NJAJE State Jazz Festival Archive
2023
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble 3rd Place Eastern Regional Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) BRHS Monday Band Cherokee High School Jazz Ensemble Edison High School Jazz Ensemble Newark Academy "NA Big Band" PCTVS Jazz Band Southern Regional Jazz Ensemble Section Awards Saxophone Eastern Trumpet John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trombone John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Newark Academy Chameleon Solo Awards Samar Munagala, Trumpet, JP Stevens JE Yasmeena Sharif, Vocalist, NA Chameleon Akshay Khatri, Flute, Edison Kapes Sukhavasi, Bass, JP Stevens JE Rick Kerber Scholarship Matthew Nelson, Drums, J.P. Stevens JE Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers 2nd Place Princeton Studio Band 3rd Place Mount Olive Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Cherry Hill West Jazz Ensemble Morristown Spectrum Jazz Ensemble Princeton Jazz Ensemble Shawnee Jazz Band Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Steinert Jazz Band Section Awards Saxophone SPF Moonglowers Trumpet Princeton Studio Band Trombone Shawnee Jazz Band Rhythm SPF Moonglowers Solo Awards Drew Wakefield, Guitar, Princeton Jazz Ensemble Connor Stewart, Drums, Princeton Studio Band Hasan Ali, Alto Sax, SPF Moonglowers Rehan Ahmed, Trumpet, Princeton Jazz Ensemble Rick Kerber Scholarship Jiakun (Kevin) Huang, Alto Sax, Princeton Studio Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Princeton Studio Band |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Deptford Jazz Ensemble 2nd Place Sterling Jazz Band 3rd Place Elizabeth Jazz Band Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Delaware Valley Golden Blues Highland Regional HS Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble Moorestown HS Honors Jazz Band Overbrook High School Jazz Band Wayne Valley Jazz Band Section Awards Saxophone Elizabeth Trumpet Deptford Trombone Deptford Rhythm Sterling Solo Awards Isabelle Mailman, Alto Sax, Wayne Valley HS Nicholas Mikhail, Trumpet, Wayne Valley HS Daniella Guevarra, Piano, Elizabeth HS Vera Caruso, Vocalist, Sterling HS Rick Kerber Scholarship Sara Smith, Flute, Highland Regional HS Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Moorestown HS Honors Jazz Band |
2022
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble 3rd Place Cherokee Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) East Brunswick Edison John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Newark Academy Big Band Passaic County TVS West Orange Jazz 1 Section Awards Saxophone Newark Academy Chameleon Trumpet John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trombone John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Newark Academy Chameleon Solo Awards Andres Guerra, Piano, PCTVS Farah Mbahwe, Saxophones, JP Jazz Ensemble Ben Collins-Siegel, Piano, NA Chameleon Ethan Lee, Tenor Sax and Clarinet, NA Chameleon Rick Kerber Scholarship Siddarth Chalasani, Tenor Sax, NA Chameleon Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Newark Academy Chameleon |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers 2nd Place Mount Olive Jazz Ensemble 3rd Place Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Eastern Hightstown Morristown Princeton Jazz Ensemble Princeton Studio Band Shawnee Jazz Band Section Awards Saxophone Eastern Trumpet Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Trombone Mount Olive Rhythm SPF Moonglowers Solo Awards Keiran McKenzie, Tenor Sax, Princeton Studio Ryan Parichuk, Bass Trombone, Mount Olive Nick Cianfrani, Bass, Eastern Alvaro Caravaca, Trumpet, Mount Olive Rick Kerber Scholarship Nirayka Monga, Piano, SPF Moonglowers Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Shawnee Jazz Ensemble |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Deptford 2nd Place West Milford 3rd Place Cherry Hill West Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Metuchen Seneca Sparta Steinert Sterling Wayne Section Awards Saxophone Deptford Trumpet Deptford Trombone West Milford Rhythm Steinert Solo Awards Marc Escarrilla - Alto Sax, DeptfordHS Shane Duffy - Bass West, Milford HS Brennan Coulton - Tenor Sax, West Milford HS Lilianna Sanchez - Vocal, West Milford HS Rick Kerber Scholarship Ben Hoadley - Tenor Sax, Sterling HS Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award West Milford |
2021
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic, the New Jersey State Jazz Ensemble Festival was canceled.
