Barcelona's Sant Andreu Jazz Band finishes second at New York's Essentially Ellington festival

The Barcelona band, Sant Andreu Jazz Band, finished second at the New York Essentially Ellington festival, a contest promoted by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. 

The Catalan group took the name of the Barcelona Sant Andreu de Palomar neighborhood to the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, with Joan Chamorro leading the band of 24 youngsters.

The band competed in the final against two other US-based bands, the Memphis Central High School from Tennessee, and Florida's Osceola County School for the Arts.

Chamorro, when interviewed by the Catalan public broadcaster 3Cat, considered international recognition a "dream" as Barcelona's band was the only European group competing at the Lincoln Center venue.

Sant Andreu Jazz Band was founded in 2006 and is an orchestra with musical and educational aspects. During its history, it has had over 80 musicians aged between 6 and 21. Chamorro, who plays the saxophone and double bass and is also a teacher, leads the band.

The group's style blends traditional swing styles with more modern influences, and the band has played with Jesse Davis, Terell Stafford, Wycliffe Gordon, and Perico Sambeat, among others.

Among some of the former band members are Andrea Motis, Rita Payés, Èlia Bastida, and Joan Mar Sauqué.