You’re invited to watch Alabama’s finest young jazz musicians perform APRIL 20-22 at the historic Carver Theatre in the 15th Annual Student Jazz Band Festival!  Saturday, April 22 will feature a free jazz workshop led by Rashawn Ross, of Dave Matthews Band, at 1 p.m.

Schools playing include: Hoover High School, Oak Mountain High School, Phillips Academy, Woodlawn High School, Wallace State, Alabama State Univ., ASFA, Bumpus Middle, BTW Magnet, PD Jackson Olin … and more

All performances are open to the public, and there is no admission fee. 

Every spring, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame’s Student Jazz Band Festival brings together hundreds of young musicians to celebrate America’s original art form, jazz. For three days, middle school, high school, and college & university jazz bands will perform for adjudicators. Each band receives numerical scores, and three (one from each Festival Division) will earn the honor of “Band of Distinction.”

No smooth jazz here. These kids will be playing timeless jazz standards — think Ellington, Gershwin, Monk & Handy. There are some not-to-be-missed young vocalists as well; Alabama has talent! 

Festival founder, Dr. Frank E. Adams Sr., believed in the power of jazz to build bridges between communities, and he dedicated his life to keeping the art form alive. Join us as we honor his spirit and inspire the next generation of jazz musicians.