Do u think flutes belong in jazz band?

So my band teacher is holding auditions for Jazz band but said flutes do not belong in Jazz band. Everyone i have talked to has said yes so now where debating if we should protest. And it would help to know your opion.
Thank you Jewels .(P.S were in a 8th grade band)

Flute is a beautiful instrument and harmonizes with other instruments gracefully. I'd say they should be in every type of ensemble.

it depends on the piece of music. but overall, i'd say yes they can. not needed, but they can fit well into a jazz band... of course it's a different style of music so you'll play a different way too.

http://www.flutehistory.com/Playing/Jazz...

I definately think that flutes deserve a place in a jazz band.
it wasnt to long ago when our jazz band featured an epic jazz flute solo.
however, some pieces, aflute will never be heard or its just out of place

Not me personally, but I'm a little biased, because I play sax in the jazz band (8th grade)

Herbie Mann made some great jazz on the flute. And there are many others. Do a search for "jazz flute" and you'll see. Your teacher is not well informed.

Yes, definitely. Sometimes a sax player will double on flute. Most jazz band charts don't have a flute part. Check out Yusef Lateef's music, (in addition to Herbie Mann). He played some killer jazz/blues flute.
I'd say see if you can download some of his tunes, along with Herbie Mann, and give them to your band leader on a CD. This may change his mind and he will definitely appreciate the effort. Good luck. I played flute in concert band but piano in jazz band. This was in the 1960's and flute in a jazz band was unheard of. I believe you can win him over!

Yusef Lateef and Roland Kirk would disagree with your teacher.

yes

Go up to him an start talking about how Frank Wess played sax and doubled on flute as did eric dolphi and many others.

i play the flute and the alto sax and i fully believe that the flute belongs in a jazz band but there is not a lot of jazz music written for the flute here's some advice if you want to be in jazz band the alto sax is really easy to play if you want to pick up a second instrument but just if you want to

If you're really serious about playing flute in jazz band, you should really throw yourself into it and research famous jazz flutists, because there have been many. If you make an effort to learn your role as a flute player, maybe there's room for you after all.

I think what your instructor is trying to say is flutes are not traditional jazz instruments. They're appeared in popular jazz here and there, but the genre wasn't built on the flute. Your instructor isn't only teaching you guys how to play in a jazz setting, but is also trying to promote an appreciation for jazz music among his/her students.

There's a productive way to go about convincing your teacher that they should allow a flute in jazz band, but protesting is not one of them. Research some famous jazz flutists, and then ask your prof why they are so against the flute, and try to convince them otherwise.

Flutes have been in jazz since nearly the beginning. Flutes are present on some of the earliest New Orleans recordings from the 1920s (as were violins and other seemingly non-jazz instruments). Chick Webb's band had a flutist. Flutes have stayed in jazz since, notably in the capable hands of Eric Dolphy, Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Herbie Mann.

Flutes absolutely have a place in jazz.

no, because u wouldnt be able to u and in my jazz band 8th grade a flute player learn to play a sax.

Tell your band teacher to sit down shut up and listen.
Beleve it or not I played the flute for meney years and I played every thing from your run of the mill band music to rock,clasical, and yes some jazz, and you might try playing some blues "ausum if your good"
Hay kid knock em dead.

I heard I guy that played flute with such Jazziness it almost made me cry. He was the most awesome part of the show I watched.

That having been said, are you being graded by this person, like ever? If so, be careful how you protest, so you don't damage that 'getting good marks' thing...

In their early jazz-influenced rock albums, Chicago used flutes. Jethro Tull, while not jazz (classic rock) used flutes extensively.

I would argue that flutes in jazz follow the tradition of musicians such as Vince Guaraldi (admittedly a pianist) of setting a lilting, syncopated, and energetic beat to a musical piece.

Good luck -- if he isn't outvoted then he is narrow-minded.

If your band director actually said that.. "flutes don't belong".. then he needs to go dig out some big band albums, and check things out.. because in almost every big band, the saxophone players double on flute at times. But I don't think that's what he really meant.. at least I hope not!!
His issue is, in general, level 1 or 2 stage band charts probably do not have flute parts written in them. Thus, why he is choosing not to use flutes. The assumption on most middle/high school level stage band charts is going to be that the saxophone players are not capable of doubling on flute, so they are not written with any doubles. The higher level charts for advanced high school bands, or college level bands, would be that the saxophone players can double, and the flute parts are written into the instrumentation and the arrangement, based on when the arranger/composer felt that sound was appropriate. Even so, it's only going to be 10-15% of the time, so there isn't a need to have "extra" flute players on hand.. it's used in place of the saxophone. The biggest issue for lack of flute parts is that the flutes would be buried sound wise, in an 18 piece ensemble. They would never be heard. But when the arranger wants that sound, in a section in the middle of a piece, he can drop a lot of the rest of the instrumentation out, to allow the flute part to be heard.
My advice.. don't protest... discuss his motives for choosing charts that don't have flute parts.. and begin to learn to play saxophone, so you can beat out all the rest of the saxophone players for their chairs.. because you play can play saxophone well, and can double on flute!!

No. Do Tae-kwon Doe fighters belong in Boxing?

Jazz is what it is, Don't try to change a huge part of American culture just cause you're too stubborn to learn a new instrument.

Flutes should definitely be in jazz bands
it brings a certain sound that no other instrument can bring

The flute can be a very interesting addition to a jazz ensemble. It has such a versatile, pure and complicated sound that it really epitomizes jazz. I would think everyone would be surprised and delighted with the flute in a jazz band.