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The Santa Cruz Jazz Festival celebrates its 23rd year with more than 2,000 high school and college jazz musicians performing on six separate stages Friday and Saturday, May 8-9, 2009, at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz.

Headlining this year's festival is jazz guitarist Mundell Lowe, who plays the festival on Friday night at the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium. Joining Lowe in concert are the Sacramento State Vocal Jazz Ensemble and the Cabrillo College Jazz Ensemble.

Throughout the two-day event, instrumentalists and vocalists from middle school through community college from all around California are given the opportunity to perform with their fellow musicians, be critiqued by a panel of judges, attend a variety of clinics hosted by respected jazz educators and performers, and have a shot at qualifying for one of several scholarships.

Most of the competition between bands takes place during the two days of the festival, and on Saturday night there's a "command performance" at the Cabrillo College Theater for qualifying groups.

This year's festival is offering what they call a "jazz stimulus package," which means that two-day passes (which also include evening concerts) are only $10 each. That's a lot of jazz for 10 bucks...

Visit the Santa Cruz Jazz festival website for more information as it's released.