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KPLU School of Jazz Volume 9 to be released May 7

KPLU’s new School Of Jazz CD – Volume 9 will be released this coming Tuesday, May 7. Listeners can purchase the CD at kplu.org. All proceeds go to the schools’ music programs. KPLU has raised over $70,000 for the schools, since the project started. This year, bands from Ballard High School (Seattle), Graham-Kapowsin High School (Graham), Jackson High School (Mill Creek), Lakewood Jazz Choir (Arlington), Lynnwood High School (Bothell), Mercer Island High School, Mountlake Terrace High School, Newport High School (Bellevue), Roosevelt High School (Seattle), Seattle JazzED, South Whidbey High School, and W.F. West High School (Chehalis) will be featured on the CD. This year’s professional jazz mentors include Thomas Marriott, Tracy Knoop, Greta Matassa, Brad Boal, Jay Thomas, Travis Ranney, Dan Wager, Steve Treseler, Neil Welch and Andy Omdahl.

The School of Jazz project has won has won two national awards for its effort. On May 7th during KPLU’s Midday Jazz, KPLU will broadcast the entire CD (one song every 30-minutes) between 9am – 3pm PST. Listeners can hear it locally in the Seattle/Tacoma market on 88.5 FM, or online at kplu.org.

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KPLU School of Jazz back in session

Several of Western Washington’s finest high school jazz bands and jazz professionals are showcased on KPLU School of Jazz-Volume 8, the station’s latest CD release which is the culmination of this year’s mentoring project.

In 2005, as part of its continuing support of music education in the schools, KPLU developed a mentoring program involving bands from 10 high schools and one middle school, and the participation of 11 local jazz professionals.  The fruits of this partnership yielded the first KPLU School of Jazz CD release.

Beginning with Volume 2 (2006), the project has included only high school jazz bands.  Each year, a core group of bands from the inaugural group is featured on the project along with one or two new participating school jazz bands and guest artists.

The complete list of participants on KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8 (2012): Stadium High School (Tacoma), North Thurston High School (Olympia), Jackson High School (Mill Creek), Bellevue High School (Bellevue), Mount Si High School (Snoqualmie), Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island), Roosevelt High School (Seattle), Mountlake Terrace High School (Mountlake Terrace), Edmonds Woodway High School (Edmonds), Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon), Kentwood High School (Kent) and the advanced ensemble from Seattle JazzED under the direction of Clarence Acox.

Guests artists included on KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8: Mark Taylor, Anton Schwartz, Matso Limtiaco, Jeff Hay, Greta Matassa, Stuart MacDonald, Syd Potter, Dawn Clement, Tracy Knoop, Jim Sisko and Steve Treseler. All proceeds benefit Western Washington school music programs.

 KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8 includes songs by Joey Calderazzo, Radiohead, Fred Sturm, Cole Porter, John Green, Neal Hefti, Astor Piazzolla and Matso Limtiaco.

KPLU School of Jazz – Volume 8 will be available for purchase beginning May 29 at KPLU’s website, www.kplu.org.

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Bellevue Jazz Festival kicks off May 30th

The 5th Annual Bellevue Jazz Festival returns to Downtown Bellevue May 30-June 3, 2012. National artists, local musicians and high school all stars will perform in free and ticketed venues throughout the weekend.

Shows range from concerts at the Theatre at Meydenbauer — with its ideal acoustics and intimate setting — to tableside sets in downtown bars and hotels. Also hear some of the best school jazz bands from around the Seattle area — an area noted for its depth of student and instructional talent.

The 2012 Festival will showcase an all-star lineup of featured shows by the Clayton Brothers Quintet, Booker T. Jones, and the Hubert Laws Quintet.

Award-winning high school jazz programs will be featured in the festival’s Student Showcase. Groups will perform 45-minute sets highlighting the rich and diverse offerings presented by members of the local high school jazz scene.

KPLU School of Jazz and the Bellevue Jazz Festival have teamed up to extend the learning of the region’s top jazz students. The Rising Stars ensembles will rehearse prior to the culminating event of the program on Sunday, June 3 – a performance at downtown Bellevue’s newest music venue Bake’s Place. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner reservations with the show starting at 7 p.m. The concert also coincides with the official 2012 KPLU School of Jazz CD release party.

In addition, more than 40 shows in various locations will keep the music flowing throughout the weekend, featuring top local and regional artists.

Individual tickets and packages for the 2012 Bellevue Jazz Festival headline performances are now on sale! Purchase your tickets today to guarantee the best seats in the house. Tickets are available for purchase online through Brown Paper Tickets. $34 per show or $78 package for preferred seating to all three performances.