For nearly 20 years, Coronado School of the Arts welcomed the month of May with rhythm, harmony, syncopation and song, all packaged nicely into the CoSA Coronado JazzFest.
A long string of regular competitions came to a three-year halt because of COVID, but the event is back from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 6.
And, it’s free in the Coronado High School auditorium, Black Box theater and Band Room.
The JazzFest will feature more than 20 ensembles of all sizes, instrumentation mixes and experience levels, from middle, intermediate, and high school on up to college/Independent entrants, competing in five divisions.
Bands from all over Southern California have committed to participate, according to organizers.
Judged performances
Groups perform for 25 minutes in front of a panel of professional jazz clinicians and adjudicators. After each session the judges provide constructive feedback to each ensemble.
This year’s judge panel includes John Rekevics, Justin Grinnell, Melonie Grinnell, Jim Linahon, Doug Meeuwsen and Bob Boss.
Andrew Steinberg, chair of the Conservatory of Instrumental Music at Coronado School of the Arts and JazzFest director, has been instrumental to this revival.
“It’s exciting to build on the legacy of Coronado JazzFest and bring back a tradition that gives young artists a chance to rethink and reimagine music with some of the best in the business.”
Andrew Steinberg, chair of the Conservatory of Instrumental Music at Coronado School of the Arts and JazzFest director.
“It’s exciting to build on the legacy of Coronado JazzFest and bring back a tradition that gives young artists a chance to rethink and reimagine music with some of the best in the business,” he said.
Boost from SDSU jazz band
The program gets a big boost from the San Diego State University Jazz Ensemble, composed of top-notch players from all over the United States and led by former CoSA faculty member, Karl Soukup, now the SDSU Interim Director of Jazz Studies.
The band will perform its concert in the school auditorium, and the Bill Yeager Jazz Orchestra will also be taking the stage as part of the “Salt and Pepper” clinics that match professional players with the various bands competing at the JazzFest.
Comprised of some of the finest jazz talent in Southern California, the Bill Yeager Jazz Orchestra features many alumni from Yeager’s 36 years as Director of Jazz Studies at SDSU and his 10 years as Founder/Director of the Los Angeles Jazz Workshop.
