TWENTY Oxfordshire schools competed for a slot at Oxford’s fourth Jazz Festival yesterday.
In just under a month, the festival will return, filling the venues of Oxford with performances from well- known and fresh talent between April 1 and 7.
Bands from schools across the county pitched up at the SAE Institute, in Littlemore Park, for a chance of winning a slot, with a band from Cokethorpe School, near Witney, stealing the show.
Special commendations were also give to young people who judges deemed the best overall vocalist and best instrumentalist.
Thirteen-year-old Jake Stern, from Magdalen College School, Oxford, was named the best instrumentalist.
Jake, who has been playing the piano for six years, stunned judges with his versions of Kenny Dorham’s Blue Bossa, and The Chicken Song.
He said: “I like the freedom you get with playing jazz.
“You can improvise, it’s not just a straight reading of music.”
Click on the link below for full details of the festival line-up.
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