Sitka Jazz Festival
Encyclopedia
Sitka Jazz Festival is a jazz festival in the community of Sitka, Alaska
for three days every February. It features educational clinics for participating students, evening concerts featuring professional jazz artists, and the All-Alaska Jazz Band—an audition-entrance honor ensemble for Alaskan high school students.
"jazz nights." The jazz nights have occurred since 1995 and consisted of SHS ensembles and a guest professional artist playing both solo and with SHS ensembles. Jazz Nights brought distinguished artists such as trumpeter Claudio Roditi
and saxophonist Andres Boiarsky
. The festival eventually upgraded to accommodate multiple guest artists, clinics, out-of-town school jazz ensembles, and the venue was moved to the 1,500-seat Mt. Edgecumbe High School
fieldhouse. The 2005 festival was housed in Sheldon Jackson College
's Hames Center and in 2006 and 2007 the festival moved back to the Sitka High School gymnasium which, through an extensive overhaul, was turned into a temporary 500-seat auditorium. The 2009 festival took place in Sitka's auditorium, designed for an 619-seat capacity. The Sitka Jazz Festival is modeled after the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
in Moscow
, Idaho
.
on tap to direct its seventh year in 2010. The jazz band is independent from Alaska School Activities Association
, but is the only honor jazz band in the state. It has featured students from as far north as Fairbanks
and as far south as Ketchikan
. Past guest directors include John Clayton
, Bill Watrous
, and Terell Stafford
.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
for three days every February. It features educational clinics for participating students, evening concerts featuring professional jazz artists, and the All-Alaska Jazz Band—an audition-entrance honor ensemble for Alaskan high school students.
History
The Sitka Jazz Festival was born out of Sitka High School'sSitka High School
Sitka High School is the principal high school for the Southeast Alaskan community of Sitka and the Sitka School District.The school's student body is primarily composed of Caucasians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian-Pacific Islanders....
"jazz nights." The jazz nights have occurred since 1995 and consisted of SHS ensembles and a guest professional artist playing both solo and with SHS ensembles. Jazz Nights brought distinguished artists such as trumpeter Claudio Roditi
Claudio Roditi
Claudio Roditi is a Brazilian jazz trumpeter.After arriving in the United States in 1970, he began to study at Berklee School of Music, where he became musically influenced by Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan...
and saxophonist Andres Boiarsky
Andrés Boiarsky
Andrés Boiarsky is an Argentine alto and tenor saxophonist.Boairsky was born in Buenos Aires in 1957. A 1972 concert by the Duke Ellington Orchestra in Buenos Aires, and a later appearance by trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, inspired Boiarsky to become a jazz musician...
. The festival eventually upgraded to accommodate multiple guest artists, clinics, out-of-town school jazz ensembles, and the venue was moved to the 1,500-seat Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Mt. Edgecumbe High School
Mt. Edgecumbe High School is a State of Alaska-run public boarding high school located in Sitka, Alaska in the United States.The school is named for Mount Edgecumbe which is located on Kruzof Island, a dormant volcano visible from Mt...
fieldhouse. The 2005 festival was housed in Sheldon Jackson College
Sheldon Jackson College
Sheldon Jackson College was a small private college located on Baranof Island in Sitka, Alaska, United States. Founded in 1878, it was the oldest institution of higher learning in Alaska and maintained a historic relationship with the Presbyterian Church. The college was named in honor of Rev...
's Hames Center and in 2006 and 2007 the festival moved back to the Sitka High School gymnasium which, through an extensive overhaul, was turned into a temporary 500-seat auditorium. The 2009 festival took place in Sitka's auditorium, designed for an 619-seat capacity. The Sitka Jazz Festival is modeled after the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
The Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival, the largest west of the Mississippi, that takes place on the campus of the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho in the month of February...
in Moscow
Moscow, Idaho
Moscow is a city in northern Idaho, situated along the Washington/Idaho border. It is the most populous city and county seat of Latah County and the home of the University of Idaho, the land grant institution and primary research university for the state...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
.
