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The Jazzschool's Monday Night Studio Band Wins First Place
& Thursday Night Studio Band Third Place
For Second Consecutive Year
At the Monterey Jazz Festival's
6th Annual Next Generation Festival
Held April 9-11
Both Berkeley Bands Performed
Under the Direction of Keith Johnson
Berkeley, Calif.,
April 16, 2010 The Jazzschool's
Monday Night and Thursday Night Studio Bands, both under
the direction of Keith Johnson,
captured 1st and 3rd place respectively on Sunday, April 11, at the 6th Annual
Next Generation Festival (40th Annual National High School
Competition) in Monterey, California.
The
weekend event, devoted to the future of jazz, includes the Next Generation
Festival Jazz Competition with Big Bands, Combos, Vocal Ensembles, and
individual musicians vying for a spot on the stages of the 53rd Annual Monterey
Jazz Festival in September.
The
Jazzschool bands competed in the Conglomerate Big Band Division (students from
different schools rather than all one school) against groups from Tucson (Jazz
Institute "Ellington Band" and "Basie Band"), San Francisco (the
always-excellent SFJAZZ High School All-Stars), and Portland, Oregon (the
second-place-finishing American Music Program, under the direction of Thara
Memory).
Their
first-place finish guarantees the Monday
Night Studio Band the opportunity to perform at this year's Monterey Jazz
Festival as well as a $1,000 cash prize.
"While I
am extremely proud of both Studio Bands for their accomplishments within the
competition, I leave this year's event glowing with excitement because of the
big musical step forward both ensembles made this weekend," said Keith Johnson, Director of the
Jazzschool's Young Musicians Program. "Both performances were special for me as
I saw the smiles and excitement on the students' faces while performing in
front of their peers while also coming into their own as an ensemble,
delivering two performances I will never forget.
"That feeling
of musical satisfaction is something we have been striving for all year and
something we accomplished this weekend. That is what I will remember most about
this year's Next Generation Festival. I am so incredibly grateful for the time
I get to spend working with these students and am proud to be associated with
this talented group of young musicians."
Adds
Jazzschool Founder/Director Susan
Muscarella: "There was a remarkable lineup of bands at the Next Generation
Jazz Festival this year. The judges had some really difficult decisions to make
given all of the wonderful bands that played, and I wouldn't have wanted to be
in their shoes that morning! In terms of musicality, both the wholes and
sums of the bands' parts were off the chart!"
Keith Johnson conducts the first place-winning Jazzschool Monday Night Studio Band, April 11, at the Monterey Jazz Festival's 6th Annual Next Generation Festival. (Photo: D. Levine)
Monday Night Studio Band Personnel
Saxophones:
Albert Baliwas, Sam Priven, Kevin Miller, Tad Nicol, Evan Waltmire.
Trumpets: Josh
Shpak, Zach Ramacier, Tim Swanson, Benjamin Gerard, Benjamin Kreitman.
Trombones:
Jonah Levine, Jamie Dunkle, Calvin Barthel, Jakob Lengacher, Christopher
Palowitch.
Rhythm: Nick
Lamb (p), Chris Jefferies (b), Marshall Williams (d).
Music Performed:
"A Single
Sky" (Dave Douglas, arr. Jim McNeely)
"Thank You"
(Jerry Dodgion)
"Slings
and Arrows" (Michael Brecker, arr. Rob Lussier)
Thursday Night Studio Band
Personnel
Saxophones:
Christian Ortiz, Austin Chanu, Robby Sheppard, Brian Rato, Julian Brown.
Trumpets: Zach Ramacier, Alec Michels, Daniel Schumacher, Rachel Doolittle.
Trombones:
Mark Kolding, Anna Rubenstein, Arthur Richardson, Cameron Tholluag.
Rhythm: Nate
Parton (g), Sturdy Adams (p), Erik Shiboski (b), Roddy Galli (d).
Music Performed:
"Shadow
Dance" (Dave Holland)
"The
Peacocks" (Jimmy Rowles, arr. Bill Holman)
"Oleo" (Sonny
Rollins, arr. Michael Abene)
Web Site:www.jazzschool.com |
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Media Contact:
Terri Hinte
510-234-8781 hudba@sbcglobal.net
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