BANDS at the TJYBF - Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival

About Contact Awards Register Schedule Map Results
11th ANNUAL TJYBF Sat., Feb. 13, 2016 Sac. State University Capistrano Hall 8:00am – 5:15pm Eve. concert 7:00pm CSUS Sacramento State 6000 J Street Sacramento, CA
	2016 BANDS Scroll down to read bios for each group. 2016 ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE SCHOOL ARDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR WHITNEY DISNEY Noodley Bits Miles Behind CREEKVIEW RANCH MIDDLE – Roseville, CA DIRECTOR POLLY EDGERTON Jazz Raptors Jazzers J STREET STUDIOS – Davis, CA DIRECTOR CELIA COTTLE (Private/Club) Jazzamatazz MISSION AVE OPEN ELEMENTARY – Carmichael, CA DIRECTOR MICA DUGAN Suddenly Pineapples VALLEY HI REGIONAL SCHOOLS – Elk Grove, CA DIRECTOR BENWAR SHEPARD River Hawk Swingers WINSTON CHURCHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL – Carmichael, CA DIRECTOR, SONIA TAKANIKOS Stop, Drop and Swing Train Wrecke	2016 HIGH SCHOOL ANALY HIGH SCHOOL – Sebastopol, CA DIRECTOR KELLY STEWART Analy High School Jazz Band EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL – Placerville, CA PERFORMANCE COACH JOHN QUIDACHAY, BAND DIRECTOR TAYLOR HAUGLAND Cougar Jazz Kats PIONEER HIGH SCHOOL – Woodland, CA DIRECTOR BOBBY ROGERS PHS Dixieland Combo RIO AMERICANO HIGH SCHOOL – Sacramento, CA DIRECTORS JOSH MURRAY & MAX KIESNER Trad to the Bone So You Think You Can Trad RIVER CITY HIGH SCHOOL – West Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR FELICIA WEATHERLY Syncopating Sea-Monkeys I Syncopating Sea-Monkeys II STJS FOUNDATION – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR BOB WILLIAMS TNT The New Traditionalists VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL – Elk Grove, CA DIRECTOR BENWAR SHEPARD V Street Swingers WOODCREEK HIGH SCHOOL – Roseville, CA DIRECTOR BRAD NORTH STUDENT LEADER PARKER WEIS Jazz+Jazz=Jazz 2016 HIGH SCHOOL Jazz Club / Private EAST BAY TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY – Fremont, CA DIRECTOR JOHN SOULIS Jazzinators J STREET STUDIOS – Davis, CA DIRECTOR CELIA COTTLE (Private/Club) Awktives J Street Jazz Cats Sax by Popular Demand What’s in a Name SACRAMENTO YOUTH BAND – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR MICA DUGAN River City Swingers I River City Swingers II	2016 COLLEGE AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR DYNE EIFFERTSON / KALEN HANSON American River College Jazz Band EAST BAY TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY – Fremont, CA DIRECTOR ZACH MAHER Royal Bay Stompers SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR STEVE HOMAN Intermezzo Ensemble WESTERN STATE COLORADO UNIVERSITY – Gunnison, CO DIRECTOR ROBERT BARRETT High Altitude Dixieland Jazz Band HOST BANDS: TNT: The New Traditionalists Dir. Bob Williams, STJS Foundation, Sacramento, CA Intermezzo Ensemble, Dir. Steve Homan, Sac. State University, Sacramento, CA 2016 Clinicians
	2016 – 11th annual Trad. Jazz Youth Band Festival Band Info AMERICAN RIVER COLLEGE – Sacramento, CA DIRECTORS DYNE EIFFERTSON and KALEN HANSON American River College Jazz Band The American River College Jazz Band is a small ensemble of students taking music classes. ARC employs outstanding faculty and support staff that are committed to producing musicians that excel in the world of music. With no dedicated Traditional Jazz studies available, the students (often through guidance or coaching) are self-motivated to rehearse and learn as much as possible about this beautiful art form. Under the direction of Dr. Dyne Eifertsen, this group hopes to build upon their years of love and dedication to jazz and put out a stylistically genuine show that appeals to everyone. ANALY HIGH SCHOOL – Sebastopol, CA DIRECTOR KELLY STEWART Analy High Schoool Jazz Band Inspired by their experience at the Teagarden Jazz Camp last summer, a few members of the larger Analy High School Jazz Band wanted to continue their focus on Trad Jazz. Forming a small combo of seven musicians, they have been performing at private parties and events. Members of the brass have been participating and jamming with Santa Rosa TRAD JASS Society. Frequently they are joined there by other local Sonoma County Trad Jazz artists, improvising and improving their skills. Donating any proceeds they obtain to the Analy Band program, these musicians play because they love it. ARDEN MIDDLE SCHOOL – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR WHITNEY DISNEY Noodley Bits / Miles Behind Arden Middle School has brought two combos to the festival this year. The combos, Noodley Bits and Miles Behind include talented musicians from the 7th, and 8th grades. Both combos meet once a week after school. Noodley Bits is directed by guest instructor Nolan Cyr and