March 27, 2007
AJA musicians take Fullerton Jazz Festival honorsMarch 23rd and 24th The Arizona Jazz Academy Bands attended the 35th Annual Fullerton College Jazz Festival in Fullerton California. They competed along with over 380 middle and high school student jazz groups in what is recognized as the largest student jazz festival in the world. The AJA brought five big bands and three combos to the competition. Every AJA group was awarded a rating of "Superior." For the 5th consecutive year the AJA was awarded far more honors than any other school in the competition. The AJA musicians were awarded 46 individual awards and 7 ensemble awards. In addition, the solo competition on Friday was won by the AJA's Ben Rachbach on piano, followed by AJA musicians Lequay Frazier on alto third place, Chris Kennedy, trombone fifth place, Alex Weitz, tenor sax sixth place, Max Goldschmid on soprano sax seventh place and Joey Ewer on tenor sax eighth place. Saturdays solo competition was won by the AJA's Alex Van Slyke on tenor sax followed by AJA musicians Max Goldschmid, trombone 2nd place, Paul Boetcher on alto sax third place, Dylan Ridge on trumpet 4th place, Jacob Lauxman on guitar fourth place, Mick Burton on alto and Colin Garand on trombone fifth place, and Jonathan D'Gamma on alto sax sixth place. Rhonda Karson also scored a Superior and placed Fourth in the Vocal Jazz competition. The following AJA ensembles won overall performance awards:
Solo Competition results: Friday
Saturday
The following AJA musicians were awarded Outstanding Solo or Performance Awards by the International Association of Jazz Educators during the festival:
March 1, 2007 Basie and Ellington bands, soloists highlight NAU Jazz FestivalThe AJA Basie and Ellington Bands both performed this week under the direction of Doug Tidaback at the Northern Arizona University Jazz Festival in Flagstaff. The AJA Basie Big Band performed on Thursday February 22 and was awarded a Superior rating. The AJA Basie Band was the only high school band that day to receive a Superior rating. The following Basie Band members also received awards for outstanding solos; Chris Kennedy on trombone, Chad Grossman on tenor sax, Ben Rachbach on piano, Le Quay Frazier on alto sax. Joey Ewer on tenor sax. Clinician/Adjudicator Tom Peterson called the AJA Basie Band "the best band I heard all day". The AJA Ellington Big Band performed Friday February 23 and was awarded a Superior rating. AJA Ellington Band soloists who received awards for outstanding solos were Nancy Unklesbay on bari sax, Alex Van Slyke on tenor sax, Mick Burton on alto sax, Chris Kennedy on trombone, Ben Rachbach on piano and Alex Weitz on tenor sax. Featured in the Friday evening performance with internationally recognized trombone virtuoso Conrad Herwig and the NAU Jazz Big Band were Arizona Jazz Academy graduates Andy Whiteside on trumpet and Ian Amberson on piano. |
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