“Nice jacket,” says one of the stewards as the crowd enters The Met. “I hope we win tomorrow”. The NBA has reached the playoffs phase and the Knicks are locked in a tight battle with the Celtics in the conference semi-finals. That said this crowd has been occupied by an entirely different and no less intense set of knock-out rounds this week. Everyone entering the Metropolitan Opera House this afternoon is here for the final of the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival and the atmosphere is fizzing.

Established by Jazz at Lincoln Center back in 1995, while very much a competition, at its heart Essentially Ellington is one of the most effective vehicles for nurturing jazz in the next generation. Celebrating its 30th year, the program initially served the New York area, expanding first to serve the 26 states east of the Mississippi and by 1999 was open to all 50 states and territories. This week’s competition rounds are testament to the impact and reach of the work, featuring bands from across the States as well as Japan, Australia and Spain. It’s a truly global gathering of prodigious, youthful talent and any thoughts of kid-like performance is instantly dispelled by opening band Osceola County School for the Arts who come tearing out of the gates. They have speed, dexterity and flare in their delivery while Jason Anderson’s direction allows a dynamic interplay between soloists and band. As for the solos, Xavier Anderson takes the first on his trumpet and indicates the standard for interpretation is sky high.

Moreover, everyone seems to be having so much fun. Whether it’s the absence of music stands unblocking everyone’s sight lines, the support in the hall or the chance each bands gets to play with a Jazz at Lincoln Center all-star (Walter Blanding, Paul Nedzela then Marcus Printup) there is riotous energy present throughout the hall. Sant Andreu Jazz Band from Spain do a great job of changing the pace of the afternoon, opening with a more smooth approach and with Pau Garcia demonstrating a delightful touch on the piano. When they conclude their set, the hall rises to salute them—as they did for Osceola—demonstrating the warmth between competitors and fans alike. The trio of bands is rounded off Memphis Central High School which is exploding with both character and characters, not least Jackson Hankins who takes a solo in the first chart and injects proceedings with full-bodied investment in the enterprise. Teeing up Duke Ellington’s “Feet Bone”, band director Dr. Ollie Liddell notes (tongue in cheek) that “they made a mistake” and that Marcus Printup will be joining them on stage so consequently “this better be real nasty”. And it is, in the most satisfying way. Responding to Dr. Liddell’s instruction that “it’s a blues so if you feel something, say something” the bass soloist is egged on by his bandmates, with Hankins once again at the heart of things, switching to clarinet and gesturing as if pulling a train whistle to bring in the sax section.

Sometimes you need to know the winner in order to make sense of a tournament. That might be true of the NBA. However, Essentially Ellington is a different beast. If we need to talk about winners, it’s about far more than the final concert. It’s about the 7,100 schools who have participated over the last 30 years. The more than 710,000 students who have been reached. The 280,000 charts which have been distributed. It’s the families and staff who travel to support their kids. The Jazz at Lincoln Center orchestra members who get something new and inspiring from playing with kids at the start of their musical lives. While this afternoon’s competition winner may have been one school (the very brilliant Memphis Central High School), the winner over the past 30 years has been and continues to be jazz. Go jazz.

Find out more about the Essentially Ellington program here.