Mount Si Jazz I to play at Paramount

Performing in front of 3,000 people at Seattle’s Paramount Theater in March will be fun, say members of Mount Si High School’s Jazz Band I. Fun, and a tiny bit terrifying.

Performing in front of 3,000 people at Seattle’s Paramount Theater in March will be fun, say members of Mount Si High School’s Jazz Band I. Fun, and a tiny bit terrifying.

“The cool thing about being there is that everyone loves jazz,” said Diana Hruska, a senior playing baritone saxophone with the band as they ready for their second appearance at the Hot Java, Cool Jazz concert March 25.

Raine Myrvold, on bass trombone agreed that the event is “one of the better performances,” but admitted the audience size was a little daunting.

They’ve played for larger audiences, said Leslie Kolke, trumpet player. The band has played twice now at the Essentially Ellington festival at Lincoln Center, where their performances were streamed online to a worldwide audience.

“Hot Java has more people, but Ellington has a bigger audience,” Kolke said.

Hot Java is an auditioned event; bands must be invited to perform. Only five area high school bands are selected for the show and each of their invitations is also a fundraising opportunity.

“We have 290 tickets to sell, and we get all the money from tickets we sell” said band director Matt Wenman, adding that the show “will sell out, no matter what.” Tickets are $22; the band can earn up to $6,380 for school music programs from ticket sales.

Tickets have not gone on sale yet, but the band is taking pre-orders on its website, www.mountsibands.org.

Starbucks’ “Hot Java, Cool Jazz” concert is 7 p.m. at the Paramount Theater, 911 Pine Street, Seattle. Doors open at 6.