2024 Wesley Jazz Ensemble
WESLEY JAZZ ENSEMBLE
TO: Hikaru Bakoshi, Office Media, Wesley UMC
FROM: Wayne Adachi, Wesley Jazz Ensemble
DATE: October 8, 2024
RE: Wesley Jazz Ensemble: Annual Wesley UMC 2024 Charge Conference Report
TO: Hikaru Bakoshi, Office Media, Wesley UMC
FROM: Wayne Adachi, Wesley Jazz Ensemble
DATE: October 8, 2024
RE: Wesley Jazz Ensemble: Annual Wesley UMC 2024 Charge Conference Report
Purpose of the Wesley Jazz Ensemble (“WJE”):
The jazz ensemble provides a variety of high-energy songs and musical performances for senior centers, social organizations, and community events in the San Jose area. For those especially in the senior centers, this could be a special and only opportunity for live music (from the past and present) at their own respective locations, where there could be mobility concerns and issues.
WJE History
The band was originally formed in 1996 by then Scoutmaster Wayne Adachi for Wesley’s Boy Scout Troop 201. The band’s first performance was for Reverend Peter Chen’s Retirement Party at the Scottish Rites Temple. As the scouts completed their scouting program, the only ones remaining were the adult leaders from which other musicians from the Church and community were added to form today’s jazz ensemble. The Band’s music consists of jazz, blues, Latin, popular, rock and roll, Motown, ballads, Japanese pop charts and most recently rap versions. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all WJE performances were cancelled from 2020 until 2023. However, the band was restarted in mid-2023..
WJE 2024 Performances
1) April 2024: Nikkei Matsuri, community event that featured community “volunteers” dancing to YMCA (lead by Trent Ueunten), including the Lotus Pre-schoolers; estimated attendance @ 175
2) May 2024: Nostalgia to Now, dance fundraiser for Missions’; estimated attendance @ 100
3) August 2024: Special Music for Wesley Sunday Service; estimated attendance @ 125
4) October 2024: Aki Matsuri, Wesley fundraiser; estimated attendance @ 100
5) December 2024: Yu Ai Kai Christmas/Holiday performance; estimated attendance 50
6) December 2024: Wesley Church Christmas/Holiday for monthly potluck; estimated attendance 125
Evaluation as to successfulness of program:
As director of WJE, I feel that our performances are entertaining with high-energy/toe-tapping music, inviting audience participation for a favorable response by generating positive enthusiasm. WJE consists of 21 members (comprised of some of the best Church and Nikkei musicians), including Dave Land (joined the band in 2024) who with Mark Teagle performed “Sweet Home Chicago” as the Wesley Blues Brothers together with the Wesley Sisters (lead by Terri Koike) who performed “I Will Follow Him” at Nostalgia to Now (a church fundraiser); both songs were major “hits” for this show. Another show stopper was Trent’s impersonation of Michael Jackson, singing Billie Jean, including the moon-walk. At Aki Matsuri, the Wesley Blues Brothers returned for a command performance, singing and dancing to a medley of the Blues Brothers songs. We also would like to thank Becky Soffioto as our dance instructor for this fundraiser and provided free dance lessons prior to this event.
Financial Impact: WJE provides music free of any costs. If an honorarium is received in the name of the Band, all funds are donated to Wesley Church for its general fund.
Current and Future Plans: Earlier in 2024, WJE had been rehearsing at OBI Studios (thanks to Dave Brown who had offered to allow the Band to practice at his music studios), but with the lessening of Covid restrictions, we have returned to the Church for our rehearsals. We are looking forward to our Christmas/Holiday shows in December for the Yu Ai Kai seniors and Church congregation.
For 2025, we will be scheduling more community events and collaboration performances with other local organizations, including “Japantown Returnings” (written by Mark Teagle) which is an inter-active musical play about the history of San Jose Japantown in collaboration with the Japanese Museum of San Jose (“JAMsj”) and the Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (“CATS”). We also envision inviting community members to participate at Nikkei Matsuri 2025 when the Band performs “Shake A Tail Feather”.
Wesley Jazz Ensemble Members:
Wayne Adachi, Director/Trombone
Ted Hasegawa, Trumpet/Vocals
Dave Brown, Trombone/Audio Supervision
Duane Takahashi, Alto Sax
Melina Takahashi, Alto Sax/Flute
Len Fujita, Tenor Sax
Michael Yoshihara, Bari Sax
Wendy Horikoshi, Flute/Vocals
Grant Shimizu, Lead Guitar
Peter Horikoshi, Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Ichiro Bakoshi, Bass
Todd Soo Hoo, Drums
Marilyn Hasegawa, Keyboard
Kirk Tamura, Keyboard
Ryan Miyahara, percussion/drums/bass
Shizuko Adachi, Vocals
Jeffrey Leap, Vocals/MC
Trent Ueunten, Vocals
Dave Land*, Vocals/MC
John Tanaka, Equipment Manager
Chris Hioki, Special Assistant/Audio Technician
* new member in 2024
The jazz ensemble provides a variety of high-energy songs and musical performances for senior centers, social organizations, and community events in the San Jose area. For those especially in the senior centers, this could be a special and only opportunity for live music (from the past and present) at their own respective locations, where there could be mobility concerns and issues.
