2013 Next Generation Jazz Festival to Host America's Top Young Jazz Musicians, 4/5-7

The 9th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival Presented by Monterey Jazz Festival takes place April 5-7, 2013, at the Monterey Conference Center. The weekend-long event includes Big Bands, Combos, Vocal Ensembles, and individual musicians vying for a spot on the stages of the 56th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. The event will be open to the public, free of charge.

With more than 1200 students participating in the Next Generation Jazz Festival, the public can enjoy the largest gathering of young jazz talent in Northern California, outside of the Monterey Jazz Festival itself. Fifty-six groups from 14 states are finalists in 2013, which includes the Festival's 43rd Annual High School Jazz Competition. Click here for the list of finalists.

Major funding for the Next Generation Jazz Festival and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra performance tour comes from a three-year grant awarded by the Surdna Foundation.

California is represented by 41 ensembles from 14 counties-including Alameda, Contra Costa, Fresno, Los Angeles, Marin, Orange, Placer, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Ventura Counties.

Other states represented include Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Washington State.

In addition, 19 special guest groups shall perform, including student ensembles from Japan, Alaska, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. Altogether, 75 bands will perform at the Next Generation Jazz Festival.

"The Next Generation Jazz Festival continues to expand, showcasing extraordinary musical talent exhibited by young people from across the U.S. and overseas," said Paul Contos, Monterey Jazz Festival's Education Director. "Our roster of artists and adjudicators is formidable this year, and features the most respected names in jazz today. That, coupled with epic special guest groups from the Berklee College of Music, Eastern Michigan University, and our delight in featuring the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band and others, make this a Next Generation Jazz Festival not to be missed!"

The Next Generation Jazz Festival officially starts with the annual Opening Night Concert at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 5, at the Monterey Conference Center. The concert features the Festival's annual Salute to Jazz Education, with performances by the Edmar Colón Quartet from Berklee College of Music, as well as from internationally-renowned artists and competition judges, including drummer Jeff Hamilton, saxophonists Joel Frahm, Antonio Hart, and Gary Smulyan, pianist Patrice Rushen, guitarist Russell Malone; trumpeter Bobby Shew; bassist Ray Drummond, and vocalist Kenny Washington.

There is an opportunity to purchase optional VIP Gold Circle tickets for the Opening Night Concert, on Friday, April 5, for $50. VIP tickets assure seating in the front rows as well as an invitation to the post-concert "meet and greet dessert reception with the judges and Monterey Jazz Festival Adjudicators.

Throughout the weekend, all events in both the Steinbeck Forum and Serra Ballroom including the Friday Night Concert, will be available as a live Web stream on Monterey Jazz Festival's Web site, provided by Next Generation Jazz Festival Media Partner, Access Monterey Peninsula.
The Festival will conduct clinics, workshops, jam sessions, and auditions in the heart of historic Monterey, with music to be performed at the Monterey Conference Center, the host Portola Hotel, Gilbert's Seafood Grill on Fisherman's Wharf, and the Museum of Monterey. The Next Generation Jazz Festival will also continue its Jazz Expo, allowing students an opportunity to visit with several colleges and organizations offering jazz and other music programs.

All Next Generation Jazz Festival competition events-from the exuberant and electric Big Band, Vocal Ensemble and Combo Competition on Saturday, April 6 to the College Big Band and Vocal Jazz Ensemble Competition on Sunday, April 7-are open to the public, free of charge.

Introduced in 1971 as the California High School Jazz Band Competition by Monterey Jazz Festival Founder Jimmy Lyons, the competition was conceived as a way to bring talented student groups to Monterey, and to cultivate musicians for the future. Notable participants of the Jazz Competition and Next Generation Jazz Orchestra members (formally the California High School All-Star Band) include saxophonists Joshua Redman, Dave Koz and Donny McCaslin; pianists Benny Green and Patrice Rushen; multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum; trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire; bassist Larry Grenadier, and many more.

For a complete schedule of activities and competition times, visit montereyjazzfestival.org/2012/NGJF. A 2013 Next Generation Jazz Festival event App for iPhone and Android will also be available for download on Google Play and Apple's App Store.
The 43rd Annual High School Jazz Competition begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 6, in the Monterey Conference Center. Throughout the day, the high school groups will perform, with several educational clinics and performances featuring the Edmar Colón Quartet, from Berklee College of Music, and the One O'Clock Lab Band from the University of North Texas.

The top Vocal, Combo, and Big Band divisions will be announced at 6:15 p.m. Saturday evening from the Serra Ballroom stage. At 8:30 p.m., the top finalists will perform a Showcase Concert-a preview of the groups performing at the 56th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. The final rankings will be announced at the end of the evening.

The Next Generation Jazz Festival continues through Sunday, April 7, with Middle School, College, Conglomerate Big Band, Open Combo, and College Vocal Ensemble Divisions performing in the Serra Ballroom and Steinbeck Forum. The top college big band, college vocal ensemble, and conglomerate big band (to be announced during the day) will also earn a performance slot at the 56th Monterey Jazz Festival. Auditions will also be held for the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Monterey Jazz Festival's national all-star high school band.

More information on all Next Generation Jazz Festival activities and events is available on the Monterey Jazz Festival Web site, www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2012/NGJF and by phone at 831.373.3366.

To post a comment, you must register and login.