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The fifth-annual festival will run from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 at the high school, with an abundance of musical talent on display, including special performances by the three Harlan Community jazz bands -- two high school bands and one middle school band. The HCS bands will play exhibition only, not in competition, as they ready for their own contest season that began earlier this month and ends in April.
The HCHS Jazz Experience and Jazz Ensemble actually got their seasons under way a week ago, at the Iowa Lakes Jazz Contest in Estherville. Both performed well with the HCHS Jazz Experience earning top honors in Class 3A at the contest.
"We had a great beginning to our competition season," said director Steve Britt. "As far as first jazz contests go, this was our best beginning since 2003. Solos were great, yet there is always room for improvement. The rhythm sections did a nice job, as did the ensembles."
The Lawson Festival is still in its infancy with hopes for continued growth. What makes the festival so special is the teaching that goes on during the clinics, said Britt. "Steve Lawson is a great teacher who has done so much for jazz education, and this festival is just one more piece of his legacy in furthering jazz in our state."
Following the Lawson Festival, the jazz ensemble and middle school band will head to the Jack Oatts Jazz Festival at Earlham High School to begin what will be a string of weekend jazz contests for the musicians. The next contest for the HCHS Jazz Experience will be at the Bluffs Jazz Festival in Council Bluffs on Feb. 14.
For the middle schoolers, they'll compete in six contests through February and March while the high school bands will compete in six or seven, hopefully culminating with a trip to the Iowa Jazz Championships.
Britt says he expects a lot from the groups this year.
"My expectations are always for our students to achieve their personal best, bring the best out of others in their band, and honor our community," said Britt.
Specifically, he hopes the Jazz Experience can follow up last year's state title with another one this year, and he'd like the Jazz Ensemble to qualify for the Iowa Jazz Championships. He'd like the middle school band to have an undefeated season.
"These are all very reasonable goals for our groups; however, we constantly remind each other to value people over prizes," said Britt. "Our experience is always more about the relationships in the group than how we place at a competition."
Going into the contest season, Britt says he sees tough competition from many bands, including Independence and Pella, who year in and out have outstanding programs. "I also expect to see more bands aiming for the top," said Britt. "It is never a given and our students have a unique goal this year to interchange several songs throughout the competition season.
"We will then decide what our most competitive program is, and we will bring it to the Iowa Jazz Championships with everything we've got."
As for the Jazz Ensemble, qualifying for the Iowa Jazz Championships is a realistic goal. The band would have to place as high as third at the district jazz festival, beat an automatic qualifier (a band that placed first or second at their district competition) or place first in a competition to qualify.
"All of this considered, I am optimistic about our chances to qualify two bands this year," Britt said.
This weekend's Lawson festival is open to the public.
Following is the jazz schedule for the HCHS and HCMS bands:
n Saturday, Jan. 31: Steve Lawson Festival, all bands, Harlan
n Saturday, Feb. 7: Jack Oatts Festival, Jazz Ensemble and middle school, Earlham
n Saturday, Feb. 14: Bluffs Jazz Festival, all bands, Abraham Lincoln High School, Council Bluffs
n Saturday, Feb. 21: SWIBA District Jazz Festival, all bands, Denison High School
n Friday, Feb. 27: Coe College Jazz Festival, Jazz Experience and Jazz Ensemble, Cedar Rapids
n Saturday, March 7: Hoover Jazz Festival, all bands, Des Moines
n Friday, March 13: Bellevue Jazz Festival, middle school, Bellevue West High School, Omaha
n Saturday, March 14: Bellevue Jazz Festival, Jazz Experience, Bellevue West High School, Omaha
n Saturday, April 4: USD Coyote Jazz Fest, middle school, Vermillion, SD
n Tuesday, April 14: Iowa Jazz Championships, Des Moines
