Monterey >> Monterey Jazz Festival, a leader in jazz education since its inception in 1958, announced the 45th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival (NGJF), featuring the nation’s most talented middle, high school, and college jazz musicians and vocalists. The Next Generation Jazz Festival takes place in historic downtown Monterey from April 8-10. All events are free and open to the public.
Applications are now being accepted from middle school big bands; high school big bands, combos,vocal jazz ensembles and composers; conglomerate high school big bands and combos; and college big bands, combos and vocal jazz ensembles. The deadline for applications is Jan. 15. Interested schools and students should visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org for instructions on how to apply.
NGJF finalists are selected through recorded auditions reviewed by faculty from the Berklee College of Music. In addition, specially-invited groups perform in venues across downtown Monterey. In 2015, nearly 90 groups from across the United States attended the Next Generation Jazz Festival. Top groups win cash awards and are invited to perform at the 59th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, Sept. 16-18, 2016.
2016 NGJF finalists will be adjudicated by an all-star team of artists including pianist Shelly Berg, trombonist Luis Bonilla, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, bassist Ray Drummond, guitarist Bruce Forman, tenor saxophonist Joel Frahm, and baritone saxophonist Gary Smulyan.
NGJF judges and adjudicators will perform a free opening night concert on Friday, April 8, and will conduct clinics, teacher training workshops, jam sessions, and auditions in locations in historic downtown Monterey, including the Monterey Conference Center, the Portola Hotel, Turn 12 Bar & Grill, the Museum of Monterey, and more.
Auditions for the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will also be held at the Festival. As Monterey Jazz Festival’s premier touring student ensemble, this group tours domestically and internationally each summer, culminating in an Arena performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
The Next Generation Jazz Festival also includes a big band composition competition open to high school composers. Judged by college faculty from leading music schools across the country, the winning composer receives the Gerald Wilson Award and a cash prize, with the winning composition performed by the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Introduced in 1971 as the California High School Jazz Band Competition by Monterey Jazz Festival Founder Jimmy Lyons, the NGJF was conceived as a way to bring talented student groups to Monterey, and to cultivate musicians for the future. The 2016 Next Generation Jazz Festival celebrates its 45th year as a landmark jazz education program for the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Monterey Jazz Festival also announces that the three-time Grammy-winning drummer, composer and producer Terri Lyne Carrington will be the festival’s 2016 Artist-In-Residence, and will work year-round with young musicians in performances and clinics at the Next Generation Jazz Festival, Summer Jazz Camp, and at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
