On February 3, 2024, the 22-member Forest Hills Northern jazz ensemble embarked on a journey to the Frank Mantooth Jazz Festival at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. This is a trip that they have taken for many years and is a highlight for the band. At the festival, the jazz ensemble performed big band music and received insightful feedback directly from Grammy-award-winning musicians Steve Feifke and Bijon Watson. The festival is designed to be an educationally rewarding experience. Students attended clinics with the different sections of the award-winning Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra (GGJO), including other jazz icons such as John Fedchock, Jeff Hamilton, and Alexa Tarantino. That evening, the GGJO presented an amazing concert to a packed audience of students and jazz lovers. The entire experience was inspiring and educational for the FHN students.
