News release
Super Jazz at the Ranch, a daylong jazz festival hosted by West Ranch High School, is happening Saturday, May 17, when music will fill the air as performers from throughout the region showcase their talents.
The event features musical performances, competitions and clinics. Music begins at 9 a.m. across three performance venues. Many Santa Clarita Valley high school and middle school jazz ensembles will perform, including West Ranch High School’s Studio A Jazz Band.
Highlighting the day will be performances by the Pandemonium Big Band and the Jake Leckie Quartet, according to a news release from the West Ranch music program. Elliot Deutsch, Pandemonium musical director and trumpeter, has been a fixture of the Los Angeles music scene for more than a decade, writing arrangements for a who’s who of jazz performers including Arturo Sandoval, Take 6 and Lalo Schiffrin.
Jake Leckie creates acoustic organic soulful folk-jazz, the release said. With firm roots in jazz, his playing is influenced by classical, gospel, Latin, folk and hip-hop. His career highlights include touring with Sixto “Sugarman” Rodriguez, recording and touring with The Harlem Gospel Travelers, traveling to the Havana Jazz Festival to perform with Spanish saxophonist Gianni Gagliardi, and recording two albums with Canadian pianist/composer Cat Toren.
The William S. Hart Union High School District Jazz “All-Stars,” a group composed of some of the most talented jazz students from around the Hart district, will also be performing.
Adjudicators include active professional musicians and notable jazz educators who will evaluate jazz ensembles from schools throughout Southern California, the release said.
All-day general admission to Super Jazz at the Ranch is $15. Food concessions will be available on site.
For additional information, contact Brian Leff, West Ranch director of jazz studies, at [email protected].
