Bothell High School’s Jazz One ensemble not only won first place in the AAAA division of the Jazz Northwest Jazz Band competition held March 23 in Spokane, Wash., but they were also chosen as the overall winner of the competition.

Competing against 26 schools from across the state, all bands were ranked in their respective divisions, A/AA, AAA and AAAA. The top three bands from each division played a “finals concert” to determine the overall winner.

Bothell’s Jazz One band performed five compositions. Their set included “The Legend,” “A Walkin Thing” and “Goin On,” all by Benny Carter; “Central Park West” by John Coltrane and “Miss Fine” by Oliver Nelson.

“Anyone can enter this competition and this year was a particularly difficult year to win,” said Bothell High School Band Director Phil Dean. “Finalist bands included Mount Si, Mercer Island, Chiawana, Hanford, Shorecrest, Cheney high schools, among others. But our Bothell Jazz One students really stepped it up when it counted. This has been an experience that they will not soon forget!”