It’s time for the Gala and Hot Java Cool Jazz!

Our ensembles are preparing new music for spring events including our biggest fundraiser, the Gala. Information and Tickets to our March 21st Gala can be found here. Starbucks 25th Annual Hot Java Cool Jazz concert takes place on Friday, March 27th at the Paramount Theatre. Ticketing information is here.

Congratulations to all our ensembles. Jean-Marie Kent and Vocal Jazz performed at the Bellevue College Vocal Jazz Festival where they received feedback from Kerry Marsh and enjoyed a master class and concert with Jeff Baker. Jazz Band IV was marvelous at the University of Washington Jazz Festival, where Jazz Band III, directed by Mark Taylor, took home an ‘Outstanding Ensemble Award.’ U.W. Chair and Professor of Jazz Studies, Cuong Vu, and Assistant Professor, Ted Poor, performed and talked to festival participants about improvisation. Michael Van Bebber and Jazz Band II took first place in their division at the 58th Annual Clark College Jazz Festival. They are honored to be invited to travel to Monterey this spring as finalists in the Next Generation Jazz Festival. Scott Brown and The Roosevelt Jazz Band and the Combo both won top prize at the Bellevue College Jazz Festival. A clinic with Chris Bruya of C.W.U. was enlightening, and the master class and concert with Ignacio Berroa were inspiring and heart-warming. Jazz Bands I and II had a special clinic with The Westerlies who are in town for Westerlies Fest 2020. These wonderful events could not happen without the unwavering support of Scott Brown, Jean-Marie Kent, Michael Van Bebber, Mark Taylor, and you! Thank you!

Happy Days!

Congratulations to Michael Van Bebber and Jazz Band 2. They are finalists and will perform at the 50th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival. Congratulations to Scott Brown and Jazz Band 1. They will perform at the Starbucks 25th Annual Hot Java Cool Jazz concert on Friday, March 27th at the Paramount Theatre. Tickets will be available at the Starbucks at Roosevelt Square on Friday, February 7th. All our bands will perform at our annual Gala on Saturday, March 21st as we honor RHS Jazz Graduate and musician/drummer/poet D’Vonne Lewis.

Let Roosevelt Jazz put you in the Holiday Mood

The Roosevelt Jazz Band, under the direction of Scott Brown, will perform Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s Jazz Nutcracker with selections from David Berger’s Harlem Nutcracker on Saturday, December 7th at 7:30 pm and Sunday, December 8th at 2:00 pm. This is just a joy of a concert. Please come and bring a friend. Click for tickets.

Hot Java, Cool Jazz 2019

Congratulations to Director Scott Brown and the students of Jazz Band I! They will have the honor of playing in the Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz concert at the Paramount Theater on Friday, March 15th, along with Mountlake Terrace, Garfield, Mount Si, and Edmonds Woodway. Tickets are not yet on sale; details on how to purchase tickets will be posted in January. For now, save the date! We hope to see you there for this swinging evening of jazz. A huge thank you to Starbucks for their sponsorship of this event, which raises tens of thousands of dollars for jazz education in Seattle, year after year. Time for a Peppermint Mocha…

Gratitude, served up with some Hot Java, Cool Jazz

We hope you have your tickets to Hot Java, Cool Jazz at the Paramount Theater this Friday evening, because it looks like the show is close to selling sold out! Thanks to you all for buying up all the tickets, and thanks to Starbucks for donating ALL proceeds to the five participating schools.

And there’s more! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who pulled together to make the Roosevelt Jazz Gala a tremendous success. We were honored to have alumnus Jumaane Smith present. His performance was electrifying, his words deeply moving. A truly distinguished artist and human being, it was a joy to be in the same room with him.

Indeed, it was a joy to be in the room with all of you, the folks of Roosevelt Jazz, as we celebrated what we have and worked to keep it going into the future. The list of folks who donated, decorated, baked, bid, hauled, and performed is so long you wouldn’t even believe it; this was a true community effort. You all deserve a huge hug and a piece of cake.

Til next year!