1. Have you reached out to the state jazz coordinator? Brian Donnell is a great person and would be happy to sit down with you and talk. He's the reason we have a small school jazz band at state.
2. For any proposal that you might wish to make, the process is to send it to the SARC (State Audition Rules Committee). You can send a proposal via Ken Griffin or the SARC committee chair (President-Elect), Brian Sours.
You may not know that we're in the middle of revising etudes over the years and have been trying to update the existing ones through a state committee. That is part of how the previous improv piece was replaced with Bags Groove this year.
For a lot of what you are wanting, it mentions 'At Region.' Which, in that case, you should speak with your region coordinator. Your region can change the requirements at region to choose their area candidates or their region jazz band. We had a separate audition process for a number of years in Region 14 when we were trying to build up interest and audition numbers when I was first in the region.
As for training the judges, what suggestions do you have? Some regions have very strong directors familiar with jazz, but others do not. One change this year is that the Area round to state is being judged by all of the Areas, sending one judge on each instrument to bring in more even experience across the audition process.
More than anything, I love that you care enough to ask for changes. Please reach out to the pathways that I've listed, and I cannot recommend strongly enough that you speak to Brian Donnell about this. I know there were reasons for everything when the process started. It's not a perfect process, but having organized for a few years for the State Jazz Band, I have no doubt that it is selecting the right kids for the group! That's a fun band to help out and hang out with. (Another suggestion to you is volunteering to organize that group, potentially too!)
Best wishes,
Steven Rash
ATSSB Area South Coordinator
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