The Rio Americano band program has had an incredible year of success. Jazz publication DownBeat Magazine named it “Best High School Jazz Band in the US” this year, and two other national awards.

The band also earned many other high honors this year.

The AM Jazz Ensemble won the national “Performing with Mintzer” competition, and took 2nd place overall at the Monterey Next Generation Festival. It was also selected for the Essentially Ellington Festival in New York City for the ninth time. They will also perform at the Monterey Jazz Festival for the 17th time since Josh Murray took over the program in 1998. The PM Jazz Ensemble was selected for the Swing Central Jazz Festival in Savannah, Georgia. The AM Jazz Combo also took 2nd place overall at the Monterey Next Generation Festival.

Several of this year’s Rio Americano graduates will continue their music studies at UCLA, University of the Pacific, Berklee School of Music and University of North Texas, with partial or full ride scholarships too.

You can see the award-studded jazz groups perform a free concert at Rio Americano High School on May 29 starting at 7:00 p.m., and admission is free.