The Next Generation Jazz Festival is a glimpse into the future of jazz.

On its surface, the Next Generation Jazz Festival is a three-day assembly of the country’s top student musicians performing in ensembles, competing for various awards – including the opportunity to perform in the main stage arena at the 57th Monterey Jazz Festival on Sept. 21 – and picking up some pointers in clinics run by jazz pros.

But there’s something else that goes on during the annual event at the Monterey Conference Center: From a pool made up of the nation’s best young jazz talents across middle and high school, exists a rarer species still, talents who could translate into the next Miles Davis or Herbie Hancock or Charles Mingus.

“There are a few [students] that I say, ‘We’re definitely going to be hearing from him in the future,’” says Next Generation Jazz Orchestra director Paul Contos.

Similar to an NBA scout at a high school basketball game, it’s part of Contos’ job description to separate the exceptional from the merely amazing during the NGJO auditions. There are about 20 open spots in the all-star group, which spends the months leading up to the Monterey Jazz Festival touring jazz fests and venues worldwide. Contos says he’s never disappointed with his selections.

“Every year I’m blown away by the level of how these young people play – and I’ve been doing this for a while,” he says. “I always pick an extremely challenging repertoire; I gather some of the most cutting-edge arrangements currently being written for jazz orchestra and they just eat it up.”

On Saturday morning, NGJF’s newest showcase, the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra Alumni, will reveal just how good the best sounds. Contos describes it as a true “supergroup” that features rising stars in the jazz world. Some of the players are still in college while others have already begun to make their professional mark.

One of the NGJO alumni, tenor saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, will lead a clinic midday Saturday. Contos believes he’s an example of those rare virtuosos who has the ability to change the face of the genre.

“He’s sculpting new language in the jazz world with what he’s doing,” Contos says.

Meanwhile, MJF’s 2014 artist-in-residence, drummer Eric Harland – also teaching a few clinics and performing at various times throughout the weekend – is “setting the rhythm for jazz’s future,” according to The New York Times.

Renowned trumpet prodigy/composer Wynton Marsalis recognized Harland’s genius and potential as a jazz game-changer after seeing him perform for the first time during a high school workshop. Marsalis advised Harland to get his brass to New York City as soon as possible.

Marsalis was so adamant about the move he immediately wrote Harland a recommendation to Manhattan School of Music.

“[Marsalis] kind of took me under his wing,” Harland says. “And the rest was history.”

Shortly following graduation, Harland was living in the core of the Big Apple, studying at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music on a full music scholarship. While he considers the classes invaluable, he feels the time he spent bopping around the city, sitting in on whatever jam session he could find or (even better) get invited to was something that proved even more valuable.

“I wanted to get the most experiences possible,” he says.

The spontaneous jazz jam sessions showcased Harland on a different stage than he anticipated. The streets, clubs and bars, even in the huge city, synched him with a jazz scene that’s quite small, and served notice a fresh young talent could rise from obscurity.

Midway through his sophomore year, offers were coming at Harland from every direction: He was invited into the studio to record two albums in five days with renowned jazz guitarist Rodney Jones. Saxman and former MJF artist in residence Joshua Redman asked him to join his band. Then there were the more challenging requests: The late great tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson reached out to Harland in the middle of the night, asking him to fly out to Oakland to fill in for a gig he was performing that day at Yoshi’s. A similar situation popped up with trumpeter Terence Blanchard.

“So many times in my life these great opportunities have come up,” Harland says. “I’m one of those guys who’s up and ready and available for everything and I’m always looking at everything as a new adventure.”

The Grammy-nominated musician’s post-college adventures have included more than 45 albums with various artists, working on 18 film scores and performing worldwide (including 2007 and 2013 appearances at MJF). He’s currently putting the final touches on an upcoming record due out this summer.

Harland’s message to every student attending the Next Generation Jazz Festival begins with the simple adage: “Follow your heart.

“Remember that challenge and opportunities are the same thing,” he continues. “Love what you are doing and just keep bringing it to the masses.”

NEXT GENERATION JAZZ FESTIVAL happens Friday, March 28-30; see website for complete schedule and times. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. Free unless otherwise noted. www.montereyjazzfestival.org/NGJF