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Ventura Music Festival Student Competition Opens!

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Contributed by: Ventura Music Festival on 12/17/2007

VENTURA MUSIC FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES STUDENT JAZZ COMPETITION

Organizers at the Ventura Music Festival will select one high school student to play on stage with Latin-Jazz legend Poncho Sanchez February 16, 2008.

"One talented student in Ventura County will have the opportunity to perform live on stage with Latin Jazz master Poncho Sanchez on Feb. 16, 2008 by competing in the Ventura Music Festival Student Jazz Competition," says Cheryl Heitmann, executive director of the Ventura Music Festival. "High school students are encouraged to submit one song recorded on CD for review by an esteemed panel of judges, who will select a winner to play one number alongside the legendary master."

All students proficient in instruments appropriate for a Latin jazz band are eligible (horn, percussion, wind). There is no cost to enter the contest, which is open to all Ventura County high school students.

Entries must be received no later than January 15, 2008 and must include a label with the following information:
• Name, age, address, telephone number and e-mail of student
• School name and music teacher name and contact information
• Name of song and composer as recorded by student

Mail CD entries to the Ventura Music Festival at 89 S. California Street, Ventura CA 93001

All entries to the contest will receive discount tickets to see Poncho Sanchez at the Festival concert on February 16. The winning student will receive complimentary tickets for each member of his/her school band.

About Poncho Sanchez
As leader of the most popular Latin jazz group in the world today, it is the congas and seasoned ensemble of Poncho Sanchez that does the talking. Live in concert or on recordings, they spin vivacious tales that pay homage to the glories of a half-century tradition that was born when Afro-Cuban rhythms merged with bebop.

Over the years, Sanchez has hand-picked guest artists who have had a special role in shaping his growth as a musician, from trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and saxophonist Eddie Harris, to Latin jazz patriarch Tito Puente, conga titan Mongo Santamaria and the late Ray Charles.

Today, Sanchez's life's story has become a well-known part of Latin jazz lore. He was born in Texas in 1951 into a large Mexican-American family, but grew up in the Los Angeles area where he was weaned on a broad range of Latin and non-Latin popular music. Inspired by the conga playing of Cuban great Mongo Santamaria, he honed his skills as a percussionist and broke into the limelight at the age of 23 when he joined vibraphonist Cal Tjader's famed Latin jazz ensemble in 1975. Poncho performed with him until Tjader's untimely death in 1982. A year later, he began his unprecedented 23-year relationship with Concord Records, which has produced two dozen recordings, a GRAMMY® Award and several GRAMMY nominations.

For more information on the contest, call the Ventura Music Festival offices at: 805-648-3146.

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Ventura Music Festival

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