Miles Behind is co-directed by Nolan Cyr and Duncan McElman. Both groups are very excited to be performing at the festival today. CREEKVIEW RANCH MIDDLE – Roseville, CA DIRECTOR POLLY EDGERTON Jazz Raptors / Jazzers The Jazz Raptors and Jazzers are 5th – 8th grade students at Creekview Ranch School who rehearse during Zero Period. They are learning to improvise and create their own arrangements from recordings and lead sheets. They have performed in the Annual Youth Dixieland Band Jazz Festival in Fremont for 7 years and in the Trad Jazz Youth Band Festival for the past 6 years. They crave the mesmerizing rhythms of the jazz greats and love to listen to jazz. EAST BAY TRADITIONAL JAZZ SOCIETY – Fremont, CA DIRECTOR JOHN SOULIS Jazzinators DIRECTOR ZACK MAHER Royal Bay Stompers The East Bay Traditional Jazz Society was formed in 2003, as a non-profit 501c3 organization dedicated to providing exposure, support, and venues for local community to enjoy Traditional Jazz. The Jazzinators are the result of their board’s efforts in 2005 to reach out to community youth musicians through the schools. The Jazzinators perform at various community events and have a monthly gig at a local pizza parlor. Money earned from these events goes towards jazz camp scholarships. Students also earn service-learning hours towards graduation and are the host band for the Jazz Society's two annual one/day youth jazz festivals. East Bay is also sponsoring one of their local college bands Royal Bay Stompers led by Zachary Maher. EL DORADO HIGH SCHOOL – Placerville, CA PERFORMANCE COACH JOHN QUIDACHAY BAND DIRECTOR TAYLOR HAUGLAND Cougar Jazz Kats The five-member Cougar Jazz Kats were formed in August 2015 as an after-school jazz combo to enhance their skills in a more free and creative style, outside the typical learning in a large high school jazz band. Instrumentation consists of alto sax, trumpet, guitar, electric bass and drums. All members have had traditional jazz training both in middle school and high school. Three members have played jazz styles together since middle school and attended training outside of high school, such as Brubeck Camp, Jazz Camp West, Sugarloaf Camp and other private jazz music instruction. The El Dorado High School Cougar Jazz Kats have performed live for private parties and occasionally for audiences at wineries in El Dorado County. J STREET STUDIOS – Davis, CA DIRECTOR CELIA COTTLE (Private/Club) MIDDLE SCHOOL: Jazzamatazz HIGH SCHOOL: Awktives / J Street Jazz Cats / Sax by Popular Demand / What’s in a Name JAZZAMATAZZ - This is the first venture into Traditional Jazz for these 7th and 8th grade students. While at first they were quite taken aback to find out that it is possible and even OK to change things up to make new and improvised music with just a lead sheet and chords, they then found out how exceptionally fun it is to be creative and make up their own wild arrangements of these songs. J STREET JAZZ CATS – These 9th, 10th, and 11th grade musicians have enjoyed playing in this smaller Jazz Cats band because the larger Jazz Cats band makes it more difficult for playing around with the melody. The smaller group also allows for yet more freedom in making the arrangements for the tunes they are studying. The spontaneity of this particular group of Jazz Cats contributed a lot to their innovative interpretation of the tunes they studied. While staying within the guidelines for playing Traditional Jazz, the creativity of this particular group of musicians makes them very interesting indeed. Louis Armstrong would be pleased! WHAT’S IN A NAME? – These high school musicians are actually members of the larger J Street Jazz Cats Band, but for purposes of this Festival, the large J Street Jazz Cats Band is divided up into smaller subgroups since no more than 9 players can be on the stage at any one time. These Jazz Cats renamed themselves, “What’s In a Name?” so as to avoid being called a Jazz Cats 1 or a Jazz Cats 2 band. Nevertheless, it is clear that these Jazz Cats in disguise enjoyed working together in this smaller group setting to come up with new ideas for their tunes. The teamwork of this remarkable group of Jazz Cats would make Louis Armstrong proud as they created their ingenious and imaginative arrangements of the tunes they worked on by building on one another’s ideas to perpetuate the themes they came up with for each tune. AWKTIVES – This is a very creative, dynamic group of gifted young musicians. The band members’ fresh ideas and combined musical talents make them fun to listen to, and their tremendous potential shows promise for years to come. These players have greatly benefitted from past experiences at the Traditional Jazz festival held at Sac State University over the years, and at the STJS Teagarden