SJCC: Student Jazz Combo Competition

The Student Jazz Combo Competition (SJCC) is a free program created by Healdsburg Jazz to empower Sonoma County musicians in grades 9-12 to explore their creativity by forming small groups for a juried competition. Working in collaboration with teachers and administrator, SJCC will recruited music teachers and high school student musicians to form ensembles of up to six members to select and create material that reflects their personal vision of jazz.

All events take place at Windsor High School, 8695 Windsor Rd., Windsor on Saturday, April 21. Participating jazz combos this year, and the times of their appearance, follow:

• The Jazz Corner, Windsor High School, Windsor  (11 a.m.)
• Play It Forward Jazz Band, Santa Rosa  (11:30)
• Patrick and the Sophomores V2, Sonoma Academy, Santa Rosa (Noon)
• Speed of Sound Trio, Healdsburg  (12:30 p.m.)
• The Sinister Six, Montgomery High School Combo 1, Santa Rosa (1:00)
• Healdsburg High Jazz Band, Healdsburg (1:30)
• Mario Aparicio Sextet, Casa Grande, Petaluma ( 2:00)
• No Name, Montgomery High School Combo 2, Santa Rosa (2:30)
• Petaluma High School Jazz Combo, Petaluma (3:00)
• The Rusty Suspenders, Analy High School, Sebastopol   (3:30)

The winning combo and runners-up will be announced at 5 p.m. First prize is $1,000 and the opportunity to play at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. The second place combo receives $500 and the third place combo receives $250.

This year we’ve made both the competition period (11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and the evening Concert and Jazz Session (starts at 6:30 p.m.) free to the public, so everyone can have a chance to “cheer on” their school musicians.

Read more information about the SJCC and last year’s event.

Check back soon for more details on the competition schedule.