinds of music he had never played, like jazz. Inspired by his brother, who played trombone as a part of the Florida All-State Jazz band, Spellman buried himself in the world of jazz, collecting hundreds of dollars worth of vinyl records and being a part of the school’s Jazz band. Spellman said he has listened to almost 900 different jazz albums in the past year.

“It’s kind of like learning a new language,” jazz director and music teacher Christopher De León said. “You (have) got to be totally immersed in it…and for sure, he (Spellman) does that.”

Spellman said he enjoys the freedom that jazz brings to the table compared to classical music. “You can create something on the spot,” Spellman said. ”(From) changes between your sound, how you attack the notes, how you also write (your own) music, how you play the music, everything about it is different.”

Spellman learned about the opportunity to play for the Jazz Band of America from members of the school’s Wind Ensemble, who are also traveling to the Music for All National Festival to perform. Despite not being a part of the Wind Ensemble, Spellman still wanted a chance to “get (his) name out there.” Spellman applied for the Jazz Band of America and will fly out to Indianapolis with the Wind Ensemble.

For the audition, Spellman was required to submit a video of him playing “Billie’s Bounce,” a blues song that he described as being common at “almost every audition,” and a jazz standard of his choice, which was “Take the A Train” by Duke Ellington. Spellman was initially placed as a substitute, and he said he had “little hope” of getting an actual role in the final band. In the past, he was placed as a substitute for the Brevard Music Center but did not receive a place in the final band. Spellman said he was “pleasantly surprised” when he received an email a week later informing him that he got the position.

“They (the Jazz Band of America) select 18 (or) 19, students from all across the country to do it, (so) it’s a pretty prestigious thing,” Mr. De León said.

In addition to in-school and after-school rehearsals, band classes, and private lessons, Spellman also practices at home for about an hour a day. Spellman said he starts his practice with long droning tones to get the air moving and his instrument warmed up and in tune. 

“He’s always listening to jazz, he’s always talking about jazz, he’s always watching videos about jazz,” Mr. De León said. “He’s been hooked on it for quite a while. It’s really inspiring as a teacher to see someone like that who’s very smart and has a lot of other things going for him in a positive way, to be really into his peers and jazz. And it’s great to watch. (He is) dedicated for sure.”

Spellman said his “number one influence” is Micheal Forte, his private teacher and one of the music Artists-in-Residence who has worked with him since Spellman’s freshman year.

“(Having mentors has) for sure helped me grow at a faster rate than someone in old jazz, like the greats, (because) they didn’t have teachers,” Spellman said. “There was no laid out path of what you wanted to do for jazz (music). It was kind of ‘play what you hear,’ and then build upon that. Now, in this day and age, with all the teachers and the many jazz programs around the nation, it’s kind of accelerated the development of certain students.”

Spellman said he hopes that acceptance into the band program will help his future musical endeavors and assist in his application for college jazz programs. In addition, being a part of the Jazz Band of America is a chance for Spellman to meet other jazz students from across the nation and learn from them.