1st Place:
Garfield High School

2nd Place:
Roosevelt High School

3rd Place:
Eau Claire Memorial High School

OUTSTANDING SOLOISTS
 
On Clarinet
Outstanding Clarinet:
Carl Majeau, Garfield High School

On Alto Saxophone
Outstanding Alto Saxophone:
Kyle Mark, Newport High School
Evan Shay, Garfield High School

On Tenor Saxophone
Outstanding Tenor Saxophone:
Xavier Del Castillo, Roosevelt High School
Ian Frost, Garfield High School
Carl Majeau, Garfield High School

On Baritone Saxophone
Outstanding Baritone Saxophone:
Andrew Morrill, Roosevelt High School

On Trumpet
Outstanding Trumpet:
Riley Mulherkar, Garfield High School
Gabriel Martin, Garfield High School
Corey Dansereau, Roosevelt High School
Michael Davis, Roosevelt High School

On Trombone
Outstanding Trombone:
Andy Clausen, Roosevelt High School

On Piano
Outstanding Piano:
Gus Carns, Roosevelt High School
Benjamin Hamaji, Garfield High School
Ariel Pocock, Newport High School

On Guitar
Outstanding Guitar:
Eli Meisner, Newport High School
 
The Ella Fitzgerald Outstanding Vocalist Award:
Ariel Pocock, Newport High School
 
OUTSTANDING SECTIONS

Reeds
Roosevelt High School
Garfield High School

Brass
Outstanding Brass:
Roosevelt High School
Calabasas High School

Trombones
Garfield High School

Rhythm Section
Honorable Mention Rhythm Section:
Roosevelt High School

Seattle's GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL, under the direction of CLARENCE ACOX, took top honors on Sunday, May 10th in New York at Jazz at Lincoln Center's 14th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. They were selected as the winner by a panel of judges composed of distinguished jazz musicians and historians — WYNTON MARSALIS, Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director; composer, conductor and Ellington authority DAVID BERGER; educator, clinician and pianist, Reginald Thomas; and legendary jazz trumpeter and composer/arranger, GERALD Wilson— from among the 15 finalist bands from the U.S. and Canada that came to the Competition & Festival in New York City.
At the awards ceremony, Wynton Marsalis presented prizes and cash Acox accepted the 1st place trophy and an award of $5,000. Scott Brown, Director of the Roosevelt High School Jazz Band, accepted the 2nd place trophy and an award of $2,500. Bruce Hering, Director of the Eau Claire Memorial High School Jazz Band, accepted the 3rd place trophy and an award of $1,000. All monetary awards go toward improving schools' jazz programs. Awards for outstanding soloists and sections were also presented.

Essentially Ellington culminated in a concert where the top placing bands performed with Wynton Marsalis as a soloist followed by a performance by the 15-piece Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (JLCO) —all of whom served as mentors for each of the finalist bands during this weekend festival. The JLCO’s performance included Duke Ellington compositions plus, for the first time in the history of the program, Mary Lou Williams repertoire which will be distributed by Jazz at Lincoln Center for the 2009-2010 Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Program.

Roosevelt High School Jazz Band performing with Wynton Marsalis. Photo by Frank Stewart for Jazz at Lincoln Center.