Essentially Ellington Keeps Duke Ellington Very Much Alive

Essentially Ellington Keeps Duke Ellington Very Much Alive

In a dressing room behind the stage in the Metropolitan Opera House, Wynton Marsalis, the trumpeter and educator, intently watched a live feed of the big band representing the Osceola County School for the Arts, from Kissimmee, Fla. They were playing Dizzy Gillespie’s “Things to Come,” a piece that can expose any weaknesses in a big band. Being a good jazz musician isn’t just about playing fast and loud and high, but this song requires musicians…

Osceola County School for the Arts Jazz Band A Shines on International Stage, Finishes Top 3 at Essentially Ellington Finals in NYC

In a dazzling celebration of youth jazz excellence, Osceola County School for the Arts (OCSA) Jazz Band A once again took the national stage by storm, once again finishing in the Top 3 in the world at the 30th annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center. Held Sunday afternoon at the prestigious Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, the final round of the competition brought …