The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

The Sisters High School Varsity Jazz Band turned in another top-notch performance in the 45th annual Clark Jazz Festival Competition, a three-day event hosting 44 jazz bands at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington.

Sisters performed a 20-minute set of music for which they were awarded 279 out of 300 points from a three-member adjudication panel. This earned Sisters first place in the Single A division (based on school enrollment). This was the second consecutive year that Sisters took this honor.

This year, the Outlaws band was also the highest scoring Oregon band and received the third highest score overall at the festival in divisions 1A through 4A.

The Mountlake Terrace band from Seattle scored an astounding 296 points to win the overall sweepstakes award. Evergreen from Vancouver was runner up earning 285, with Sisters just behind with 279. Roosevelt from Seattle was just under that with 275; and Mead from Spokane recorded 258.

The Mountlake Terrace, Roosevelt and Mead bands have attended the prestigious Essentially Ellington Jazz Festival, hosted at Lincoln Center for the Arts by Wynton Marsalis. Through extensive audition, this top national honor is extended to only 15 bands throughout the country each year. Both Mountlake and Roosevelt have each participated in the event two or more times.

For more information about the Essentially Ellington Festival visit http://www.jalc.org. The Web site includes streaming audio of performances by the festival bands.

Band director Jody Henderson noted that, in addition to the performance and competition aspects of the event, Sisters students enjoyed attending two concerts. The Mel Brown B3 Quartet presented a roaring 90-minute set of soul jazz, and the Clark Jazz Big Band performed a concert featuring trombonist Jeff Usitalo.

The Sisters High School Jazz Band's next home performance is set for April 25, at 7 p.m., at the high school auditorium.