Creative Arts Jazz Band Recognized for their Division 1 State Title Championship Win
(TRENTON) — Assemblymen Angel Fuentes and Gilbert “Whip” Wilson and Senator Donald Norcross (D-Camden/Gloucester) invited the Creative Arts Morgan Village Jazz Band of Camden to visit the State House and be honored in the Assembly chamber.
“I am so proud of the talented, driven young men and women who make up the Creative Arts Jazz Band,” said Assemblyman Wilson. “It has been a privilege getting to know them and watch them succeed over the years. This isn’t the last we’ve heard from the Jazz Band, and it’s certainly not the last we’ll hear about these individuals.”
The Creative Arts Jazz Band has traveled throughout the country winning titles and earning high marks at a variety of competitions. The band placed first in the Small Group competition at the Mid-Atlantic High School Jazz Festival in Maryland, first in the Ellington Division of the Cavalcade of Bands New Jersey State Competition, and second in the Ellington Division of the 21013 Cavalcade of Bands Championships for the Philadelphia Region.
“Congratulations to the young musicians who have worked so hard for this honor, and to the community that has supported them,” Assemblyman Fuentes added. “Not only has the band repeatedly distinguished themselves as top performers, but they’ve also shown their grace under pressure no matter the circumstances.”
Also this year year, the Creative Arts Jazz Band finished second in the Division 6 Small Group Competition and first in the Division 6 Large Ensemble Competition at the Berklee College Jazz Festival in Boston for the fifth consecutive year.
In 2012, the band was one of twelve bands chosen out of two hundred to travel to the Next Generation Jazz Festival in Monterrey, California. They have also traveled to New Orleans, where they won medals in almost every category of the Jazz and Heritage Festival Competition.
“These students have been ambassadors for our city and our state across the country, and we couldn’t have asked for better representatives,” Senator Norcross said. “Too often we talk about the negative things happening in Camden, this was an opportunity to show our colleagues throughout the state one of the city’s many positive attributes.”
The students and their instructor were presented with a resolution after a short performance. They also had the opportunity to tour the State House prior to their appearance.