Every year Southeast’s jazz bands have the opportunity to go to Greeley, Colorado and experience the language of jazz during the Greeley Jazz Festival. The Greeley Jazz Festival, which began back in 1970, is one of largest jazz festivals in the nation. Almost 10,000 participants perform over the three days of the festival and even more listen in.

Jazz band members start their trip Friday night when they leave Southeast. Once they arrive, the students watch a performance from one of the most prominent bands in jazz culture today, this year it was Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. On Saturday, the 1st and 2nd jazz bands have their performances and receive critiques and have a clinic to improve their playing. The rest of Saturday includes more performances from professionals and exploring the town of Greeley. On Sunday morning the bands pack up and drive back to Southeast.

When asked about his experience with the trip, trumpet player Carter Svehla says, “It’s a great bonding experience… it’s a great time and a great event.”

This year Parker Sibley, Vanskiver Sundling, Jonah Rail, Luke Anderson, and Seth Burk received outstanding musicianship awards.