BHS Jazz Band wins first place at Bellevue Jazz Festival

Ballard High School’s Jazz Band has reason to celebrate: they just took first place at the 37th annual Bellevue Jazz Festival.

BHS competed against 49 other schools at the competition, which was held on May 4th at Bellevue High School. The festival is one of the biggest jazz competitions in the Northwest, and included school bands from around the Puget Sound*.

Ballard High’s jazz band is led by Mr. Michael James, the Director of Bands at Ballard High School where he serves as department chair and conducts the Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band 1, Percussion Ensemble and Marching Band.* Saxophonist Gary Hammon, who studied at the New England Conservatory of Music and toured with organist Big John Patton, serves as a tutor for the jazz program.

Congratulations to the student musicians!

*Corrections: The original post stated that the festival included schools from around the country, and that the BHS jazz program is led by Gary Hammon.

Photo from Ballard Performing Arts’ Twitter account