April is Jazz Appreciation Month, and WBGO is celebrating by showcasing some of the talent from local programs.
YoungArts is a program established in 1981 to nurture talent in the visual, literary, design and performing arts, including jazz.
Its signature program is an award for emerging high school artists from across the United States, with winners receiving monetary prizes, professional development and educational experiences with accomplished mentors. (Past winners of the award include some notable jazz musicians, like trumpeter Terence Blanchard and pianist Gerald Clayton.)
This ensemble hails from YoungArts New York, a regional program. It's led by pianist Emmet Cohen, who knows a thing or two about the competition himself. "I was one of them, 10 years ago," he told Bill Daughtry during the group's visit to Afternoon Jazz.
The session began with "It's Gotta Be Someone Else," an original by one of the band members, tenor saxophonist Raymond Logan. Among the other tunes in the set were "Con Alma," by Dizzy Gillespie.
MUSICIANS
Jason Arkins, baritone saxophone; Destiny Diggs-Pinto, bass; Raymond Logan, tenor saxophone; William Peters-Seymour, guitar; Coby Petricone-Berg, alto saxophone; Rebecca Webster, drums; Brooke Wyatt, piano
Audio mix: Corey Goldberg