John Jay Junior Earns A Place On All-County High School Jazz Band

CROSS RIVER, NY — It is often said that talent recognizes talent, so it is little surprise that a standout John Jay musician has been tapped to join a history-making ensemble.

From the Katonah-Lewisboro School District.

It’s not every high school musician that is two degrees of separation from Buddy Rich or Frank Sinatra. John Jay junior Fenton Lio is.

The accomplished guitarist has been accepted into WCSMA All-County High School Jazz Band A, conducted by Bill Cunliffe — a jazz pianist, composer and Grammy Award-winning arranger who got his start playing and arranging for the great jazz drummer Buddy Rich, and touring with Frank Sinatra.

"This is a very prestigious group to get into and highly competitive, especially as a guitarist," said John Jay Band teacher Jared Henderson. "Fenton will work with other top high school jazz students in the area under a fabulous conductor."

We caught up with Fenton the day after the group’s first rehearsal and he was … jazzed.

"It’s great to play with people who love the same type of music," said Fenton. "Playing with musicians of that caliber is really fun."

Fenton is excited that the group is playing original pieces by Cunliffe. He described his part in one of the pieces, a jazz funk song. "The guitar lays down chords that keep the tempo together," he said. "There are 16 measures of rests—I’m counting and counting—then I come in. It’s hard and it’s fun."

Fenton’s life is filled with music.

He plays cello in the John Jay High School Orchestra, the NYSSMA All State Orchestra, the Western Connecticut Youth Orchestra, and in a community cello ensemble. He plays guitar in John Jay’s house band, Route 121, and Jazz Band, and sings in the Treblemakers, a student-run a Capella group. He also writes and produces his own music which he releases on streaming platforms and performs throughout the year.

"Songs are stuck in my head," he said. "If I drop something, I think of a rhythm."

Fenton thanks his music teachers at John Jay for their mentoring and encouragement.

"I am so lucky to have the support of such an excellent music department at John Jay High School," said Fenton.

"I knew very little about playing jazz before joining the John Jay Jazz Band and working with Mr. Henderson," he said. "Ms. Geiger, my music-tech teacher, has helped me think about what aspect of music would be best for me to study in college; I fully trust her insight and opinion. And lastly, Ms. Leventhal has been my orchestra teacher since sixth grade. I only started taking cello lessons outside of school less than a year ago; everything else I basically learned from her."