2020
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020, the New Jersey State Finals for Jazz Ensembles were canceled. However, the following 27 bands were selected to compete as State Finalists as a result of the State Preliminary Festival held in early March. Following are the State Finalist Bands, listed alphabetically by Division for 2020:
Division I (Largest School Populations)
Bridgewater-Raritan HS Monday Band Cherokee HS Jazz Ensemble East Brunswick HS Jazz Ensemble Elizabeth HS Jazz Ensemble JP Stevens HS Jazz Ens JP Stevens HS Lab Jazz Newark Academy "Chameleon" Newark Academy "NA Big Band" Passaic County Technical Institute Jazz Band |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
Edison HS Jazz Ensemble Mount Olive HS Jazz Ensemble Princeton HS Jazz Ensemble Princeton HS Studio Band Randolph HS Jazz Ensemble 1 Scotch Plains-Fanwood HS Moonglowers Shawnee HS Jazz Ensemble Southern Regional HS Jazz Ensemble West Orange HS Jazz Ensemble 1 |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
Deptford HS Jazz Ensemble Highland Regional HS Jazz Ensemble Metuchen HS Jazz Ensemble Overbrook HS Jazz Ensemble Seneca HS Jazz Ensemble Sparta HS Blues, Inc! Steinert HS Jazz Ensemble Wayne Valley HS Big Band West Milford HS Jazz Ensemble |
2019
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble 2nd Place Cherokee 3rd Place Edison Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Bridgewater-Raritan Monday Band East Brunswick Elizabeth Jazz Band John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Passaic County Technical Institute West Orange Jazz 1 Section Awards Saxophone John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trumpet John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Trombone West Orange Rhythm Cherokee Solo Awards Omkar Sonavane, Alto Sax, Edison Carlos Hernandez, Trumpet, JP Stevens Lab Jazz Grace Fox, Trumpet, Cherokee Elton Boyd, Drums, Edison Rick Kerber Scholarship Bryana Crockett, Drums, Cherokee Richard A. Graham Scholarship Zoe Wang, Bari Sax, JP Jazz Ensemble Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers 2nd Place Princeton Studio Band 3rd Place Princeton Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Jackson Liberty Mendham Mount Olive Northern Burlington County Steinert Wayne Valley Section Awards Saxophone SPF Moonglowers Trumpet SPF Moonglowers Trombone Princeton Studio Band Rhythm Mount Olive Solo Awards Siara Alam, Mendham Jazz Ensemble Grace Quackenboss, Northern Burlington Anthony Demateis, Jackson Liberty Jazz Ensemble Allan Romero, SPF Moonglowers Rick Kerber Scholarship Simon Hwang, Princeton Studio Richard A. Graham Scholarship Stephen Oduro, SPF Moonglowers Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Princeton Studio Band |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place West Milford 3rd Place Newark Academy Big Band Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Delaware Valley Deptford Highland Holmdel Overbrook Seneca Section Awards Saxophone Newark Academy Chameleon Trumpet Overbrook Trombone Deptford Rhythm Newark Academy Chameleon Solo Awards Michael Wang, Alto Sax, NA Chameleon Sammi Powell, Vocals, NA Chameleon Ben Chaddha, Trumpet, NA Chameleon Maurice Wade, Trumpet, Overbrook Rick Kerber Scholarship Sidiq Huballa, Drums, Highland Richard A. Graham Scholarship Amanda Roth, Flute, West Milford Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Newark Academy Chameleon |
2018
