Meet the Director,  Mr. Paul Lucckesi (LOU-K-Z)
Mr. Lucckesi is the Director of Jazz Studies at the Buchanan Educational Center in Clovis, California. At the center he directs the Buchanan High School Jazz Bands and combos, as well as the Alta Sierra Intermediate Jazz Ensembles.

He has a degree in music education from CSU, Fresno and played lead alto with the the CSU, Fresno Jazz Band ‘A’. As a professional Paul has performed with Michelle Rosewoman, Craig Handy, Peter Erskine, Jon Faddis, Michael Spiro, David Garibaldi, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and acclaimed poet Quincy Troupe as well as in numerous radio and television commercials. He is currently a member of the Jazz Composers Orchestra and a board member of the California Band Director’s Association. Paul is on the board of Directors as well as a staff member of the La Sierra Creative Arts Camp where he teaches private saxophone lessons and directs the top jazz ensemble. He and his lovely wife Sarah, and beautiful daughter Sofia reside in Fresno, California.

San Joaquin Valley Jazz Festival

•  Mr. Lucckesi is the director of this festival held the first weekend of Feburary. It is one of California's largest middle & high school jazz festivals. Hosted by Buchanan High School

Delta Jazz Festival, Dec. 1, 2007

• BHS "A" came in 1st Place in the "Heavy High School Division"
• BHS "B" came in 2nd Place in the "Heavy High School Division"
• BHS Combo came in 1st Place in the "Combo Division"

Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, April 3rd - 6th, 2008

• BHS "A" came in 1st Place in the High School Big Band Division which earned them the honor and priviledge of performing on CENTER stage at the 51st annual  Monterey Jazz Festival in September.
• BHS Combo "A" came in 3rd place in their division (which is even more amazing considering they weren't expecting to go, but were listed as an alternate and were called approx. 2 weeks prior to the event to fill in for another band!)

Reno Jazz Festival, April 25th & 26th, 2008

• Buchanan "A" Band came in 1st Place in the High School Big Band Division
• Buchanan Combo "A" came in 1st Place in the High School Combo Division
• Sean Shackelford, a senior at Buchanan High School won the festival's  "Outstanding Trombonist" award
• Sean Richey walked away with the Best Original Composition for a Small Ensemble and the Best Original Composition for a Large Ensemble
• Sean Richey and Tyler Cravines were selected to play in the "All-Star Combo Band"

DOWNBEAT Magazine's 31st Annual Student Music Awards (June 2008 issue)

• Buchanan High Big Band  (Jazz Band "A") received High School Outstanding Performance Award in the Big Band Category
• Sean Richey received High School Outstanding Performance Award in the Original Song category for his 2 compositions, "40 Days & 40 Nights", and "Peter's Crow"

51st Annual Monterey Jazz Festival, September 21, 2008

• Most of the current Buchanan High School Jazz Band "A" members and returning alumni Tyler Cravines, Sorin Kim, Justin Richey, Sean Richey, Paula Sato and Sean Shackelford performed on the Jimmy Lyons Stage in the Arena at 12:30 p.m. to a crowd of about 250. They warmed up the stage for the following jazz artists: Christian McBride, Jamie Cullum, Kurt Elling, the Wayne Shorter Quartet and Herbie Hancock!
• Also, the World Premiere of "40 Days & 40 Nights" written by Sean Richey. Sean was handed the inaugural Gerald Wilson Award by Gerald Wilson himself! If that wasn't enough, all this happened on the same stage that the band played, and  his composition debuted!  Along with the award, he received a check for $1000.00 and Sibelius music writing software. WOW, what an experience for Sean and the rest of the BHS band, alumni, and families that came to experience this once in a lifetime event.  Go to Tomas Ovalle's website to see pics of this record breaking & history making event.

It really was a GREAT DAY in the Fresno - Clovis area on Friday May 16, 2007 - Go HERE!

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