Eckstein, Roosevelt take jazz honors

MOSCOW, Idaho — Seattle's Roosevelt High School and Eckstein Middle School stormed the Lionel Hampton International Jazz Festival competition Saturday, receiving the lion's share of awards.

Though the festival no longer uses the terms "winner" or "runner-up," the new category, "Adjudicator's Choice," is equivalent to winning. It is a fiercely contended honor between Seattle's Garfield and Roosevelt high-school jazz bands.

Roosevelt was the adjudicator's choice in an exciting round of performances Saturday at the Nazarene Church, off the University of Idaho campus, where most of the competition — and the evening concerts — takes place.

"They are just really playing well together," said Roosevelt band director Scott Brown. "It is such a musical group."

The Garfield Band II took the AAA award in another room, at Moscow High School. Edmonds-Woodway High School picked up an award for AAAA combo, and South Whidbey High School won the A Band Division award.

At the middle-school level, Eckstein did not have its usual Seattle competitor, Washington Middle School, to contend with, as Washington declined to attend. Not only did Eckstein's big band win, but its combo was the judges' choice in its division, as well.

Roosevelt and Eckstein picked up a pack of soloist awards. From Roosevelt, Andy Clausen shared a trombone award with Javier Nero of Portland's Pacific Crest; Gus Carns won on piano and Alexander Dugdale on clarinet.

Garfield's Zubin Hensler won a trumpet soloist award.

A complete list of band and soloist awards will run in The Seattle Times on Tuesday, with a review of the evening performances, which included stars such as Jon Hendricks and the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.

Paul de Barros: pdebarros@seattletimes.com or 206-464-3247