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You don’t have to be a parent to enjoy this show. My husband and I were looking for entertainment that was less than $25 each and decided to attend. It was a fun night full of youthful energy and wonderful musicianship. We will definitely be back next year.
Five stars just seems insufficient for this event. Starbucks does an amazing job building the evening. The video production of the students and their band leaders really set the stage for the evening and added immensely to the event. It gave dimension and showcased the personalities to help the audience know who these amazing young people really are since we're sitting 20 rows back from the stage. Music is amazing; each band got performed three pieces of their choice--which is just right. The production of the event allows for each band to have their own flavor, which is great. Performance started at 7 and ended at 10--on the nose. Perfect! It would be great if the program had a short paragraph that shared what the event supported i.e. is it to help all bands go to Essentially Ellington in NYC, or Lionel Hampton in ID? Wasn't clear but that's minor and the only tiny thing that was missing other than 'Buy a cup of Starbucks and support your local jazz students,' which I think is OK to say. Tickets were $25 which means it's accessible for many. Bottomline--we'll be back and feel grateful we have a local company which has shown a steady commitment, and a supportive audience to show these incredible students and their teachers that talent is respected.
Beuatiful setting for some really great high school jazz bands. Very enjoyable evening!
This is the first time going and I assure you it’s not going to be the last. The video montage at the beginning and between sets was fantastic, loved the glimpse of the personalities behind the music. It was so enjoyable watching the students and how much of a thrill you could see they had playing the music. The band directors each took a great joy in it as well but I have to say Jared Sessink from Garfield took that joy to another level. His band and the audience just fed off of his energy while he was on stage directing. These young adults have bright futures ahead of them, they are tremendously talented. If you were to close your eyes, it was hard to imagine that it was a stage filled with teenagers. Wonderful show and I look forward to going again next year.
The ticketing process was quite anxiety-producing. It worked, but I worried it wouldn't. The Paramount accoustics are famously poor, and we chose to sit very close so we could really see all the kids. Probably the worst choice, accoustically. What was really good, though, was the seamless way the bands transitioned with video interviews with kids and band leaders while the next band too their places on stage. The musicianship was ACE! Way to go, jazz kids!!
Always a treat to see these amazing kids! We missed the free coffee though- the Hot Java part of it.
As usual, thoroughly enjoyed the evening of jazz. We are very lucky to have such talented students and leaders/mentors in the Seattle area. We have taken our grand daughters and their friends for 10 years and look forward to the 2020 performance. Thank you Starbucks!
It's always amazing to hear the music the bands put out at Hot Java Cool Jazz each year. The music performed was more complex this year. & the high school kids executed it flawlessly. I can't say enough how grateful we are for Starbucks' investment in this program.
This was so much more than a band concert. These jazz bands are top notch. We had to remind ourselves they are students. Nice variety of music, some jazz singing, and some humor and loved the clips between sets. Inspiring for young musicians - wish we would have seen more kids there.
A celebratory night and the concert was fun!! Glad to support Seattle’s Best and up and coming jazz musicians. I applaud thier dedication and passion as they express themselves. Thanks to all!
You don’t feel like you are listening to high schoolers except for the young crowd. We will plan to go again next year.
What a great way to support and encourage the youth of today. And you can enjoy an evening out.
There was a point in my life when I thought big-band music was dead because no one seemed to play it, and old recordings fell far short of capturing the liveliness and the depth and tone of great jazz, risking becoming a relic of the ebullience of the WWII and post-war period. But it is still alive - the music teachers of Seattle have worked hard and worked their musicians hard to produce fantastically good jazz music in a major city venue, with a professional sound that goes far beyond just good - it's become a signature for Seattle and Starbucks that have made this one event a yearly event for me, my family and friends. Amazing what these music teachers can elicit from high school students. All the kids seem 100% committed to excellence in music, and they deliver the goods at Hot Java, Cool Jazz. Each of the five schools brought out the best of the best, and the audience was overwhelmed by one solo performance in particular, that of young blues vocalist, Sage Eisenhower, who carried off a performance you'd expect of a seasoned pro in mid-30s or more. Standing ovation for her performance was well-deserved, and I hope to be buying her albums in a few years. I haven't always attended the event, but I've never been disappointed as the kids have obviously worked extremely hard to get the music right, to the point where it becomes a pleasure for them to play in performance, rather than just a lot of work. Kudos galore to Starbucks for sponsoring this event and for keeping this great music form alive in young people. I expect to start seeing many of these musicians developing careers in music.
The crowd was electrifying! The bands were well worth hearing and experiencing. Great talent on so many levels from every school that performed. It was really cool!
