EyeShotJazz | Jazz Photography

Seattle’s Garfield High School, under the direction of Clarence Acox, took top honors on Monday, May 10th in New York at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 15th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. The school, based in Seattle’s historic Central District, made competition history, becoming the first band ever to win the competition four times. Last year, the band also took top honors.
Garfield was selected as the winner by a panel of judges composed of distinguished jazz musicians and historians – Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis; composer, conductor, and Ellington authority David Berger; leading Mary Lou Williams scholar Ted Buehrer; legendary jazz saxophonist and composer/arranger Jimmy Heath; and bassist and educator Rodney Whitaker – from among the 15 finalist bands from the U.S. and Canada that completed in the competition. At the awards ceremony, Marsalis presented Acox with the 1st place trophy and an award of $5,000. Scott Brown, Director of Seattle’s Roosevelt High School Jazz Band, accepted the award for honorable mention band and received an award of $750. Another Seattle-area band, Edmonds-Woodway high school also competed.
Celebration concert by the Garfield and Roosevelt HighSchool Jazz Bands on Wednesday, June 9, 7:30pm, McCaw Hall at Seattle Center. Suggested donation $20 at the door, proceeds will benefit the high school music programs and the Seattle Center Foundation.

Here are some more images from the annual Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards for 2009 from last Monday night. Above is Greg Williamson A-Y-P Large Ensemble performing before the awards were given out.

All photographs on this website are by Daniel Sheehan © 2010. All Rights Reserved. Please inquire for permission to use.

Below are some more pictures from the awards ceremony.

Steve Peters, co-founder of the Nonsequitur Foundation, which runs the Chapel Performance Space, also received a community service award.

David Pierre-Louis, owner of Lucid Jazz Lounge, was given a special award in recognition of dedication and innovation in support of the  Seattle Jazz community.

Steve Peters, co-founder of the Nonsequitur Foundation, which runs the Chapel Performance Space, also received a special award with gratitude in recognition of tremendous contributions to Seattle’s Creative Jazz Scene.

Here is a color version of the photograph on the cover of this month’s Earshot Jazz, the magazine, honoring Seattle’s Garfield High School, under the direction of Clarence Acox, for taking 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. For complete list of winners, including top soloists and sections, visit www. earshot.org.

Story by Danielle Bias from Earshot Jazz, the magazine.

Hadley leads his quintet opening up the Golden Ear Awards night.

Hadley, Phil Sparks on bass and Thomas Marriott on trumpet.

Phil Sparks on bass.

Photograph by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist specializing in photojournalism and portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle wedding photographer with an unobtrusive, story-telling approach creating award winning Seattle wedding photography and wedding photojournalism ranked among the best Seattle wedding photographers.

Monday night was the annual Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards evening held this year at The Triple Door. Hadley Caliman here playing in the set before the award announcements were made, won two of the coveted prizes, the award for the best Acoustic Jazz Ensemble and for the Best Northwest Concert of the Year.
The veteran tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman performed with his new quintet of Thomas Marriott on trumpet, Marc Seales, piano, Phil Sparks on bass and Matt Jorgensen on drums.
Those who have heard him play were not too surprised when the awards were announced. Tenor saxophonist Hadley Caliman is part of the living history of jazz music in America. He has performed, recorded and toured with Freddie Hubbard, Gerald Wilson, Carlos Santana, Dexter Gordon and The Grateful Dead. At 77 years old, Caliman continues to tour, teach and perform throughout the world.

Photograph by Seattle photographer Daniel Sheehan, a photojournalist specializing in photojournalism and portrait photography for publications and corporations and a Seattle wedding photographer with an unobtrusive, story-telling approach creating award winning Seattle wedding photography and wedding photojournalism ranked among the best Seattle wedding photographers.