Trad Jazz Camp in past summers. The education they have received there is evident in their performances. Bob Draga has had a profound influence on this band and they are grateful for the inspiration they get from him. SAX BY POPULAR DEMAND – Although saxophone is not really a Traditional Jazz instrument, these 11th and 12th grade saxophone players really wanted to play at this Festival again because they love this Festival and the wonderful experiences they have had over the years when they were in Jazzamatazz, Jazz Cats, Ten ’til Midnight, Vibe6 and some of them are also in Awktives. So what do you do when you’ve worked hard on learning how to play saxophone and then you come to find out that saxophone is not really a Traditional Jazz instrument? Well, you use your imagination, and a lot of it while you play Trad Jazz tunes! You do the best you can to fulfill the roles of the clarinet, trumpet and trombone and hope nobody notices too much because the music you are making sounds pretty much like Trad Jazz even if it is produced by the different members of the saxophone family. MISSION AVE OPEN ELEMENTARY – Carmichael, CA DIRECTOR MICA DUGAN Suddenly Pineapples This group is the 7th traditional jazz combo since we started it up in conjunction with the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society. Grade levels vary from 4th to 6th grade for this year’s band. They have performed in the past at the Kiwanis Jazz Festival, the Dante Club, Elks Lodge #6, Hot Jazz Jubilee, Sac State Winter Jazz Festival, many SJUSD events, Santa Cruz Jazz Festival, the Sacramento Music Festival, and the Hot Jazz Jubilee. In addition the bands have recorded and released two CD’s and will record a third later this year following the Sacramento Music Festival.” PIONEER HIGH SCHOOL – Woodland, CA DIRECTOR BOBBY ROGERS PHS Dixieland Combo RIO AMERICANO HIGH SCHOOL – Sacramento, CA DIRECTORS JOSH MURRAY & MAX KIESNER Trad to the Bone / So You Think You Can Trad Trad to the Bone is an eclectic group of students from Rio Americano High School. The band members represent every grade level and come from a variety of musical backgrounds, but they all have a common core - no not that one - and that is Jazz. It is uncommon for a smaller city like Sacramento to have such a vibrant jazz scene for youth, and they are fortunate to be at the center of it. Every single musician in the band has benefited from the extensive education programs put in place by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society, including the Teagarden Jazz Camp, TNT, Music Lesson Awards, and Jazz Sundays. At Rio they get to explore all forms of Jazz but each of them has a love and respect for the form that started it all. They hope you stop by and enjoy their set! So You Think You Can Trad is an eight-member traditional jazz combo from Rio Americano High School. Most of the musicians in this band have played at the Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival in previous years and are excited to return. RIVER CITY HIGH SCHOOL – West Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR FELICIA WEATHERLY Syncopating Sea-Monkeys I / Syncopating Sea-Monkeys II Now in their 19th year, the Syncopating Sea-Monkeys have hundreds of musicians come through their ranks. This latest crop is on the younger side but have such rapport that they consider themselves more a family than anything. Creating music that is greater than the sum of its parts, older teaching younger, and friends who push themselves beyond what was thought possible is a typical day in the band. The bands play exclusively from lead sheets; students in this band learn scoring and arranging by listening to the old masters' recordings as well as the new hot jazz bands. Brimming over with enthusiasm and a sheer love of making music, they hope to share this with you! SACRAMENTO YOUTH BAND – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR MICA DUGAN River City Swingers I / River City Swingers II River City Swinger’s is a jazz ensemble within the Sacramento Youth Band (SYB), which is Sacramento’s oldest community youth band, educating and inspiring musician’s since 1957. The big band is the heart of the ensemble, but has expanded with two traditional jazz combos recently with the generous support from the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society Foundation. Musicians range in age from 12 to 21. In addition, SYB boasts a concert band, marching band, and junior band for budding musicians. SYB rehearses and performs year-round in Sacramento and travels throughout California during school breaks. To get more information and keep up on all of our performances check us out at sacramentoyouthband.org or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/SacYouthBand!” SACRAMENTO STATE