If such a thing were possible, Zemari Facey would have been born with a pair of drumsticks in his hands. As it is, the seventh grader at Dorchester’s Conservatory Lab Charter School (CLCS) on Columbia Road got started on the drums when he was still a toddler.
Zemari Facey, 12, has played the drums since he was a year old. It’s something that isn’t uncommon in his very musical family.
“I have a very musical family, so it was very normal for me,” he said in an interview at the school last week. “I got my first drum set when I was one. I guess they knew since I was a baby it was going to be like that…I just like people relying on me for tempo and it keeps me on my toes.”
Finding the beat is such second nature that he also finds himself in trouble at school for absent-mindedly tapping out rhythms on his desk.
“I got in trouble for that many, many times; I just got caught last period,” he said with a laugh.
Facey, 12, is one of several talented students who performed at the 3rd annual CLCS Coyote Jazz Night on April 30 at The Strand Theatre at Uphams Corner. The annual concert places students from the music-focused K-8 school into special jazz ensembles, where they rehearse for the “gig” with seasoned professionals from the Joe Pino Quintet, who accompanied students at the concert.
The 6-8th grade ensemble played four numbers along with the Joe Pino Quintet – whose members help instruct the students via a partnership with Berklee School of Music – but brought down the house with ‘Pick Up the Pieces’ by Average White Band. Seth Daniel photos
Also joining the Jazz Night was the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, which is part of a new collaboration.
At the Strand event, fifth graders played ‘Chameleon’ by Herbie Hancock, while sixth graders played ‘Mr. P.C.’ by John Coltrane, and the 6-8 grade ensemble brought down the house with a winning rendition of ‘Pick up the Pieces’ by Average White Band.
“We were so fortunate to have an amazing night of jazz and joy,” said Andrew Malkin, a CLCS instructor. “Our goal for jazz night was to make it as much of an authentic ‘gig’ experience as possible. Being able to have our performance in the historic Strand Theater, while being backed by professional musicians from Joe Pino Quintet – gave the students that real and meaningful experience.”
Zemari has learned to play other instruments like the trombone, which he showcased during the concert. But they couldn’t keep him off the drums, and he also jumped on the throne for a set with the combos.
His family has quite a pedigree in the music industry, particularly at Berklee School of Music in Boston’s Back Bay. His grandfather, Winston Maccow, is a professor at the school. His grandmother, Lynette Maccow, attended Berklee for vocals, as did his mother, Nadjya Facey-Maccow.
Facey said he hopes to join the family at Berklee one day after high school.
“My mother teaches at Boston Arts Academy, and I want to go there when I graduate from here,” he said. “Then I want to go to Berklee. I just want to make myself known, not necessarily famous, but well-known. I want to play live music for famous people some day and be well known for that.”
CLCS is a unique school with two campuses based in Dorchester. All students – whether musicians or not – learn to play an instrument. While Facey had the drums under wraps already, he said CLCS has helped him to learn new instruments and be a more well-rounded student.
“Going here helped me to learn a couple of new instruments, like the cello and trombone since I started here in kindergarten,” he said.
It has also challenged him on the drums, as he has really been focusing on a piece called ‘Skip Step’ by Nate Smith that “has a 17-8 time signature that is odd, but I love playing.”
Facey and the other students seemed to have a great time playing in the historic theatre, which is down the street from the school. He noted that playing with others and playing live are “fascinating” experiences.
“I feel like folks can listen to an audio recording of someone playing music but playing everything live and in front of them feels better,” he said. “You’re fully there.”
Jayden Baldwin held down the trumpet section during the popular ‘Cantaloupe Island’ by Herbie Hancock.
Dana Woods on the trumpet.
Xavier Rodriguez brought down the house with his saxophone solo during ‘Mr. P.C.’ by John Coltrane.
