Fresno City College held the 33rd Annual City Jazz Festival from March 20 to March 21. Students were competing for music camp scholarships such as La Sierra Creative Arts Camp, and over $100,000 have been awarded.

The festival featured performances from five middle schools, 19 high schools, three colleges and one guest performance from Sasha Berliner.

The festival director, Paul Lucckesi, who is also the director of jazz studies at FCC, brought together 37 ensembles from the Central Valley and various guests.

Luckessi expressed his gratitude to all who supported him in making the jazz festival possible. The event lasted two days, starting at 8 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. on Thursday and continuing the next day from 9:25 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In the pamphlet handed out at the entrance of the event, Luckessi states the focus of the festival has always been jazz education.

Students participated in performances and feedback clinics presented by Barb Catlin, Mike Dana, Mike Galisatus, and Marco Lopez, and according to Luckessi, they are some of the country’s most outstanding jazz performers.

Finn Zublin, a first-year music student at FCC, was a saxophonist performing at the festival. He began playing in the festival when he was in seventh grade.

Zublin said the diverse aspects of performing for an audience include loving relationships, establishing a stronger connection with the music and belonging to a family.

“I love music. The community is great, and the people are great, and it’s just fun playing,” Zublin said.

Zublin also said there’s a special connection between the audience and the musicians; even if the musician feels they messed up, the audience will cheer them on.

“It’s like a dopamine rush. Even if you play badly, you know you’re soloing at the end, and everyone claps,” Zublin said. “It’s nice, having people hear what you’re doing and acknowledge that. You know you’re out there, you’re doing your thing.”

As part of the festival, the FCC jazz ensemble performed alongside guest Sasha Berliner, a musician, composer, producer, and bandleader from San Francisco. Berliner was seen playing the vibraphone, her passion instrument.

Zublin said he did a total of two hours of practice in class and four hours outside of class the week of the festival to be prepared.

Ruben Batrez, a chaperone parent, attended the event to watch his 12-year-old son perform.

Batrez offers services at Granite Ridge Intermediate, a middle school in north Clovis. He also said it was his first time attending the FCC festival but that he had attended other festivals before.

Batrez thinks highly of the festival.

“Oh God. I’m gonna say it’s 10 for me. Yeah, anytime there’s kids in music,” Batrez said.

Eduardo Angeles, a 15-year-old high school student from Golden Valley, Merced, was an audience member for several hours after performing with his band as a saxophonist.

As it was his first time attending the event, Angeles said he was interested in attending future festivals so he could gain experience and also compete.

“It was super fun performing. Honestly, I love the theater. It was very big,” Angeles said. “I would love to come back in this room again.”

Angeles, Zublin, and Batrez feel that there is a strong connection between the audience and the musicians. They feel the relationship is reciprocal and respectful, making the event more enjoyable.

“I really like this university. I like the place, I like the music, I like the majors,” Angeles said.
“It’s a really nice school to go to.”