49th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival In Downtown Monterey In April

The 49th Annual Next Generation Jazz Festival Presented by Monterey Jazz Festival takes place April 5-7, 2019 in downtown Monterey. The weekend-long event includes big bands, combos, vocal ensembles, and individual musicians competing for a spot on the stages of the 62nd Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. All events are free and open to the public.

With more than 1200 students participating, the Next Generation Jazz Festival invites top-rated and highly competitive ensembles from across the country through an adjudicated application process to perform and compete in Monterey. In 2019, 68 groups from the United States, Denmark and Costa Rica are finalists in the adjudicated categories. Click here for a list of finalists.

American finalists include groups from Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Kansas, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, and Washington State.

In addition, 37 special guest and spotlight stage ensembles are from Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Nevada, Washington State, and Japan. In a recurring cultural exchange program, the Tomisato High School "Mad Hatters" from Tomisato, Japan will return to Monterey as special guests. In addition, the Monterey Jazz Festival inaugural Women In Jazz Combo will perform on Saturday, April 6.

Altogether, 105 ensembles are scheduled to perform at the 49th Next Generation Jazz Festival, with over 150 performances at the Monterey Conference Center, Portola Hotel, Turn 12 Bar & Grill, Dali Expo, and Estéban at Casa Munras Hotel in downtown Monterey.

For a complete schedule of performances and activities, visit montereyjazzfestival.org/NGJF.

The Next Generation Jazz Festival officially starts with the annual Friday Night Judges Concert Presented by the California Jazz Conservatory at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 5 in the Serra Ballroom at the Monterey Convention Center in downtown Monterey. The show features performances by the Festival's team of internationally-renowned artists and competition judges, including the Festival's 2019 Artists-in-Residence, drummer Allison Miller and bassist Derrick Hodge. Also featured will be Justin Kauflin, piano; Patrick Bartley, alto saxophone; Adam Larson, tenor saxophone; Tanya Darby, trumpet; Lauren Sevian, baritone saxophone; Steve Wiest, trombone; Russell Malone, guitar; and Michael Mayo, vocals. Opening the concert is the Sheila del Bosque Quartet, from Berklee College of Music. The show is free, but VIP/Gold Circle Tickets are available for $50 to guarantee a front-of-house seat and a post-concert reception. Information can be found on montereyjazzfestival.org or by calling 831.373.3366.

The High School Competition begins on Saturday, April 6 in the Monterey Conference Center. Throughout the day, the high school groups will perform, with clinics from Allison Miller and Derrick Hodge, and the Sheila del Bosque Quartet from Berklee College of Music. College Combos will compete in the Portola Jazz Club at the Portola Hotel on Saturday night.

The top groups from the High School Vocal, Combo, Big Band, and Vocal Jazz Ensemble divisions will be announced at 6:15 p.m. Saturday evening in the Serra Ballroom, with a Showcase Concert at 8:30 p.m. The final rankings of the High School and College Combo divisions for that day will be announced at the end of the evening.

Sunday, April 7 features Middle School, High School Conglomerate Big Bands and Combos, and College Big Band and Vocal Ensemble Divisions. The top selected competition ensembles will also earn a performance slot at the 62nd Monterey Jazz Festival, September 27-29, 2019.

All weekend long, the competition stages from the Serra and Steinbeck Ballrooms will be streamed live on YouTube through a partnership with the Monterey County Office of Education's MCAET TV.

The Next Generation Jazz Festival's College Fair will be in the Portola Hotel lobby, allowing students an opportunity to visit with colleges and organizations offering jazz curriculum.

The 2019 Next Generation Jazz Festival's Partners include North Coast Brewing Company, District 7 Wines, Inns of Monterey, California Jazz Conservatory, Yamaha Drums, Yamaha Pianos, DownBeat, Remo, MCAET TV, Dali Expo, and La Tortuga Torteria.

Supporters include William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Quest Foundation, California Arts Council, Harden Foundation, California Humanities, Community Foundation for Monterey County, Pebble Beach Foundation, Arts Council for Monterey County, S.T.A.R. Foundation of Monterey County, City of Monterey, Dunspaugh-Dalton Foundation, William H. Donner Foundation, Clarence E. Heller Foundation, Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation, Sally Hughes Church Foundation, Sal Gutierrez Foundation, Barnet Segal Charitable Trust, Joseph Drown Foundation, William H. Donner Foundation, Bill Graham Memorial Foundation, Upjohn California Fund, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, and Yellow Brick Road Foundation

About Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival, a leader in the jazz world since 1958, celebrates the legacy of jazz, expands its boundaries, and provides opportunities to experience jazz through the creative production of performances and educational programs.

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