Each year, a dozen of North America’s most dedicated, gifted and promising young jazz musicians are chosen from a broad field of talented applicants, receiving scholarships to participate in the 10-day Vail Jazz Workshop. Organized in conjunction with the Vail Jazz Festival, this highly regarded curriculum enters its 23r year, mentoring 262 high school-aged musicians since its inception. The Vail Jazz Workshop, among the longest-running programs of its type, enables the student musicians to study and be coached in an environment that emphasizes intense interaction with instructors and fellow students, while providing them with the unique opportunity to perform alongside legendary professional musicians at the Vail Jazz Party over Labor Day Weekend.

By anecdote, reputation and word-of-mouth—from students and professionals alike—the 12 annual slots at the Vail Jazz Workshop are among the most coveted music scholarships among pre-college jazz musicians today. With an emphasis on playing by ear (no written music or fake books are permitted) the 10 days can prove intimidating at first; by the end of their time in Vail, however, the dozen jazz wunderkinds are in full bloom as they perform for appreciative Vail audiences throughout the weekend.

After 10 days of intensive study, the students are proudly referred to as the “Vail Jazz All-Stars,” performing on several occasions as part of the Vail Jazz Party. In addition to their main-stage performances, the Workshop students are given the opportunity to participate in classic late-night jazz jams, occurring each night at Wing’s Place Jazz Café—taking off the training wheels to play and jam with many of their jazz heroes. It’s one of the most exciting and memorable aspects of their stay in Vail, and audiences are always touched by the love, admiration and energy flowing in all directions, between and among the students and pros.

Many Workshop alumni have advanced to highly successful musical careers, garnering numerous awards, Grammy® nominations, albums, and tour dates with jazz notables, as well as fronting their own groups at notable jazz venues and festivals throughout the world. This, in turn, supports the stellar reputation of the Vail Jazz Workshop as one of the finest performing jazz study opportunities in the world. And, in a nod to the exceptional talent the Workshop has nourished over many years, the Vail Jazz Festival annually features returning alumni—now professionals—to perform as the Vail Jazz Alumni ensemble.

The Workshop is directed by John Clayton, bass, Jeff Clayton, sax/woodwinds, Bill Cunliffe, piano, Wycliffe Gordon, trombone, Lewis Nash, drums, and Terell Stafford, trumpet/flugelhorn. We are deeply indebted to this exceedingly talented and truly dedicated faculty for their extraordinary generosity in sharing their art, their knowledge and their time with the Workshop students. Each of these exceptional teachers is greatly in demand on the international jazz scene, often sacrificing far more remunerative opportunities to “pay it forward” by sharing their time and talents as teachers and mentors to aspiring jazz musicians.

Blame it on the Altitude (John Clayton) | performed by the 2017 Vail Jazz All-Stars

Evidence (Thelonious Monk) | performed by the Tenor Combo

Nica's Dream (Horace Silver)| performed by the Alto Combo

The 2018 Vail Jazz All-Stars performance of a John Clayton original during the Vail Jazz Party. Performers are:

Coby Petricone-Berg, alto sax
Willie Bays, alto sax
Nate Jones, trombone
Zach Niess, trombone
Joey Curreri, trumpet
Esteban Castro, piano
Eugene Kim, piano
Ian Banno, bass
Dario Bizio, bass
Michael Manasseh, drums
Varun Das, drums

H.C. Stone Cold Shuffle

The 2019 Vail Jazz All-Stars perform at the 25th annual Vail Jazz Party. After a 10-day workshop with faculty John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, Dick Oatts, Bill Cunliffe, and Lewis Nash, the young students opened the party to a sold-out crowd.

Trumpet- Ethan Avery, Max Nierlich
Trombone- Jett Lim, Benny Conn
Alto Saxophone- Natalie Barbieri
Tenor Saxophone- Nico Colucci
Piano- Seth Finch
Bass- Joey Ranieri
Drums- Anton Kot

Dig- 2019 Vail Jazz All-Stars (Miles Davis)

Vail Jazz is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Vail, Colorado. Through six unique performance series and three signature educational programs, Vail Jazz perpetuates jazz with a focus on young musicians and young audiences.