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DC Jazz Festival Announces DCJazzPrix™ Finalists

DCJF’s incomparable annual band competition enters its ninth year of recognizing and supporting top jazz ensemble talent.


WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 30, 2024 — The DC Jazz Festival® (DCJF) today announced the four bands selected as the 2024 DCJazzPrix™ Finalists, all of whom will perform Saturday, August 31, 2024 during the 9th Annual DCJazzPrix Finals at Union Stage, part of the 2024 20th anniversary DC JazzFest. The 2024 DCJazzPrix finalists are: 


Alex Weitz Group: Led by tenor saxophonist Alex Weitz from Tucson, AZ, the band comprises pianist Tal Cohen from Perth, Australia; bassist Ben Tiberio from Rochester, NY; and drummer Michael Piolet from Chicago, IL.


Dabin Ryu Band: Pianist Dabin Ryu from Seoul, South Korea is joined by saxophonists Zoe Obadia from Glen Ridge, NJ and Nathan See from Pekin, Illinois; guitarist Kevin Scollins from Foxborough, MA; bassist Benjamin Young from Lakeville, MA; and drummer Willis Edmundson from Hingham, MA.


Hiruy Tirfe Quartet: Led by tenor saxophonist Hiruy Tirfe (pronounced Huh-Roy Turf), the band includes Sandy Eldred on bass, Micah Graves on piano and keys, and Lionel Forrester, Jr. on drums, all from Philadelphia, PA.


Micah Thomas Trio: Pianist Micah Thomas from Columbus, OH leads the group with drummer Kayvon Gordon from Detroit, MI, and bassist Dean Torrey from Fairfield, CT.


DCJazzPrix is an incomparable international competition created to recognize and support top emerging jazz band talent. Launched in 2016, DCJazzPrix has since received a rapidly growing and diverse applicant response from more than 20 countries. This year’s Jury considered a highly competitive pool of applicants, evaluating these gifted bands on their artistic quality and merit when selecting the finalists. 


Each band will receive benefits associated with a major jazz festival performance opportunity, and the finalists will compete live during the DCJazzPrix Finals at Union Stage as part of DC JazzFest at The Wharf on Saturday, August 31st. Along with gaining significant exposure, the winning band will begin a yearlong association with the DC Jazz Festival to include: a $15,000 grand prize, customized business development and career impact services, extensive publicity, and a highly visible 2025 DC JazzFest engagement with commensurate compensation.


“At DC Jazz Festival, we take pride in nurturing and elevating the next generation of jazz talent,” said CEO Sunny Sumter. “DCJazzPrix is distinctive because it honors bands rather than soloists. This focus enables jazz artists to develop their bands comprehensively, expand performance opportunities, and sustain their collective creativity.”


For press inquiries or requests for information, contact Lydia Liebman, DCJF publicist, at lydia@lydialiebmanpromotions.com. 


Learn more about the DC Jazz Festival and all of our programs by visiting dcjazzfest.org.


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DCJF Media Contact:

Lydia Liebman, Publicist


DCJF Contacts:

Sunny Sumter, President and CEO


Josh Brown, Marketing & Communications

josh@dcjazzfest.org, 312.813.5276


Keep up with DCJF:


The DCJazzPrix program is made possible by the generous support of The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation. The DCJazzPrix prize is made possible by the generous support of the Gillon Charitable Fund and the Galena-Yorktown Foundation.

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