Jazz honors for Roosevelt, Washington

Seattle's Roosevelt High School prevailed at this year's Bellevue Community College Big Band Jazz Festival, held Friday and Saturday on the BCC campus, in spite of the absence of two of its top soloists (playing in the Grammy Band, in Los Angeles).

Archrival Garfield, for its part, picked up the most soloist awards — five — and, among the middle schools, Washington took the honor for best band.

The results at BCC are a strong midseason indicator of who will win at this month's Lionel Hampton Festival, in Idaho; at the Reno Jazz Festival in April; and at Essentially Ellington, in New York during May.

With that in mind, Washington Middle School clearly has its rival, Eckstein, a runner-up at BCC (along with Kellogg, from the Shoreline District), solidly beat. The Washington bunch performed with a stunning level of swing, clarity and precision, while Eckstein — always spirited, and great on its Latin number — appeared to be in building mode.

The high-school rivalry is more complicated, particularly with Shorewood (also from Shoreline) being so strong this year. Roosevelt's razor-sharp precision, lush blends and slow-tempo control no doubt won over the judges. But runners-up Shoreline and Garfield both delivered bristling swing and great solos and should be in the running for the Ellington finals.

One of the most astonishing moments (in a festival featuring many) came from Oregon's West Linn High School, when bassist Kate Davis turned in a gorgeous vocal on Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" — while also playing her instrument — then tossed in a virtuoso solo.

The Bellevue Community College Monday Night Jazz Band and trombone ace Bob McChesney also performed Saturday night.

The complete results:

High school — Big Band: Roosevelt (1st), Shorewood and Garfield (runners-up); soloists: piano, Ben Hamaji (Garfield) and Gus Carns (Roosevelt); tenor sax, Joel Gombiner (Garfield); alto sax, John Cheadle (Garfield); trumpet, Zubin Hensler (Garfield); trombone, J.J. Meyer (David Douglas, Portland, Ore.); drums, Ian Marsanyi (South Whidbey) and Zachary Para (Garfield); vocal and bass, Kate Davis, (West Linn, Ore.).

Middle school — Big Band: Washington (1st), Eckstein and Kellogg (runners-up); soloists: piano, Ariel Pocock (Tyee, Bellevue); tenor sax, Ian Frost (Washington); trumpet, Fiona Majeau (Washington); trombone, Willem de Koch (Washington); clarinet, Anya Tudisco (Eckstein).

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247