On a sunny Saturday afternoon on the Memorial Day weekend, PAJA was delighted to present the award-winning Mountlake Terrace High School Jazz Ensemble at Rinconada Park in Palo Alto. This orchestra was fresh from prevailing over 81 other competitors in the Lionel Hampton competition at the University of Idaho in April and taking a first-place award at the Newport Jazz Competition in March. They were in the Bay Area to perform with other HS ensembles in Livermore on May 24th along with a clinic at Stanford the next morning. Comprised of more than 20 young men and women, the group treated us to a number of standards and straight-ahead charts: “On the Sunny Side of the Street,” “The More I See You,” “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie,” “Fly Me to the Moon” (with vocals by Mya Phin), and several other tunes.

PAJA extends thanks to the City of Palo Alto for allowing us to use Rinconada Park,
enabling us to present this outstanding ensemble from the State of Washington free of charge to our members and guests. PAJA’s central mission is the support of jazz education. Earlier this year PAJA showcased the award-winning jazz ensemble from Menlo-Atherton HS. It was a treat for us to be able to conclude the school year with another stellar show featuring young artists who represent the future of the art form we all adore: JAZZ.

/Dave Miller