(From the last 12 hours) Police briefs: Gunmen rob construction worker Questions surround St. Vincen

Celebrating the best young jazz artists in the nation in both competitive and non-competitive appearances in three categories big bands, combos, and vocal ensembles the event is centered around the Monterey Conference Center with several auxiliary venues to showcase guest bands and repeat performances.
The Friday night kick-off concert always draws a capacity crowd to hear the event's distinguished hilton garden inn toronto pictures panel of judges, all extraordinary artists in their own right, hilton garden inn toronto pictures but also some of the best jazz educators hilton garden inn toronto pictures out there.
Featured artists/adjudicators this year are festival artist-in-residence, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire; drummer Jeff Hamilton; singer Nneena Freelon; pianist Shelly hilton garden inn toronto pictures Berg; saxophonists Joel Frahm, Mary Fettig and Aaron Lington; guitarist Corey Christiansen; hilton garden inn toronto pictures trombonist Wayne Wallace; trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos; and last, but not least, bassist Ray Drummond.
And also, MJF education director, saxophonist Paul Contos, will perform hilton garden inn toronto pictures with this group. A longstanding clinician and bandleader with the MJF education program, Contos debuts this year in his new position.
"My good friend and Advertisement compadre Rob Klevan (former director), we've worked together so much over the years with the jazz festival, but we also both teach at UC Santa Cruz. He's done such a masterful job of growing the education hilton garden inn toronto pictures program. My intent has been to look for patterns, templates and sequences to carry on and maintain the levels. I do have specific ideas, based on all the work I've done as a MJF Traveling Clinician for so long. I see the needs of jazz education, the outcomes in the schools and working with Saxophonist Paul Contos, Monterey Jazz festival's education director, shepherds hilton garden inn toronto pictures the young jazz musicians hilton garden inn toronto pictures this weekend hilton garden inn toronto pictures as well as plays with the judges' band at the Next Generation Jazz Festival. (CRAIG LOVELL/Monterey Jazz Festival) bandleaders in the schools."
hilton garden inn toronto pictures The Friday evening program at the Monterey Conference Center's hilton garden inn toronto pictures Serra Ballroom starts hilton garden inn toronto pictures at 8p.m. and features the Festival's hilton garden inn toronto pictures annual Salute hilton garden inn toronto pictures to Jazz Education, and performances from the Berklee Global Jazz Institute Sextet, followed by the revue-style performance from the judges to top off the night's entertainment.
These are only for the Opening Night concert, and assures seating in the front rows as well as an invitation to the post-concert "meet and greet" wine and cheese reception with the judges and the MJF artist-in-residence, Akinmusire.
Saturday is traditionally reserved for the high school competitions, carrying on the tradition for the 42nd year. The original jazz education competition was only for high school participants and was held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds, site of the annual jazz festival.
But since the Next Generation Jazz Festival was launched nearly 10 years ago, the competition has grown to include middle schools and college level finalists, as well as the categories of Conglomerate Big Band and Open Combo, all of which perform on Sunday.
Throughout the weekend, clinics, workshops, jam sessions and auditions for the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra will take place, hilton garden inn toronto pictures and music performances will spread out from the conference center to Gilbert's Red Snapper Restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf, the Museum of Monterey at Custom House Plaza and in the lobby at the Portola Plaza Hotel, renamed the Portola hilton garden inn toronto pictures Jazz Club, where vocal ensembles will take up residence.
The Next Generation Jazz Festival Jazz Competition begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, in the Monterey Conference Center. Throughout the day, the high school groups will perform, with several educational clinics featuring Akinmusire and vocalist Nnenna Freelon.
The top Vocal, Combo and Big Band divisions will be announced at 6:15p.m. Saturday evening from the Serra Ballroom stage. At 8:30p.m., the top finalists will perform a Showcase Concert, a preview of the groups hilton garden inn toronto pictures performing at the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival. The final rankings will be announced at the end of the evening.
Auditions will also be held for the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, the Monterey Jazz Festival's national all-star high school band. For a full listing of bands and performance schedules, visit www.montereyjazzfestival.org/2012/NGJF .
Here are a few of the artists slated to perform throughout the fairgrounds over the weekend of Sept. 21-23: The Jack DeJohnette Band (Monterey Showcase artist), hilton garden inn toronto pictures Ambrose Akinmusire Band, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Bill Frisell (commission artist) and his band Beautiful Dreamers Meets the 858 Quartet debut the commissioned piece, Jack DeJohnette's Special Trio with Pat Metheny and Christian McBride, Bill Frisell's Beautiful Dreamers featuring Eyvind Kang and Rudy Royston, MJF on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Akinmusire, Chris Potter, Benny Green and Lewis Nash; Esperanza Spalding, Pat Metheny Unity Band with Chris Potter, Antonio Sanchez and Ben Williams, and the Jack DeJohnette/Bill Frisell Duo.
The Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, formally the California High School All-Star Band, has seen these prominent contemporary jazz stars come through hilton garden inn toronto pictures its roster. Saxophonists Joshua Redman, Dave Koz and Dave Ellis; pianists Benny Green and Patrice Rushen; multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum; bassist Larry Grenadier and these artists who will be this year's Next Generation Jazz Festival judges, saxophonist Mary Fettig and trumpeters Gilbert Castellanos and Akinmusire.
Over the weekend 47 ensembles represent California, hilton garden inn toronto pictures coming from 14 counties including Alameda, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Los Angeles, Marin, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz. In addition, special guest groups include student ensembles from Japan and Australia, as well as groups from Oregon, Massachusetts and Michigan.
"Once again, the level of jazz playing flourishes throughout every performing division at the Next Generation Jazz Festival for 2012," said Contos. "We're extremely pleased to be able to present this unique free educational experience that highlights the hard work these groups have been doing in preparation for this event. For students and directors from throughout the U.S. and international locations to be able to share this music with each other exhibits the true joy and collaborative spirit of jazz."
Tickets: Free; VIP Gold Circle tickets for the Opening Night Concert, $50, includes seating in the front rows "meet and greet" wine and cheese reception with the judges and Monterey Jazz Festival Artist-In-Residence, Ambrose Akinmusire
(From the last 12 hours) Police briefs: Gunmen rob construction worker Questions surround St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry closure in Seaside Letters: Sad "Parenthood' is ending Contact us by Email, Phone or Online Chia seeds healthy beyond nutrition
Top Autos Top Homes Top Rentals Top Jobs Ford 1948 (Top Autos) 71 Corvette (Top Autos) hilton garden inn toronto pictures Snow Chains (Top Autos) Snow Chains (Top Autos) Mercedes 98 (Top Autos) 1993 Nissan Pathfinder (Top Autos) 2005 Volvo (Top Autos) 2005 Volvo (Top Autos) 2000 Dodge Grand Caravan (Top Autos) 1997 Lincoln Town Car (Top Autos) 2001 Toyota Rav4 (Top Autos) Jaguar 73 XJ6 (Top Autos) hilton garden inn toronto pictures Jaguar ?01 S-Type 4 door (Top Autos) All Listings Carmel Valley (Top Homes) CARMEL VALLEY OPEN HOUSE (Top Homes) PG 5/2 - $650,000 (Top Homes) Pacific Grove 3/2.5 + Loft (Top Homes) Public Trustee Foreclosure Auction hilton garden inn toronto pictures (Top Homes) 100s of NorCal hilton garden inn toronto pictures homes for auction (Top Homes) Seaside Single wider $15,500 (Top Homes) hilton garden inn toronto pictures Money to Lend 50% LTV (Top Homes) Las Palmas 4/3.5 $699,900 (Top Homes) Monterey 4/4.5 $1,750,000 (Top Homes) Pebble Beach 3/2.5 $1,349,500 (Top Homes) All Listings hilton garden inn toronto pictures Salinas 4BD 2BA (Top Rentals) Furnished 3br/3ba (Top Rentals) MONTEREY, 2 BD, 2 BA (Top Rentals) Carmel Valley (Top Rentals) MONTEREY, 2 BD, 2 BA (Top Rentals) DEL REY OAKS, (Top Rentals) Carmel Valley (Top Rentals) Monterey (Top Rentals) Monterey hilton garden inn toronto pictures (Top Rentals) Seaside (Top Rentals) 1 bd. 1 ba. Util. incl. (Top Rentals) $750. 1br/1ba (Top Rentals) Monterey Prime Corner retail Space (Top Rentals) Carmel Valley (Top Rentals) Carmel Beautiful 1 bd apartment (Top Rentals) All Listings Trauma Coordinator (Top Jobs) Now Hiring Housekeepers (Top Jobs) Hotel Resident Manager (Top Jobs) BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UNIT SUPERVISOR (Top Jobs) BEHAVIORAL HEALTH UNIT SUPERVISOR (Top Jobs) Foundation Executive Director (Top Jobs) PT Office Admin./Manager (Top Jobs) PT Office Admin./Manager (Top Jobs) Tellers (Top Jobs) Foundation Executive Director (Top Jobs) Church Office hilton garden inn toronto pictures Manager (Top Jobs) Thermal Operations Specialist (Top Jobs) Systems Administrator (Top Jobs) Contract Operator (Top Jobs) Computer Lab Technician (Top Jobs) All Listings