This honor recognizes individuals who have provided extraordinary support and contributions toward traditional jazz education in our community, and is awarded approximately every other year.
Past Award Winners
2023 – John Soulis
John Soulis is the leader/trombonist of the Mission Gold Jazz Band from the East Bay Area. His mission as the founder and president of the East Bay Traditional Jazz Society (EBTJS) since 2002, has been to provide student musicians an opportunity to learn and play Traditional Jazz, and introduce this jazz genre to his local community. John found success by hosting mentored jams and youth performances at community events sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and City of Fremont, and in such diverse locations as the Hub in Fremont, Newport Mall, Christmas Lane, and Bronco Billy’s. John has actively organized their Spring School Jazz Fest with local high schools (since 2001); in-school jazz presentations; and their annual winter Youth Traditional Jazz Festival (started 2007), which also included participation by Sacramento area youth bands. John also has been the band director of the EBTJS’ own community youth band, The Jazzinators, since 2004. Their multiple fundraisers throughout the year have funded scholarships to music camps including the Teagarden Jazz Camp. Although the pandemic placed a temporary hold on some of his youth education programs, at age 80, John Soulis is still going strong!
2017 – Craig Faniani
A popular and talented musician, Craig Faniani was an award-winning band director of the Rio Americano High School music program for 25 years. He went on to become the Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for the San Juan Unified School District, educating administrators, principals, and superintendents on the importance of Arts in our education and how vital it is to incorporate this into the lives of our students.
2014 – Felicia Weatherly
As a music teacher at River City High School in West Sacramento, CA, Felicia created a traditional jazz program and organized a student band called Syncopating Sea-Monkeys. She has participated in virtually every program that the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society has offered, including the annual Sacramento Music Festival and Teagarden Jazz Camp.
2012 – Celia Cottle
Celia, a music educator in Davis, CA, has been organizing and directing traditional jazz ensembles and combos for over 20 years. She works with the Davis High School jazz band’s saxophone section and her youth bands have entertained at the Sacramento Music Festival since 1998 and at the Traditional Jazz Youth Band Festival since its inception.