Seattle area high schools are headed back to New York City and the Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival in May. The festival, in its 17th year, has been a hot spot for Seattle schools and this year is no different. Three schools from the area will be sending their Jazz 1 ensembles and they include Roosevelt, Ballard and Mountlake Terrace. Roosevelt and Mountlake Terrace competed in last years festival and took 2nd and 3rd place respectively, while this will be Ballard’s first appearance in New York. All three bands will also participate in Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz this year.

Essentially Ellington was founded and continues to be run by jazz trumpet player Wynton Marsalis. The festival received 111 submissions from high schools around North America and from that they select the top 15 bands. There is also a category for best community program. Of the 15 bands that are selected to attend Essentially Ellington three will be selected to play on stage at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis and members of his jazz orchestra. Approximately 300 students will attend the festival and will also receive clinics and instruction from several of the Jazz @ Lincoln Center’s band.

What is very exciting for us is that many of the young jazz musicians have been playing at our monthly jazz gigs at Tula’s in Seattle’s Belltown area. STM Presents Jazz @ Tula’s happens on the third Saturday of the month from 2 PM – 5 PM and has had high school full jazz bands, combos and several middle school combos. Donations that are raised at these events go for producing CDs and other event material. Consider making a donation today to help support more local teen jazz events.