Recently, my jazz quartet experienced an amazing day of music with some incredibly gifted musicians and good friends. When the circumstances are right and the trust and respect of each other is in place, the sky is the limit in where you can take your creativity. When you have musicians that value each others friendship and abilities and that believe in and embrace the vision, something incredibly special can happen. It did on April 24 in the Sandler Center. 

In many ways, this performance was like the culmination of ideas I've had for years but never had a chance, until now, to present it exactly how I was hearing it behind the cranium. Symphonicity of Virginia Beach gave us that opportunity to develop and shape the musical objectives. To bring the music into clear context. The orchestra helped to bring my compositions with Allen Farnham's extraordinarily beautiful orchestrations, to life. Conductor and musical director Daniel Boothe took the time to work with the musicians to get it right. Nothing was rushed. The material was treasured. It was held to a high standard and it challenged the musicians to rise up beyond where they thought they could go and embrace something that for them, was new. It gave music appreciators something that went beyond both jazz and classical. It's a unique and rare merging of very different musical concepts. It worked!!!

I'll never forget that first rehearsal. It's difficult to put into words, but I knew then that the possibilities were in place to make something magical. Such amazing professionalism, heart and soul, kindness and truth. You don't get that kind of comradery often in this business. I LOVED being in that room with them. Playing together. Talking. Sharing. Laughing. It was an emotionally profound experience for me. Something I've never experienced before on that level. There is truly something special that exists beyond notes, rhythms and sound when things truly align. At some point you all will hear and see this performance and you will be moved.

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Jae Sinnett hosts Sinnett in Session, The R&B Chronicles, and Students in Session on WHRV FM. He also shares his love of the culinary arts on Cooking with Jae on Facebook every Sunday at 6 p.m. Plus, catch up with past episodes. 

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