Freshman Feature: Patrick Jasper
At 4 pm on a Sunday afternoon, freshman Patrick Jasper was eating organic cherry yogurt and just starting his French 1 homework. The rest of the day, he was busy learning how to play Radiohead songs on piano.
“They’re my favorite band and biggest influence,” Jasper said.
Jasper, the frontman of the freshman heartthrob band Trigger-Fish, was first introduced to music at age three when he learned to play the recorder through the Suzuki method. Since then, he has picked up the saxophone, piano and guitar. “My favorite part about being a part of Trigger-Fish is Eli-Bratsch Prince,” Jasper said. “And jamming, playing ping pong, and eating snacks that my mom makes for us.”
The talented Ames-Gilbert freshman quartet Trigger-Fish, who have already caught the attention of the Ames music scene, plan to continue jamming and watching British prime-time dramas together throughout the rest of their high school careers. Aside from taking private saxophone and piano lessons and receiving guitar tips from his dad, Patrick has one of his main music teachers at home – his older brother junior Paul Jasper.
“We jam and write music all the time in our basement,” Patrick said. “We teach each other new things and help each other get better.”
Paul and Patrick, brothers and best friends, have played in several bands together, are in the same Jazz band, and share the same taste in music. “We just kind of click,” Paul said. When not playing music, the brothers enjoy wrestling their labradoodle Cassi, watching South Park, and surfing Reddit. Patrick says having an older brother helped him transition easier to high school. However, Jasper is already making a name for himself around the school.
“He’s first chair saxophone of Jazz 2, and Mr. Ewan’s had him do some sweet ballads,” senior Joel Heilman said. “It’s surprising, considering he’s only a freshman.”
“Patrick is the cutest boy I’ve ever seen,” junior Joe Lunaburg said. “I’d give him a solid 9.”
Aside from his musical endeavors, Jasper is involved in the Parallel team, the tennis team, and like his older brother, the ladies. “[The ladies] are great. I can hardly keep them off,” Jasper said. “Especially my brother’s girlfriend.”
From jazz band to Trigger-Fish to the ladies, freshman Jasper will continue to impress the high school with his musical talent and suaveness for the next three years. After graduating, he has big plans. “When I grow up, I want to do something that’s related to music. That, or be a baker.”
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