50th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival Goes Virtual

The 50th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival Presented by Monterey Jazz Festival takes place online April 3-9, 2020. The event, originally scheduled to take place in downtown Monterey, was suspended terrestrially because of the COVID-19 health emergency. An online version of the festival has been created, with the participating schools' submission tapes being judged remotely by the festival's judges, allowing all finalist schools to be adjudicated despite them not being able to travel to Monterey. Educational and archival video content for online music enrichment for students will be added daily for the NGJF participants and public.

The results of the NGJF will be announced online on Thursday, April 9. The top-placing big bands, combos, vocal ensembles will earn a spot on the stages of the 63rd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 25-27.

Faced with the NGJF's cancellation, Colleen Bailey, MJF Executive Director said "Jazz teaches us to improvise, to be adaptable and to creatively approach any challenge that we face. The Monterey Jazz Festival, in the spirt of jazz, and with our deep commitment to providing unique and meaningful jazz education opportunities to our young people, will make the 2020 Next Generation Jazz Festival an online event. The virtual Next Generation Jazz Festival will still allow all the schools to compete."

Bands from Arizona, California, Nevada, and Washington State are being adjudicated by a panel of esteemed jazz musicians, including Laurie Antonioli, Theo Croker, Taylor Eigsti, Johnaye Kendrick, Kanoa Mendenhall, Brian Perez, and others. Click here for a list of finalists.

A schedule of virtual events includes contributions from previous Monterey Jazz Festival Artists-in-Residence and NGJF participants, including archival MJF footage of Benny Green and Donny McCaslin (April 3); a composition workshop/clinic with Gerald Clayton; album recommendations from Ambrose Akinmusire; a Q&A with Derrick Hodge; a presentation on swing with Allison Miller; an interview with Christian Sands with additional MJF archival performance footage (April 8); and the final announcement of the NGJF top groups with Christian Sands (April 9). A full list of activities can be found on A full list of activities can be found on http://www.education.montereyjazzfestival.org/NGJF.

All events and content, including premieres of archival live concert footage from the Monterey Jazz Festival, will be available through MJF's Instagram Stories, Facebook and YouTube Channel, with additional content on MJF's SoundCloud channel.

The 2020 Next Generation Jazz Festival's Partners include Berklee College of Music, North Coast Brewing Company, District 7 Wines, City of Monterey, Inns of Monterey, Texas Southern University, Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, MCAET TV, Yamaha Drums, Yamaha Pianos, DownBeat, and Remo.

Supporters include The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, Community Foundation for Monterey County, North Coast Brewing Company, Quest Foundation, California Arts Council, Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation, Harden Foundation, Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation, Sally Hughes Church Foundation, George Lucas Family Foundation, Rotary Club of Carmel-By-The-Sea, Arts Council for Monterey County, Bill Graham Supporting Foundation, Pebble Beach Company Foundation, Rotary Club of Corral de Tierra, Upjohn California Fund, Rotary Club of Monterey, William H. Donner Foundation, Inc., Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, Yellow Brick Road Benefit Shop, and Monterey Peninsula Volunteer Services.

More details on the virtual 2020 Next Generation Jazz Festival can be seen by visiting http://www.education.montereyjazzfestival.org/NGJF.

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