It’s an exciting time for the participants of one of our flagship jazz education programs, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. They are arriving at the San Francisco International Airport today (Wednesday, July 18) for preparations for their two performances in Carmel and Kensington, California — at The Barnyard at the Mouth of Carmel Valley in Carmel on Friday, July 20 and at the Coventry Grove Amphitheatre in Kensington (right next to Berkeley) on Saturday, July 21. The Kensington show will feature the California Jazz Conservatory All-Stars as an opening act. We hope you can see them at one of the shows! Purchase tickets now, and tickets will be available at the door for both shows.
Following their California performances, they will depart for a tour of Japan from July 22 through August 6. While in Japan, they will appear at the Monterey Jazz Festival in Noto (July 28); and the Tokyo TUC jazz club (August 1), the Tomisato Jazz Festival (August 4) as well as participate in cultural exchanges, workshops and performances with local schools and bands.
This year’s members include four that are returning for their second year —including alto saxophonist Willie Bays (Olympia High School, Olympia, Wash.); trombonist Leo Markel (Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts, West Palm Beach, Fla.); guitarist Jordan Reifkind (Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Los Angeles, Calif.); and trumpeter Kate Williams (Vanden High School, Fairfield, Calif.) Read the biographies of the 2018 NGJO members.
Founded in 1971, the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation Jazz Orchestra is one of the country’s premier high school jazz ensembles, comprised of the most gifted high school musicians in the United States. Considered a launching pad for a career in music, former members of the Orchestra include many of contemporary jazz’s biggest names, including pianists Benny Greenand Patrice Rushen; saxophonists Joshua Redman, Donny McCaslin and Ted Nash; flutist Elena Ayodele Pinderhughes, and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire.
Some of the band’s repertoire that has been selected by MJF Education Director and NGJO conductor Paul Contos includes:
“Nardis” – comp. by Miles Davis; arr. by Patrick Hogan
“I Love You” – comp. by Cole Porter; arr. by Ben Patterson
“The Intimacy of the Blues” – comp. by Billy Strayhorn; arr. by Tommy Newsom
“In A Silent Way” – comp. by Joe Zawinul; arr. by Vince Mendoza
“All The Things You Are” – comp. by Jerome Kern / Oscar Hammerstein; arr. by Don Sebesky
“I’ve Got You Under My Skin” – comp. by Cole Porter; arr. by Nelson Riddle
“How Insensitive” – comp. by Antonio Carlos Jobim; arr. by John Clayton
Here is the 2017 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra’s performance at MJF60:
2018 Tour Itinerary:
July 18: Arrive in Monterey
July 20: The Barnyard, Carmel, Calif.
July 21: Coventry Grove Amphitheatre, Berkeley, Calif.
July 22: Depart for Japan from San Francisco
July 23-26: Performance and exchange activities in Awaji
July 26: Performance in Awaji Gakuen
July 26-30: Performances in city of Nanao area
July 28: Monterey Jazz Festival in Noto (City of Nanao)
July 30-Aug. 1: Performance and exchanges with Free Hills Jazz program, Nagoya
July 31: Free Hills Jazz Program, Nagoya
Aug. 1: Tokyo TUC jazz club, Tokyo
Aug. 2: Travel to Tomisato (Chiba Prefecture)
Aug. 2-6: Performances, workshops, exchange with Tomisato Mad Hatters
August 4: Tomisato Jazz Festival
Aug. 6: Return to San Francisco
September 20: Concert on the Lawn, Garden Stage, Monterey County Fairgrounds, Monterey, Calif., 11am
September 20: Jazz Legends Gala, The Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.
September 23: 61st Monterey Jazz Festival, Jimmy Lyons Stage, Monterey, Calif., 12:30pm