KPLU SCHOOL OF JAZZ IS BACK IN SESSION

(Seattle-Tacoma, WA) Several of Western Washington's finest high school bands and jazz professionals are showcased on KPLU School of Jazz-Volume 4, the result of this year's mentoring project.

In 2005, as part of its continuing support of music education in the schools, KPLU developed a mentoring program involving bands from 10 high schools and one middle school, and the participation of 11 local jazz professionals. The fruits of this partnership yielded KPLU School of Jazz. The CD project was made possible through a grant from The Boeing Company.

Following the initial release of the first KPLU School of Jazz CD (Volume 1), the project began focusing exclusively on high school jazz bands, with a number of bands in the inaugural group returning, coupled with the introduction of new schools participating, resulting in Volume 2 (2006) and Volume 3 (2007).

KPLU School of Jazz - Volume 4 features some of the same high school jazz bands as Volume 3 and includes one newcomer to the project. The complete list of 2008 participants: Stadium High School (Tacoma), North Thurston High School (Olympia), Kentridge High School (Kent), Roosevelt High School (Seattle), Squalicum High School (Bellingham), Mercer Island High School (Mercer Island), Newport High School (Bellevue), Shorewood High School (Shoreline), Mountlake Terrace High School (Mountlake Terrace), Edmonds Woodway High School (Edmonds), Garfield High School (Seattle), and South Whidbey High School. Inglemoor High School, which fulfilled the mentoring end of the project with musician Mark Taylor, does not appear on the CD.

Guests artists included on KPLU School of Jazz - Volume 4: Lance Buller, Thomas Marriott, Darren Motamedy, David Marriott, Steve Korn, Greg Williamson, Jovino Santos Neto, Tracy Knoop, Neil Welch, Scot Ranney, Stuart McDonald, and Andy Omdahl. All proceeds benefit Western Washington school music programs. KPLU thanks the following sponsors for their generous support of this year's project: BECU, The Boeing Company, Cornish College for the Arts, Fischer Plumbing, Livehistoric.com, the Red Kelly Jazz Foundation, and King County Library System. Volumes 2-4 of KPLU School of Jazz will be made available for check out through King County Library System's catalog available online at www.kcls.org, where songs from the new KPLU School of Jazz - Volume 4 can also be accessed for downloading.

KPLU School of Jazz - Volume 4 includes songs by Quincy Jones, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, and Lance Buller.

KPLU School of Jazz - Volume 4 is available at the following record stores: Easy Street Records, Silver Platters locations, and Sonic Boom Records.