Once again, Seattle is hitting all the right notes on the national jazz scene. Three of the city's high school jazz bands are finalists in the 2024 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition and Festival. Victory isn't a new tune for these schools; both Roosevelt and Garfield High have snagged the title four times each in past years, with Bothell High School repeatedly stepping into the finalist spotlight.
The competition, renowned for its celebration of the legendary Duke Ellington, is set to unfold in New York City's prestigious Lincoln Center from May 9-11, where students from across the country will strut their stuff. But for Seattle's jazz whiz kids at Garfield, under Jared Sessink, and Roosevelt, now with Hannah Mowry, this stage is as familiar as their own rehearsal rooms, after their predecessors Clarence Acox and Scott Brown, respectively, set a high bar with multiple wins, The Seattle Times reported.
What makes this year's showdown even sweeter is the nod to Ellington's 125th birthday with schools required to perform live recordings of three Ellington compositions to make the cut, and the final judgment in New York focusing on the essentials of musicianship and swing, according to the competition organizers. From a pool of more than 100 high school bands that applied, Bothell High School, guided by Philip Dean, is stepping up for the third consecutive year to join the fray.
In a display of the West Coast's formidable talent, not only have Garfield and Roosevelt dominated previous editions, but in 2008, Western Washington schools represented a third of all finalists, with Roosevelt jazzing their way to first place, and Garfield nipping at their heels for second, a musical feat noted by MyNorthwest.com. The three Seattle high schools shining in this year's candidate list affirms Washington State's continued passion for jiving with the best of them on the national stage.
With the spotlight focused on the next generation of jazz aficionados, Seattle's trifecta of high school bands are gearing up to swing, solo, and improvise their way through the competition for another shot at the big win – demonstrating once more that the Pacific Northwest's jazz rhythm beats strong and the students are intent on keeping Ellington's legacy alive and well.
