Calkins: Central High lights up the stage — and advances to finals in New York.
The Central High Jazz Band will perform Sunday, May 11 at The Metropolitan Opera. They are among three finalists selected from 30 bands that made it to the Essentially Ellington contest in New York. (Courtesy Ollie Liddell)
Geoff Calkins
Geoff Calkins has been chronicling Memphis and Memphis sports for more than two decades. He is host of "The Geoff Calkins Show" from 9-11 a.m. M-F on 92.9 FM. Calkins has been named the best sports columnist in the country five times by the Associated Press sports editors, but still figures his best columns are about the people who make Memphis what it is.
After all the jazz bands performed, they announced the three bands that had advanced to the finals of the Essentially Ellington contest.
One was a group from Barcelona, Spain. Another was from a dedicated arts school in Florida.
The final name to be announced?
Central High School, from Memphis.
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Calkins: Want to feel better about MSCS? I give you Ollie Liddell and his fabulous band.
Hundreds of high school jazz bands audition from all over the world to be invited to the Essentially Ellington contest in May. Only 30 bands make it — and guess where one of them is from.
Calkins: Central’s jazz band is playing Lincoln Center. And it’s thanks to y’all.
Ollie Liddell, the director of bands at Central High, wasn’t sure how his jazz band would get to the Essentially Ellington contest at Lincoln Center. Then Memphians came through for him.
Calkins: Incredibly, the Central High jazz band did it. They won the whole thing.
The Central High jazz band did it. They defeated bands from across the country — and around the world — to win the Essentially Ellington contest in New York. And, yes, there were many tears.
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