| | Published March 12th, 2014
| Stanley Jazz Group Heads to Monterey
| | By Cathy Dausman |  | | A portion of the Stanley Middle School Jazz Messengers trumpet section (there are seven in all) warms up during zero period rehearsal. Thirty musicians in all - seven saxophones, four trombones, five drummers, two bass guitars, two piano players, two flutists and a French horn player will perform at the 2014 Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterey later this month. Photo Cathy Dausman |
Spring break won't just be a rest period for 30 Stanley Middle School music students. The musicians, members of the Stanley Jazz Messengers, an advanced jazz group, have been invited to perform - again - in Monterey, Calif., during the annual Next Generation Jazz Festival March 28-30. They are one of just six middle school groups to perform.
Jazz Messengers have "gotten in just about every year" in the last seven, said Bob Athayde, Stanley's director of music education. He said that the festival becomes more competitive each year.
The three-day event includes performances by middle school, high school and college level ensembles as well as workshops and competitions. More than 60 groups from across the United States attended the 2012 Next Generation Jazz Festival.
Although the middle school participation is "more for exhibition than competition," Athayde said that listening to the other bands gives his students a reality check - a chance to see just how good other bands are.
"It's the real deal," he said.
Jazz Messengers perform at 12:30 p.m. March 29 at Fisherman's Wharf and 10:30 a.m. March 30 in Portola Plaza. All events are open to the public and are free. For event details visit: http://stanleymusic.org/ and https://www.montereyjazzfestival.org/NGJF.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA