Eckstein/Garfield/Roosevelt Shine at the Reno Jazz Festival

The Times is reporting that Eckstein won two division places and four soloist awards at the Reno Jazz Festival yesterday.

Garfield's combo, won first place in the AAA division (probably some salve to the wound of not going to the Essentially Ellington contest in May in NYC).

Roosevelt's Jazz Band III won second place in the Apprentice II division. 

From the story:

The legacy and influence of Seattle's nationally-renowned school jazz band programs was manifest at the festival. Garfield high school alum Tatum Greenblatt played trumpet in one of the festival's featured professional ensembles, The Mingus Big Band. The middle school jazz band competition winner, from Lindero Canyon, Calif., is directed by Matt McKagan, brother of former Guns N'Roses bassist Duff McKagan, both graduates of Roosevelt High School.

Congratulations to all these fine young musicians and the great teachers who guide them (and the parents who back them).

Comments

Eric Orlin said…
Why no shout-out for the Sealth Jazz Ensemble? They received a rating of gold at the Worldstrides Heritage Jazz Festival in New Orleans, LA, and trumpet player Cameron Nakatani received a Maestro Award for outstanding solo from the three-judge panel that included professors from Arizona State University, Tulane, and Loyola. The news was on the West Seattle Blog, whom you obviously read.

Not to take anything away from these schools, but there is good music being produced all over the Seattle school system - Let's spread the love!
4/30/12, 10:09 AM
Jan said…
Duly noted, Eric. Thanks for posting. What this city does with middle/high schoolers and jazz is just so incredible.
4/30/12, 3:29 PM
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