Unless she counts car rides with her friends, before this month, Madysen Seely didn’t have any experience singing in front of an audience.
But with Cleveland’s Blue Jazz backing her, the senior performed the blusey, sentimental jazz ballad “Cry Me a River'' at the Section 2A state jazz contest at Minnesota State University on March 4 and again at the TCU Jazz Fest in Montgomery eight days later (above).
Now you say you're sorry
For being so untrue
Well, you can cry me a river
Cry me a river
'Cause I cried, I cried, I cried a river over you
“It was the song I opted for when Mr. (Erik) Hermanson gave me a couple pieces to choose from. I just love it. It's an emotional song, and it's a lot easier and more fun to sing songs that I can connect to,” Seely said.
Seely said the piece challenged her.
"It pushes my chest voice range, which is fun. Some parts were harder than others, but it really comes down to confidence, which I lacked for a while, especially when I realized we were really going to do it.”
To polish her performance, Seely turned to Le Center native Anya Menk, who was a student band teacher at CHS last year.
“It was really nice to practice with Ms. Menk. She's really talented and helped give me ideas for styling and just general things to help it be more comfortable. I know there's a lot of room to improve, but I really have appreciated the opportunity and the faith that Mr. Hermanson and my peers have expressed in me.”
Blue Jazz got a perfect score of 40 at the contest, said Hermanson.
Cleveland bands were invited to last year’s TCU Jazz Fest but had to cancel due to a bad snowstorm. This year, the concert opened with Cleveland’s Tuesday Jazz, a group of 17 seventh and eighth graders. That group played “Poco Loco” and “Gospel John.”
Before Seely’s performance, Blue Jazz played “I’m Beginning to See the Light.”
Also on stage at the TCU Jazz Fest were TCU’s high school jazz band, the Minnesota Youth Jazz Band, and IRIS, a five-piece professional jazz touring group.
Cleveland has had a few divas over the last decade. Last year, then senior Micah Peterson performed “Jingle Bell Rock” with the Holiday Jazz Band. Back in 2010, Brooke Phillips as a sophomore sang “Nice Work If You Can Get It.”
Seely will sing “Cry Me a River” again on May 6th at the jazz concert in the new gym. Also at that concert, sophomore Vivian Hilfer will perform Michael Bublé’s “Everything” with Green Jazz accompanying her.
Tuesday Jazz on the TCU stage
Tuesday Jazz
Blue Jazz on the TCU stage
Blue Jazz