Knkx congratulates the Edmonds-Woodway, Mountlake Terrace and Mount Si High School jazz bands on becoming finalists in the 22nd annual Essentially Ellington Competition & Festival. This year's event will be held from May 11-13 in New York at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Band directors are Jake Bergevin (Edmonds-Woodway High School, Edmonds), Darin Faul (Mountlake Terrace High School, Mountlake Terrace) and Matt Wenman (Mount Si High School, Snoqualmie).
All three of these jazz programs have participated in knkx's School of Jazz on several occasions. The Mount Si High School jazz combo will perform live on knkx in April.
The Northwest-based ensembles are among just 15 finalists selected from across North America for this year’s competition and festival.
Once in New York City, the musicians will spend three days attending workshops, jam sessions, rehearsals and performances, all culminating in the final concert and awards ceremony. On that night the three top-placing jazz bands will take the stage along with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis.