Young musicians shine at Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz

4 min read

15 Μαΐου, 2026

For nearly three decades, the Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz benefit concert has showcased talented young musicians in the Seattle area while raising more than $1.4 million for high school music programs.

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Chris Leslie remembers exactly where he was when he learned Decatur High School was chosen to perform in this year’s Hot Java Cool Jazz.“When I got the email, I was in the middle of a meeting,” said Leslie, Decatur’s band director, who is in his first year of teaching at the school. “I opened it up and just started freaking out. People were like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s going on?’ And it was all excitement, but also like, ‘Oh man, this is real now.’”That moment marked a milestone – not only for Leslie, but for Decatur High School. On March 27, five top Seattle-area high school jazz bands took the stage at the historic Paramount Theatre for the 29th Annual Starbucks Hot Java Cool Jazz. The lineup featured Mount Si High School, Decatur High School, Garfield High School, Edmonds-Woodway High School and Roosevelt High School.