UNIVERSITY – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR STEVE HOMAN Intermezzo Ensemble Jazz Combos at Sacramento State University provide a creative outlet for the beginning improviser as well as the advanced. Under the guidance and direction of the Sacramento State Jazz Faculty, students work together within assigned combos to develop proficiency in the art & craft of jazz improvisation and small group jazz ensemble playing. Groups are often organized according to themes, where the repertoire of a specific jazz composer or genre is addressed. Combos perform frequently on and off campus for a variety of different functions and events. Music majors, non-music majors and students enrolled through the College of Extended Studies may participate in the Sac State Jazz Combos. One combo will be performing at this year’s Festival as the host college band. The Intermezzo Ensemble features many young and talented attendees of the STJS Jazz Camp program and is under the direction of Steve Homan who is a frequent clinician at the TJYBF. VALLEY HI REGIONAL SCHOOLS – combination of elementary and middle schools – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR BENWAR SHEPARD River Hawk Swingers The River Hawk Swingers is made up of a combination of elementary and middle school students from the Valley Hi Region (Elk Grove area) – specifically: Prairie Elementary, Union House Elementary and Jackman Middle School. They have not been playing the music for very long but are excited to be a part of the festival. We are excited to plant and cultivate the seeds of Traditional Jazz in the lives of our students, their families and the community. VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL – Sacramento, CA DIRECTOR BENWAR SHEPARD Royal Blue Swingers The Royal Blue Swingers are made up of students from Valley High School. The ensemble rehearses once a week after school. The group was made possible by the collaboration of Valley High School, BTU Arts and the STJS. After observing the festival last year, the ensemble is excited to perform and watch other ensembles. The RB Swingers would like to thank STJS for providing exposure and the opportunity to perform traditional jazz. It is the goal of the ensemble to take the knowledge acquired and share it with the the Valley Hi Community. WINSTON CHURCHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL – Carmichael, CA DIRECTOR SONIA TAKANIKOS Stop, Drop and Swing / Train Wreck Churchill Middle School in San Juan Unified School District (SJUSD) under the direction of Sonia Takanikos launched its After-School Jazz Club November of 2014 as a participating school in the STJSF Trad Jazz Project. Two combos were formed and continued this school year -- a traditional jazz band the Stop, Drop and Swing and a Chicago Style group called Train Wreck. Each group meets after school once a week under the guest direction of Brandon and Justin Au. Three of their band students attended the Trad Jazz Camp last summer. They and their fellow band students are excited about their jazz program in its second year at Churchill and look forward to sharing their jazz ensembles with the community. WESTERN STATE COLORADO UNIVERSITY – Gunnison, CO DIRECTOR ROBERT BARRETT High Altitude Dixieland Jazz Band As musical ambassadors for Western State Colorado University in beautiful Gunnison, Colorado, the High Altitude Dixieland Jazz Band is excited to return to the TJYBF. Made up of mostly of music majors, the band has traveled to many festivals in several states and recorded four CD’s. Members of the band also perform with the Western Jazz Ensemble and Modern Jazz Combo. Dixieland jazz has been part of the jazz program at Western for over twenty years and boasts many alumni in the performance world and educators throughout the land. Their director, Dr. Robert Barrett, values that his students achieve a strong foundation in early jazz in order have the “ears” to be successful in more contemporary jazz. We hope you enjoy our show! WOODCREEK HIGH SCHOOL – Roseville, CA DIRECTOR BRAD NORTH STUDENT LEADER PARKER WEIS Jazz+Jazz=Jazz Jazz+Jazz=Jazz is an independently directed sextet from Woodcreek High School. This combo is the first from Woodcreek to ever come to the Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival. The band members range from 9th to 12th grade, and are members of Woodcreek’s “A” big band. Three of these musicians attended the TJYBF as middle schoolers and are excited to come back. The remaining three have not yet been to the festival, but are eager to make their debuts.
		Top of page
	Trad Jazz Youth Band Festival (TJYBF) • Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society Foundation (STJSF) P.O. Box 661763 • Sacramento, CA 95866 (916) 444-2004 • E-mail: [email protected]