Claridad Senior Recital Program

Spring 2021
Senior Recital
Santa Clara University

Overview:

This short virtual concert of jazz standards and original pieces serves as my senior
recital for my final quarter at Santa Clara University. While this would normally be an in
person event, fluctuating county policies regarding social distancing during the COVID 19
pandemic made a live concert very limited at best, and impossible at the worst. Rather than
abandon the project, I opted for a pre-recorded event that would feature myself and my fellow
students. With tech support from SCU Presents and some assistance from my advisor, Carl
Schultz, I sound engineered and compiled a video for the five tracks featured here. My goal
was to capture a small piece of what it was like to learn and make music with these people
over the years, despite the restrictions. While some things had to be cut, I think we were able
to do just that.

As many of us student performers came to learn in the absence of live performances,
the act of recording music can be a very daunting experience. While some mistakes can be
excused and forgotten on stage in the concert hall, mistakes in a recording are effectively
etched into stone. There is a pressure in that, and I especially felt obligated to myself to record
a perfect take. But as Carl would often remind me, jazz is an improvised, creative, and
spontaneous music, and because of this, there is no such thing as a “perfect” take. All we can
do is put in the work, and hope we can show off what kind of players we are on a given day.
This idea is where the title of the program, “Snapshot,” comes from, because it showcases this
one moment in my musical career, at the end of my undergraduate education. Thanks for
letting me share it with you.

- Jonathan Claridad

Program:

Jonathan Claridad - Piano
Omar Garcia - Alto Saxophone
Sophia Flores - Voice
Josh Mitchell - Bass
Lucas Moreira - Drums
Aidan Gallegos - Guitar

Special thanks to Carl Schulz, Jon Dryden, and the faculty of the music department for
providing me the resources and support to make this recital happen.

● “All of Me” - by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons
○ Featuring: Jonathan Claridad

Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons were American composers from the early 20th century,
and this collaboration of theirs would stand the test of time. Written in 1931, “All of Me” has
become an American jazz standard, having been recorded around 2000 times. The rendition
in this program will be a medium swing for solo piano. “All of Me” was one of the first songs I
learned when I started getting into jazz music, so it felt like a proper capstone for my college
experience.

● “Inner Urge” - by Joe Henderson
○ Featuring: Jonathan Claridad, Omar Garcia

The title track of saxophonist Joe Henderson’s 1966 album, “Inner Urge” is a jazz standard that
can serve as a sort of proving ground for some budding jazz heads. The tune is frantic and
complex, supposedly a reflection of Henderson’s experience trying to make his way in New
York City. The performance here will be a duo arrangement of piano and alto saxophone,
(featuring fellow graduating senior, Omar Garcia), performed outside in a parking garage due
to social distancing policies. Omar and I have been talking about performing this piece like
this for years, and I figured this would be a great chance to finally get it out there.

● “Darn That Dream” - by Jimmy Van Heusen
○ Featuring: Jonathan Claridad, Sophia Flores

With lyrics by Eddie DeLange, “Darn that Dream” is one of many hit popular songs by the New
York composer, Jimmy Van Heusen. Introduced in a short-lived Broadway musical in 1939,
“Darn that Dream” would go on to be performed by a number of big players and bands from
Benny Goodman to Miles Davis. This rendition will be a piano and voice ballad, with Sophia
Flores on vocals. This is the only piece featured here where all the players aren’t in the same
space together at recording, and shows off the asynchronous recording style that we have all
picked up during the pandemic.

● “Farewell at Dawn” - by Jonathan Claridad
○ Featuring: Jonathan Claridad, Josh Mitchell, Lucas Moreira

The first of two original pieces on this concert, this jazz waltz makes me think of heartfelt
goodbyes, which in hindsight might be related to the fact that I’m graduating fairly soon, and
haven’t seen many good friends for awhile due to the pandemic. We played it here as a jazz
piano trio, featuring Josh Mitchell on upright bass, and Lucas Moreira on drums. Josh and
Lucas are the players I’ve had the most experience jamming and performing with for classes,
and I’ve always wanted to get us out there as a trio somehow.

● “Blindness” - by Jonathan Claridad
○ Featuring: Jonathan Claridad, Aidan Gallegos, Josh Mitchell, Lucas
Moreira

“Blindness” is a Latin/Funk fusion piece that I wrote after being exposed to a variety of Cuban
styles during the preparation for my first gig at a salsa club. To me, it’s a sort of mysterious
tune that opens up as we push forward, and we try to make that experience groove. This
quartet piece again features both Lucas Moreira and Josh Mitchell (now on a five string
electric bass), with the addition of Aidan Gallegos on guitar. I love playing with all of these
guys, and it’s a bummer to not be able to play on campus anymore, but I’m consoled by the
fact that we can get these kinds of projects together on our own.