The home of Emergence Records is Seattle, Washington USA, a city with an amazingly diverse cultural background and history- everything from the origins of grunge rock and a vibrant hip hop scene, to a world renowned Wagner Ring cycle and the acclaimed Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Jimi Hendrix, Quincy Jones, Kurt Cobain and Sir Mix-a-Lot have all claimed Seattle as home.
Most importantly, Seattle is home to the two top-ranked high schools jazz bands in the United States, Garfield and Roosevelt; each has won 1st place three times in the preeminent high school competition, the Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, held annually at Lincoln Center in New York. Additionally, other Washington State high schools have placed in the finals as well, and dozens of individual jazz musicians from these high schools have won individual acheivement Outstanding Soloist awards. It is precisely this history of youthful achievement that we celebrate.
Emergence Records was formed to bring you the most promising of these young high school and college artists playing in small combo format, performing both originals and standards.
We celebrate the accomplishments of these young stars-to-be, and hope you share our excitement in their budding talent and energetic performances.