WJE History
The band was originally formed in 1996 by then Scoutmaster Wayne Adachi for Wesley’s Boy Scout Troop 201. The band’s first performance was for Reverend Peter Chen’s Retirement Party at the Scottish Rites Temple. As the scouts completed their scouting program, the only ones remaining were the adult leaders from which other musicians from the Church and community were added to form today’s jazz ensemble. The Band’s music consists of jazz, blues, Latin, popular, rock and roll, Motown, ballads, Japanese pop charts and most recently rap versions. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all WJE performances were cancelled from 2020 until 2023. However, the band was restarted in mid-2023..
WJE 2024 Performances
1) April 2024: Nikkei Matsuri, community event that featured community “volunteers” dancing to YMCA (lead by Trent Ueunten), including the Lotus Pre-schoolers; estimated attendance @ 175
2) May 2024: Nostalgia to Now, dance fundraiser for Missions’; estimated attendance @ 100
3) August 2024: Special Music for Wesley Sunday Service; estimated attendance @ 125
4) October 2024: Aki Matsuri, Wesley fundraiser; estimated attendance @ 100
5) December 2024: Yu Ai Kai Christmas/Holiday performance; estimated attendance 50
6) December 2024: Wesley Church Christmas/Holiday for monthly potluck; estimated attendance 125
Evaluation as to successfulness of program:
As director of WJE, I feel that our performances are entertaining with high-energy/toe-tapping music, inviting audience participation for a favorable response by generating positive enthusiasm. WJE consists of 21 members (comprised of some of the best Church and Nikkei musicians), including Dave Land (joined the band in 2024) who with Mark Teagle performed “Sweet Home Chicago” as the Wesley Blues Brothers together with the Wesley Sisters (lead by Terri Koike) who performed “I Will Follow Him” at Nostalgia to Now (a church fundraiser); both songs were major “hits” for this show. Another show stopper was Trent’s impersonation of Michael Jackson, singing Billie Jean, including the moon-walk. At Aki Matsuri, the Wesley Blues Brothers returned for a command performance, singing and dancing to a medley of the Blues Brothers songs. We also would like to thank Becky Soffioto as our dance instructor for this fundraiser and provided free dance lessons prior to this event.
Financial Impact: WJE provides music free of any costs. If an honorarium is received in the name of the Band, all funds are donated to Wesley Church for its general fund.
Current and Future Plans: Earlier in 2024, WJE had been rehearsing at OBI Studios (thanks to Dave Brown who had offered to allow the Band to practice at his music studios), but with the lessening of Covid restrictions, we have returned to the Church for our rehearsals. We are looking forward to our Christmas/Holiday shows in December for the Yu Ai Kai seniors and Church congregation.
For 2025, we will be scheduling more community events and collaboration performances with other local organizations, including “Japantown Returnings” (written by Mark Teagle) which is an inter-active musical play about the history of San Jose Japantown in collaboration with the Japanese Museum of San Jose (“JAMsj”) and the Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (“CATS”). We also envision inviting community members to participate at Nikkei Matsuri 2025 when the Band performs “Shake A Tail Feather”.
Wesley Jazz Ensemble Members:
Wayne Adachi, Director/Trombone
Ted Hasegawa, Trumpet/Vocals
Dave Brown, Trombone/Audio Supervision
Duane Takahashi, Alto Sax
Melina Takahashi, Alto Sax/Flute
Len Fujita, Tenor Sax
Michael Yoshihara, Bari Sax
Wendy Horikoshi, Flute/Vocals
Grant Shimizu, Lead Guitar
Peter Horikoshi, Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Ichiro Bakoshi, Bass
Todd Soo Hoo, Drums
Marilyn Hasegawa, Keyboard
Kirk Tamura, Keyboard
Ryan Miyahara, percussion/drums/bass
Shizuko Adachi, Vocals
Jeffrey Leap, Vocals/MC
Trent Ueunten, Vocals
Dave Land*, Vocals/MC
John Tanaka, Equipment Manager
Chris Hioki, Special Assistant/Audio Technician
* new member in 2024
Posted in Charge Conference 2024