All-Alaska Jazz Band
The All-Alaska Jazz Band has been in existence for just four years with Wayne WallaceWayne Wallace
Wayne John Wallace is a New Zealand former rugby league player and coach who represented his country in the 1988 World Cup Final.-Playing career:...
on tap to direct its seventh year in 2010. The jazz band is independent from Alaska School Activities Association
Alaska School Activities Association
The Alaska School Activities Association is the regulating body for Alaska high school interscholastic activities and is Alaska's member to the National Federation of State High School Associations.-History:...
, but is the only honor jazz band in the state. It has featured students from as far north as Fairbanks
Fairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
and as far south as Ketchikan
Ketchikan, Alaska
Ketchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
. Past guest directors include John Clayton
John Clayton (bassist)
John Travis Clayton Jr. is an American jazz and classical double bassist.-Music:John Travis Clayton Jr. began seriously undertaking the study of double bass at age 16, studying with bass legend Ray Brown...
, Bill Watrous
Bill Watrous
William Russell Watrous III is a jazz trombonist. He is perhaps best known by casual fans of jazz music for his rendition of Sammy Nestico's arrangement of the Johnny Mandel ballad "A Time for Love," which he recorded on a 1993 album of the same name...
, and Terell Stafford
Terell Stafford
Terell Stafford is a professional jazz trumpet player and current Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University.Terell Stafford born in Miami, Florida and raised in both Chicago, Illinois and Silver Spring, Maryland. He went on to get a degree in music education from University of Maryland in 1988...
.
Notable festival musicians
- John ClaytonJohn Clayton (bassist)John Travis Clayton Jr. is an American jazz and classical double bassist.-Music:John Travis Clayton Jr. began seriously undertaking the study of double bass at age 16, studying with bass legend Ray Brown...
- Freddy ColeFreddy ColeLionel Frederick Cole is an American jazz singer and pianist, whose recording career has spanned over fifty years. He is leader of the Freddy Cole Quartet, which regularly tours the US, Europe, the Far East and South America....
quartet - Paquito D'RiveraPaquito D'RiveraPaquito D'Rivera is a Cuban alto saxophonist, clarinetist and soprano saxophonist. The winner of multiple Grammys and other awards, D'Rivera has lived in the United States since the early 1980s. He has worked in a variety of contexts, but is perhaps best known for playing Latin...
- Roberta Gamberini
- Ingrid JensenIngrid JensenIngrid Jensen is a Canadian jazz trumpet player.Jensen is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and Malaspina University in Nanaimo, British Columbia. She has been nominated for several Juno awards, winning one with her first release, Vernal Fields...
- Kristin Korb
- MansoundManSoundManSound - is a vocal sextet, founded in 1994. ManSound has participated in over 50 jazz festivals, performed three times at the Layonella Hampton festival in the United States. The All American Entertainment Awards nominated ManSound as best vocal group in 2001. In 2002 ManSound won the Grand...
- Claudio RoditiClaudio RoditiClaudio Roditi is a Brazilian jazz trumpeter.After arriving in the United States in 1970, he began to study at Berklee School of Music, where he became musically influenced by Clifford Brown and Lee Morgan...
- Lembit Saarsalu
- John Santos
- Terell StaffordTerell StaffordTerell Stafford is a professional jazz trumpet player and current Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University.Terell Stafford born in Miami, Florida and raised in both Chicago, Illinois and Silver Spring, Maryland. He went on to get a degree in music education from University of Maryland in 1988...
- Steve TurreSteve TurreSteve Turre is a trombonist, recording artist, arranger, and educator. In 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2006 he won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for best trombonist....
- Leonid Vintskevich
- Bill WatrousBill WatrousWilliam Russell Watrous III is a jazz trombonist. He is perhaps best known by casual fans of jazz music for his rendition of Sammy Nestico's arrangement of the Johnny Mandel ballad "A Time for Love," which he recorded on a 1993 album of the same name...
- Alon YavnaiAlon YavnaiAlon Yavnai is an Israel-born jazz pianist.-Biography:Born in Israel, Yavnai began playing piano at the age of four. He has professionally accompanied singers since the age of thirteen. He graduated from the Thelma Yalin High School for Arts and subsequently the Givatayim Conservatory, both in...