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble 2nd Place Edison 3rd Place John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Camden Creative Arts Cherokee East Brunswick Elizabeth Jazz Ensemble Southern Regional West Orange Jazz 1 Section Awards Saxophone Edison Trumpet John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trombone John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Edison Solo Awards Elton Byrd, Drums, Edison Isaiah Rivera, Piano, Camden Creative Arts Valerie Collado, Trombone, Edison Destiny Diggs Pinto, Bass, West Orange Rick Kerber Scholarship Varun Das, Drums, John P. Stevens Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Princeton Studio Band 2nd Place Princeton Jazz Ensemble 3rd Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Hightstown Jackson Memorial Mendham Mount Olive Shawnee Jazz Band Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Section Awards Saxophone SPF Moonglowers Trumpet Princeton Jazz Ensemble Trombone Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Princeton Jazz Ensemble Solo Awards Selia Gupta, Princeton Jazz Ensemble Simon Hwang, Princeton Studio Ethan Wollman, SPF Moonglowers Peter Rushing, Shawnee Jazz Band Rick Kerber Scholarship Liam Sutcliffe, Trumpet, Princeton Studio Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Princeton Studio Band |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place West Milford 3rd Place Jackson Liberty Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Burlington City Deptford Highland Newark Academy Big Band Overbrook Roxbury Section Awards Saxophone Newark Academy Chameleon Trumpet Jackson Liberty Trombone West Milford Rhythm Newark Academy Chameleon Solo Awards Alan Zhu, Tenor Sax, Newark Acad. Chameleon Reid Christmann, Trombone, Newark Ac. Cham. Vikram Bala, Bass, Newark Academy Chameleon Eric Darnsteadt, Drums, West Milford Rick Kerber Scholarship David Grahm, Alto Sax, Deptford Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Newark Academy Chameleon |
2017
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble 2nd Place Edison 3rd Place Camden Creative Arts Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Cherokee Elizabeth Jazz Band Elizabeth Jazz Ensemble John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Passaic County Technical Institute West Orange Jazz 1 Section Awards Saxophone Edison Trumpet John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trombone Camden Creative Arts Rhythm John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Solo Awards Dave Mosko, Trombone, Cherokee Anthony King, West Orange Jazz 1 Cheik Higgs, John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Zachary Kibel, John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Rick Kerber Scholarship Jean Paolo Flores, Edison Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Princeton Studio Band 2nd Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers 3rd Place Princeton Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Hopewell Valley Jackson Liberty Morristown Nutley Sparta Blues Inc. Steinert Section Awards Saxophone SPF Moonglowers Trumpet SPF Moonglowers Trombone Princeton Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Princeton Jazz Ensemble Solo Awards Liam Sutcliffe, Trumpet, Princeton Studio Ethan Blaser, Princeton Jazz Ensemble Harrison Tsui, Princeton Studio Ethan Cheung, Tenor Sax, SPF Moonglowers Rick Kerber Scholarship Raphael Krause Palit, Sparta Blues Inc. Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Princeton Studio Band |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place West Milford 3rd Place Deptford Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Bergenfield Burlington City Highland Newark Academy Big Band Overbrook Science Park Section Awards Saxophone West Milford Trumpet Newark Academy Chameleon Trombone West Milford Rhythm Deptford Solo Awards Alan Zhu, Tenor Sax, Newark Acad. Chameleon Shaan Pandiri, Bass, Newark Acad. Chameleon David Grahm, Alto Sax, Deptford Jacob Cuevas, Piano, Deptford Rick Kerber Scholarship Alex Kerssen, Tenor Sax, West Milford Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Newark Academy Chameleon |
2016
