Hopkins Jazz Combo, H Bop, Takes the Stage

The soothing sound of the steady bass linen accompanied by tunes of light jazz fills the basement of Thompson as Hopkins’ jazz combo, H Bop, begins their rehearsals full of laughter, fun, and learning. In this student-run ensemble, musicians are able to find their own sound and enhance their skills of improvisation. Despite its independent nature, H Bop not only fosters a place for individual discovery but also strengthens connections through music.

Each musician’s journey through jazz began differently, but they were all drawn together through the undeniable energy that joining Jazz Combo promised. “I first wanted to play with jazz combo as an eighth grader,” said drummer Kyle Abrahamsen ’26. “I was really inspired by the jazz drummer before me, even though I never interacted with him directly.” Gabriel Ciminiello ’26, the group’s bassist, found the whole ensemble alluring, stating how he “was inspired to join the jazz combo [his] freshman year by some of the musicians in the group from outside of the Jazz Ensemble who were really talented.” Eliot Atlee ’27, recently joining on the alto sax shared a similar sentiment: “I wanted to join H Bop because ever since joining the Jazz Band [...] the people that have been in it before me have always talked about how fun it is. ” Silas Kennedy ’27 agreed: “I was inspired to join due to continuously hearing the group perform at a high level as they continued to have fun and make great music.”

When asked to describe H Bop in three words, H Bop Director Mr. Elligers chose “small group improv,” emphasizing how it “encourages students to push themselves to learn more jazz language and build confidence which they can then bring back to the larger ensemble.” Other members echoed the idea. Abrahamsen explained “the goal of H Bop is to develop our own improvisation skills in a more intimate group than jazz band.” Kennedy finds details down to the setting allow for these objectives, as its flexibility and closeness supplies “a small community focused on soloing and highlighting individual instruments in places where they can perform their best.” For Ciminiello, the atmosphere grants a place that is “tight (both musically and socially), creative, and fun.” The sense of connection is built directly on how the combo works together. H Bop strengthens bonds within the group, as Elligers sometimes steps back to let dynamics form: “I generally will begin rehearsals by providing music, musical references, and instruction for students to learn and perform, then students learn to rehearse themselves, similarly to how a string quartet might rehearse without a director/conductor.”

The spirit of H Bop’s rehearsals carry into their performances. Ciminiello recalled one of his favorite events: “My favorite performances have been [...] our performance at the end-of-year assembly last year, and when we played for Musical Chairs at Pumpkin Bowl.” Abrahamsen remembered “[performing] in front of members of the Coast Guard Academy” and how “getting direct feedback from more experienced players is an important way for [him] to learn.” He also used the opportunity of performing at St. Thomas’s Day School to pass down his love for music: “I really hope that we inspired some of them to check out jazz.” Elligers shared the highlight of last January's performance of  “Strasbourg/St.Denis for the inaugural performance in APAC” in which “they performed at a high level and sounded great in the new theater.” 

The combo has left a lasting impact on all the members. Through Elligers’s guidance, the group has learned more than just notes and rhythms, but how to listen and understand music. “I [...] will provide helpful feedback about what they need to be listening for and share any necessary jazz chord-scales/music theory to help them understand how to improvise on a deeper level,” he explained. Atlee found the combo to be a great way to “try new things and grow from them, and doing this will help you have fun and connect with people you play with.” The music genre itself also means a lot to the members. Kennedy stated, “To me, jazz represents expression, improv, and community. In jazz, musicians respond to each other, making something new every time.” He added, “The jazz community at Hopkins is very strong and supportive, encouraging [...] and pushing others to perform at that highest level.”