“Changing lives through education,” that’s the motto Monterey Jazz uses for its educational work in Monterey County. This work’s culmination is the formation of the annual Regional All-Star Band, with a big band at its core, supported by middle school combo and vocal ensemble groups. The young musicians of the 2025 edition are bringing great jazz to the local audience all summer long.
The band is performing July and August concerts at Estéban Restaurant and at Folktale Winery, as well as a July 12 concert, “Jazz in the Forest,” at the Outdoor Forest Theater in Carmel. Their season ends with a performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival itself.
“This is how we design the student experience,” says Claire Kim-Shin, Monterey Jazz’s director of education. “Musicians practice within large groups for months. Then, from talking to each other and developing friendships, they form small ensembles to showcase themselves individually. We don’t tell them what to play.”
The ensembles of three to four musicians and vocalists then approach the booking manager, Daphne DeCarlo, and find a date to perform. The set list and instrumentation is their own, a test of their independence and leadership skills. If an alternate musician is needed, the band draws from a long list of alumni who jump at the opportunity.
Only 20 percent of the All-Star students will become professional musicians; for others it’s part of their general education, but lessons in leadership and communication will serve them in any field of work. The students are aware they represent the legacy and the history of Monterey Jazz and its educational programs.
The “Jazz in the Forest” concert is an opportunity to see and hear more than one ensemble – the audience will hear the big band, the vocal ensemble and the community-based group Trading Fours. This annual concert draws a big crowd; 250 people attended in 2024.
Finally, the 2025 Regional All-Star Band will perform on Sunday, Sept. 28 at the Monterey Jazz festival. This year, instead of playing at indoor Pacific Jazz Café like in 2024, All-Star musicians will perform at the Tim Jackson Garden Stage, providing more exposure, Kim-Shin explains. “Everybody is very excited about it,” she says, “and time flies fast.”
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