May 15, 2006 – Vail, CO – Four of last year’s Vail Jazz Foundation Workshop (VJW) students have been awarded the coveted “ DownBeat Student Music Award” by DownBeat Magazine, the most prominent jazz publication in the United States. Those musicians are Eddie Barbash – Alto Sax, Nikos Syropoulos - piano, Katie Thiroux- bass and Kyle Athayde - Trumpet. Two other former VJW students were recently highlighted in “Jazz Times” Magazine. Christian Scott, who studied in Vail in 2001 and just completed his first recording as a leader; and Sophie Faught, who attended the Workshop in 2004 and now attends Indiana University.

To date, 118 students have participated in the Workshop, many of whom are now performing jazz musicians. Two former Workshop students, Gerald Clayton (piano) and Josh Evans (trumpet), who are touring professionals, will be returning to Vail over Labor Day Weekend to perform at the 12 th Annual Vail Jazz Festival.

Each year in late August, 12 students from around the United States and Canada participated in the Vail Jazz Foundation’s Vail Jazz Workshop (VJW), a 10-day long intensive jazz musicians training program in conjunction with the annual Vail Jazz Festival, furthering the development of the next generation of jazz musicians. John Clayton, noted jazz educator, bass virtuoso and co-leader of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and the Clayton Brothers Quartet is the director of the Workshop. Joining him as instructors are Jeff Clayton, saxes and woodwinds; Terell Stafford, trumpet; Bill Cunliffe, piano; and Lewis Nash, drums. “We are so honored to work with this all-star faculty and thankful for its extraordinary generosity in helping continue a tradition that has established the VJF Workshop as one of our nation’s leading jazz education programs,” says Robin Litt, Executive Director of the Vail Jazz Foundation.

The Workshop is a highly structured program that requires dedication and commitment to hard work, includes jazz theory, group and private lessons and practice in jazz improvisation and ensemble playing. The teaching philosophy of the Workshop stresses learning by transcribing the performances of the masters in order to understand their techniques so that students can develop their own technique and voice. In addition to their musical instruction and performances, hiking, chair lift rides, picnics and other outdoor outings are organized so the students have an opportunity to take advantage of the unique activities that the Vail Valley has to offer. It is the VJF’s goal that the Workshop provides students with the highest level of

musical instruction in a unique and enjoyable environment that combines music with the beauty and grandeur of nature.

For more information, contact:

Robin Litt

The Vail Jazz Foundation

P.O. Box 3035 , Vail, CO 81658

1-888-VAILJAM (1-888-824-5526)

email: vjf@vailjazz.org website: www.vailjazz.org