Westbrook student jazz musicians will perform Friday in the high school cafeteria, along with trumpet player Trent Austin.
Beginning at 7 p.m., Jazz Night performances will include a Wescott Junior High jazz ensemble, Westbrook High jazz ensembles and Westbrook High jazz combo Kinda Blue.
Some of the musicians performing took home top awards at the Maine Music Educators Association’s High School State Instrumental Jazz Festival last month at Stearns High School in Millinocket, where 65 high school jazz duos, ensembles and bands from 34 public and private high schools competed March 14 and 15.
In the Multiple Jazz Bands category, freshman Zach Dugas won a Gold Award for his performance on alto saxophone. In the Outstanding Musician Award category, Molly Ridley and Ron Ho won Gold Awards for their performances on their respective instruments, piano and saxophone. Ridley also took second place for outstanding musicianship in Division 1.
They will be performing Friday with Austin who has won numerous awards in his career as a musician, including being named to the 1993 Berklee Grammy High School Jazz Band and lead trumpet of the 1995 Disney All American Show Band. Austin, who is on the faculty at the University of Southern Maine, has a new CD out entitled “Two-Toned.”
From left, Ron Ho, Nate Gowen, Molly Ridley and Vincenzo Aceto make up the Westbrook High jazz combo Kinda Blue, which will perform Friday in the high school cafeteria at Jazz Night. Ho and Ridley took top awards last month at the Maine Music Educators Associationz Festival in Milinocket. Send questions/comments to the editors.
