I wanted to share this video that is on Youtube of the 2013 Thelonious Monk Saxophone competition.\u00a0 I first heard of the Thelonious Monk competition in the early 90’s.\u00a0 I believe the competition started out in the late 80’s as a piano competition and then started including other instruments in the early 90’s.\u00a0\u00a0 1991 was the first saxophone competition.\u00a0 The winners were:<\/p>\n
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1991 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition<\/b>
\nSmithsonian Institution’s Baird Auditorium
\nWashington, DC<\/p>\n
First Place:\u00a0<\/b>Joshua Redman, California
\nSecond Place:\u00a0<\/b>Eric Alexander, New York
\nThird Place:\u00a0<\/b>Chris Potter, New York and Tim Warfield, Pennsylvania<\/p>\n
Needless to say,\u00a0 if you follow jazz saxophone you know who these three guys are. (I would love to see a video of this competition!)<\/p>\n
There have been 4 saxophone competitions since 1991 with first prize winners like Jon Gordon, Seamus Blake, Jon Irabagon, and last year Melissa Aldana.\u00a0 I’m personally not a big fan of judging 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in a competition of players at this level.\u00a0 At this stage of playing,\u00a0 each player has their own voice and concept.\u00a0 When it comes to judging who comes in which place it seems kind of silly to me.\u00a0 If you looks at the names from 1991 (Joshua Redman, Eric Alexander and Chris Potter) you can’t really say who is the best or who is first.\u00a0 (Although we all have a right to our personal opinions…….)<\/p>\n
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2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition<\/b>
\nKennedy Center’s Eisenhower Theater
\nWashington, D.C.<\/p>\n
First Place:<\/b>\u00a0Melissa Aldana, Chile
\nSecond Place:<\/b>\u00a0Tivon Pennicott, Georgia
\nThird Place:<\/b>\u00a0Godwin Louis, Connecticut<\/p>\n
That being said, I still think the Thelonious Monk competition is a great way to keep apprised of the current upcoming young players on the scene……….\u00a0\u00a0 The truth is, I will be buying new music as long as I am alive.\u00a0 The young and fresh players that pop up on the scene year after year are the ones who keep the music interesting and active.\u00a0\u00a0 Watch this 4 and a half hour video yourself and check out some of the new voices and passions on the scene today.\u00a0 As long as these young players keep playing jazz is alive!\u00a0 Support them by buying their music and going to their shows………….Great job to everyone who participated last year!!<\/p>\n