Students Chosen from Across the U.S. by the GRAMMY Foundation to Participate in the Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles Program

Twenty-nine talented high school students have been selected for a position in the Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles(tm), it was announced today by the GRAMMY Foundation®. Their selection will launch them into the spotlight surrounding the 48th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, as well as provide the opportunity to rehearse and perform in front of some of music's biggest names. Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano have partnered with The GRAMMY Foundation to provide students an extraordinary musical experience.

"The Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles program continues to provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience to talented high school singers and instrumentalists," said GRAMMY Foundation and Recording Academy® President Neil Portnow. "This outstanding opportunity to meet and play with peer musicians from across the country brings together future music makers who also receive a chance to perform with GRAMMY-nominated artists and participate in many GRAMMY Week events. These extraordinary young musicians are able to experience the power and possibility of music first-hand."

This year, Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano again have teamed up with the GRAMMY Foundation to sponsor the 2006 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles. The International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) provides the outreach to the music education community.

"Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano are committed to music education and the rewards music can offer a student throughout his or her life," said Henry Juskiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar and Baldwin Piano. "The Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble program gives these talented young musicians a chance to perform with some of the world's greatest musicians and team up with remarkable people from the GRAMMY Foundation."

The students, who represent 27 cities, 17 states, will travel to Los Angeles for a weeklong musical adventure under the direction of Justin DiCioccio of the Manhattan School of Music and Dr. Ron McCurdy of the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music. The Ensembles will then perform at various GRAMMY Week Events including: Salute To Jazz (Feb. 3) and the GRAMMY Foundation's Preservation event (Feb. 4), as well as the WAVE Smooth Jazz Brunch at Spaghettini Italian Grill & Jazz Club (Feb. 5), the Vic (Feb. 6) and recording sessions at Capitol Recording Studios, courtesy of EMI Music. As a grand finale, they will perform at the GRAMMY Pre-Telecast and Post-Telecast Celebration ceremonies, as well as attend the 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 8 as guests of The Recording Academy.

The selectees to the Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles are eligible for more than $2 million in college scholarships. This is made possible thru the GRAMMY Foundation's college partners: Berklee College of Music, USC Thornton School of Music, New School University, and Manhattan School of Music. As a result of their participation in the Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles every program applicant and their high school will receive music product from MakeMusic!, including subscriptions to SmartMusicâ, the complete music practice system by MakeMusic!. Additionally, the school of each selectee will receive a professional cymbal courtesy of the Zildjian Company.

Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson's digital guitar represents the biggest advance in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.'s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Valley Arts, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Maestro, Baldwin and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson's Web site at www.gibson.com.

The mission of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) is to assure the continued worldwide growth and development of jazz and jazz education. As a part of that mission, the Association initiates programs which nurture and promote the understanding and appreciation of jazz and its heritage, provides leadership to educators regarding curricula and performance, assists teachers and practitioners with information and resources, and takes an active part in organizing clinics, festivals and symposia at local, regional, national and international levels. Presently, active memberships total upwards of 7,000 teachers, musicians, students, music industry representatives, and enthusiasts in 35 countries.

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music on American culture - from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with The Recording Academy to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit www.grammyintheschools.com.

Selectees to the 2006 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Ensembles, are listed by each student's name, hometown, school, and instrument or voice:

2006 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Choir

Julia Easterlin, Augusta, GA Davidson Fine Arts Academy Soprano
Morgan Mallory, Frankfurt, IL Lincoln-Way East HS Soprano
Nadia Washington, Dallas, TX Booker T. Washington HSPVA Alto
Katie Thiroux, Chatsworth, CA Hamilton HS Academy of Music Alto
Pratik Dash, Franklin, TN Franklin HS Tenor
Charles Turner, Carson, CA Hamilton HS Academy of Music Tenor
Quentin Bethea, Charlotte, NC Northwest School of the Arts Bass
Harry McNamara, Englewood, CO Cherry Creek HS Bass

2006 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Combo

Yuma Sung, Berkeley, CA Valley Christian HS Piano
Billy Norris, Seminole, FL Seminole HS Bass
Cory Cox, Houston, TX MacArthur HS Drums

2006 Gibson/Baldwin GRAMMY Jazz Band

Alex Han, Scottsdale, AZ Pinnacle HS Alto Sax
John Strasahl, Seattle, WA Roosevelt HS Alto Sax
Eli Bennett, Vancouver, B.C. Home Schooled Tenor Sax
Matt Chiasson, New York, NY Fiorello H. LaGuardia HS Tenor Sax
Michael Sherman, Miami Beach, FL New World School of the Arts Baritone Sax
Dylan Smith, Edmonds, WA Edmonds-Woodway HS Trumpet
Billy Buss, Berkeley, CA Berkeley HS Trumpet
Kyle Athayde, Orinda, CA Acalanes HS Trumpet
Aaron Kleinstub, Chagrin Falls, OH Kenston HS Trumpet
Greg Diaz, Whittier, CA L.A. Co. HS for the Arts Trumpet
Tim Craig, Rochester, NY Gates Chili HS Trombone
Rustom Jehangir, Downers Grove, IL Community HS Dist. 99 North Trombone
Stephanie Baird, Beaverton, OR Pacific Crest Community Sch. Trombone
Todd Eames, Seattle, WA Roosevelt HS Trombone
David Rosenthal, Longmeadow, MA Longmeadow HS Guitar
Sylvester Sands, Orange, CT Amity Senior HS Piano
Jeff Picker, Beaverton, OR Arts & Communications Academy Bass
Alexander Bailey, Kansas City, KS Sumner Academy of Arts & Sciences Drums