During the week of May 13, 2002, three Seattle high school jazz bands win high honors at the extremely prestigious Essentially Ellington competition, held at Lincoln Center in New York City. The Roosevelt High School Jazz Band takes first place; the Garfield High School Jazz Band takes second place; and Mountlake Terrace High School Jazz Band wins honorable mention.
Competing were 15 finalist bands that had emerged from a field of 149 bands. The outstanding soloists and sections were:
- Roosevelt: Trumpet section; rhythm section; Alex Mabe (alto saxophone); Brian Kinsella (piano); D'vonne Lewis (drums);
- Garfield: Reed section; Ben Roseth (alto saxophone); Benjamin White (clarinet);
- Mountlake Terrace: Reed section.
The directors of the bands are Scott Brown at Roosevelt, Clarence Acox at Garfield, and Darin Faul at Mountlake Terrace.
Seattle's jazz dominance, explain Seattle Post-Intelligencer writers Rebekah Denn and Sarah Smith,
"has been attributed to a confluence of events, including the leadership influence of longtime directors Clarence Acox at Garfield and Brown at Roosevelt; the presence of strong middle school programs that prepare students for high school success; and a thriving jazz scene in Seattle that provides more independent instructors for extra support."
