PHOTO BY JACKSON PROVAN Sophomore George Shekiladze performs jazz music from his debut EP at The Cutting Room in New York City on March 16.
May 12, 2025
By Rayan Yamout
Editor
In seventh grade, when all the media center passes were taken, sophomore George Shekiladze ended up eating lunch in the Lyndhurst Middle School band room. This decision unexpectedly led to the March 16 release of his six-song jazz EP, “Hit It!”
After joining the middle school jazz band that same year, Shekiladze said he fell in love with the piano.
“There was no better feeling to me than playing improvisatory music and the whole band being on the same page,” Shekiladze said. “It is such a euphoric feeling when I’m comping, and the drums or other instruments catch my rhythms or call and responses.”
“All I hear in my head is music, whether I feel happiness, anger, love or hate. It just can’t get out, so I write it out.”
He said he especially takes inspiration from jazz tenor saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins, who began recording music when he was 18.
“The changes in cultural expectations of children [have] made it harder for me to work as a high schooler, but this gave me a good way ahead to perform more often than I already do as a bandleader rather than a sideman,” Shekiladze said.
He said his EP, which is available for streaming on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube, is proof of his passion.
“All I hear in my head is music, whether I feel happiness, anger, love or hate. It just can’t get out, so I write it out,” Shekiladze said. “I always try to make my music based off of something I experienced or something I feel because it makes me put in energy and effort to make it good.”
Shekiladze celebrated the debut of “Hit It!” with a performance on March 16 at The Cutting Room in New York City. There, he performed 14 songs, including three originals from his EP, for a crowd of approximately 120 people.
Shekiladze said he enjoys performing his songs live because he gains energy from the audience and his band members, some of whom he met through gigs and shows in New York City.
“Some people came up to me after the show and said they never listened to live jazz, and I remember seeing those same people bounce their feet and cheer while the band’s energy got higher and higher,” Shekiladze said.
COVER BY ISABELLA BARTLETT Sophomore George Shekiladze released his six-song debut EP titled “Hit It!” on March 16.
LHS Class of 2024 graduate Olivia Oliveira, who performed as a vocalist at Shekiladze’s concert at The Cutting Room, said she was glad to be part of his show.
Oliveira said when Shekiladze invited her to perform with his hired orchestra totaling 20 members, she immediately marked her calendar.
“I’d been able to see George grow up, so seeing this [EP] release performance was quite a milestone,” Oliveira said. “I was also extremely honored and flattered that he wanted me to be part of the performance.”
Oliveira–who has worked with Shekiladze since he started his first band, the 17 Big Band, in 2023–said she was excited when she found out he was making an EP.
“I knew it would be amazing, and it was something he’d wanted to do since I’d known him,” Oliveira said. “I heard a few songs in their early stages and immediately knew I would love them…. For someone as young as George to be so talented and courageous has always made me proud to be his friend and work with him on music.”
Oliveira said she will continue to support Shekiladze in his musical endeavors.
“I love singing jazz music, so whenever George asks me to, I say ‘yes,’” Oliveira said.
Junior Lucas Guerrero, a close friend of Shekiladze, said he was happy to be in the audience to celebrate Shekiladze’s achievement.
“It was so cool seeing his ideas finally take form [as] something that was [available] to the public,” Guerrero said.
He said he is impressed by Shekiladze’s work ethic.
“[Making the EP] was a very long process with [many] steps, but it was so satisfying when it finally was complete,” Guerrero said.
He said it was incredible to watch Shekiladze debut the songs on his EP.
“I’ve always heard George play, and I have been to almost all of his shows, but to see him in this setting specifically was just so inspiring,” said Guerrero.
