On Friday, April 24, the APHS Jazz Ensemble concluded their celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month with a performance and two clinics at the Shenedehowa Jazz Festival. This festival, in it’s 22nd year, brings international artists to the Capital Region to work with students at several local schools. Averill Park has been fortunate to attend for the last several years.
This year, in addition to tremendous regional artists Bob Halek (whom our students were able to have a clinic with and Mr. Blostein performs with regularly) and Tyler Giroux, the guest international artist was Jeff Coffin. Mr. Coffin, in additional to other impressive accolades, is an educator at Vanderbilt University, has a multitude of solo projects to his credit and is perhaps best known as a member of both Bela Fleck and the Flecktones and the Dave Matthews Band. He has won 3 Grammy awards and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of DMB.
