KHS shines at Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival

KELLOGG — Musicians at Kellogg High School (KHS) took on the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival (LHJF) and came out on top.

The LHJF is an annual event that takes place in Moscow and attracts music students and jazz enthusiasts from all over North America. The festival is named after Lionel Hampton, a legendary jazz vibraphonist, and bandleader from Lousiville, Ky. Hampton played with many jazz greats, including Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman and Charlie Parker, and was known for his dynamic and energetic performances.

“Both the KHS Jazz Choir and Jazz Band attended the LHJF,” said KHS Performing Arts Director Adam Ream. “The Jazz Choir won first place in their division, and the Jazz band won outstanding soloist for Donovan’s Smith’s solo in 'Bye, Bye Blackbird.'”

The students were also able to see three concerts during the festival, each with it’s own unique style and flair.

“Thursday night was a world music celebration with University of Idaho Jazz Band 1, Jazz Choir 1 and world beat ensembles,” Ream said. “There were also special guests like Habib Iddrisu, a native to northern Ghana that is currently a professor at the University of Oregon, and Marshall Gilkes, a jazz and classical trombone player that has toured the world and has numerous albums.”

Ream continued that Friday night was a concert dedicated to women in jazz, featuring the Diva Jazz Orchestra from New York.

“Which is one of the biggest bands in the world,” Ream said. Friday night also included the performance of Säge, a Grammy-nominated vocal jazz group.

Saturday held the headlining concert, which featured bass guitarist Marcus Miller, a two-time Grammy-winning jazz musician who has played and composed for numerous artists, including Miles Davis, and the Lionel Hampton Big Band, a band made up of surviving and new members of Lionel Hampton’s original band.

In addition to the concerts, students were also able to attend numerous classes taught by performers and college professors ranging from instrument and voice-specific classes to lectures on the culture and histories of jazz musicians.

“There were also numerous dance workshops taught by the UI dance faculty that were really fun,” Ream said. “All together, there were over 20 class options over the two days we were there.”

Attending the LHJF is an important opportunity for students because it gives them a chance to see world-class musicians that would otherwise never come to North Idaho.

“It’s an incredible learning experience for the students for not only jazz and music, but also college,” Ream sai. “Numerous students have chosen to attend the University of Idaho and study music because of this festival, myself included. There are schools attending from Cincinnati, Ohio, to Whidbey Island, Wash., to Nanaimo, B.C. The students love meeting people with similar passions, and I love to see the type of music education that happens across North America.”

Ream continued that it also gives KHS a chance to shine and show the festival the high level of music that they can produce.

“These festivals and opportunities are not cheap,” Ream said. “And we thank everyone that has donated and participated in music fundraisers that make this all possible.”