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble 2nd Place Cherokee 3rd Place Elizabeth Upper Academy Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Bridgewater-Raritan Monday Band Camden Creative Arts John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Southern Regional West Orange Jazz 1 Section Awards Saxophone John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trumpet John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trombone Bridgewater-Raritan Monday Band Rhythm Camden Creative Arts Solo Awards Kelsey Bolden, Vibraphone, Camden Dave Mosko, Trombone, Cherokee Brian Jiang, Flugelhorn, JP Stevens Lab Jazz Charlie Barber, Trumpet, Cherokee Rick Kerber Scholarship Carlton Harris, Flute/Sax, Camden Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers 2nd Place Princeton Studio Band 3rd Place Princeton Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Cherry Hill West Morristown Mount Olive Nutley Roxbury Scotch Plains-Fanwood Jazz Section Awards Saxophone Roxbury Trumpet Princeton Studio Band Trombone SPF Moonglowers Rhythm Princeton Studio Band Solo Awards Tommy Rust, Vibraphone, Roxbury Liam Sutcliffe, Trumpet, Princeton Studio Michael Bereski, Bass, Nutley Ethan Cheung, Tenor Sax, SPF Moonglowers Rick Kerber Scholarship Joe Bell, Guitar, Princeton Studio Band Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Princeton Studio Band |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place West Milford 3rd Place Deptford Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Bergenfield Burlington City Highland Metuchen Newark Academy Big Band Overbrook Section Awards Saxophone Newark Academy Chameleon Trumpet West Milford Trombone Highland Rhythm Newark Academy Chameleon Solo Awards Luca Moretti, Piano/Accordian, NA Big Band Samantha Powell, Vocals, NA Chameleon Cosimo Fabrizio, Guitar, NA Chameleon Stephen Rampolla, Piano, West Milford Rick Kerber Scholarship Matt Voltaire, Trumpet, Overbrook Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award West Milford |
2015
Division I (Largest School Populations)
1st Place Camden Creative Arts 2nd Place John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble 3rd Place Cherokee Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Bridgewater-Raritan Monday Band Bridgewater-Raritan Tuesday Band East Brunswick Elizabeth Lower Academy Elizabeth Upper Academy John P. Stevens Lab Jazz Section Awards Saxophone Bridgewater-Raritan Monday Trumpet John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble Trombone Camden Creative Arts Rhythm Cherokee Solo Awards Michael Spearman, Trombone, Camden Stephen Pale, Bass, Cherokee Lea Chen, Trombone, JP Stevens Lab Jazz Pratik Pradhan, Alto Sax, JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble Rick Kerber Scholarship Richard Williams, Alto Sax, Camden Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award John P. Stevens Jazz Ensemble |
Division II (Moderate School Populations)
1st Place Scotch Plains-Fanwood Moonglowers 2nd Place Princeton Studio Band 3rd Place Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Cherry Hill West Jackson Liberty Princeton Jazz Ensemble Randolph Jazz I Scotch Plains-Fanwood Jazz Steinert Section Awards Saxophone SPF Moonglowers Trumpet Princeton Studio Trombone Shawnee Jazz Ensemble Rhythm Princeton Jazz Ensemble Solo Awards Ananth Balasubramanian, Princeton Studio Joe Bell, Princeton Studio Sam Wolsk, Princeton Studio Katherine Gerberich, Princeton Studio Rick Kerber Scholarship Alex Karakis, SPF Moonglowers Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award Princeton Studio |
Division III (Smallest School Populations)
1st Place Newark Academy Chameleon 2nd Place West Milford 3rd Place Deptford Remaining Finalists (in Alphabetical Order) Highland Holmdel Mahwah Newark Academy Big Band Nutley Overbrook Section Awards Saxophone Overbrook Trumpet West Milford Trombone Deptford Rhythm Newark Academy Chameleon Solo Awards Katie Jorgebsen, Flute/Vocal, Highland Patrick Peters, Trumpet, NA Chameleon Kevin Jaing, Trombone, NA Chameleon Shane Fanning, Drums, Deptford Rick Kerber Scholarship George Austin, Bass, NA Chameleon Richard A. Graham Sight Reading Award West Milford |