Welcome to CCJF

The Central Coast Jazz Festival (CCJF) is a competitive jazz festival hosted by Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo for Middle School, High School and College/University Big Bands and Combos. The past two years have been crazy with quarantine limitations as well as the uncertainty that all of us band directors are so aware of. Last year we had an outdoor non-competitive festival/hang which was super fun, but we are very excited to offer a return to our traditional in-door festival (that can be competitive or just for the experience) along with clinics masterclasses and concerts.

We are having the amazing trombone player Andy Martin as our guest artist this year.  He will be performing a Friday night show with our big band and 'pro' big band and giving a noon clinic on Saturday. If you don't know Andy, you should definitely check them out because many of your students may already be excited about his music. We will be assembling a world class big band to accompany Andy that you will not want to miss.

At one point we thought that Wayne Bergeron would be able to join us, but that can't happen this year.

In the green box on the left you can check out the "Festival Info" to see how we'll do the festival this year, get an application and closer to the festival you can see a schedule of bands. After the festival it will be possible to check back and see each band's scores.

Jazz at Cuesta College

Cuesta College has a long history of excellence in jazz education. We have students transfer to some of the best jazz schools in the Western United States and many even with scholarships! Here are just a few of the reasons why a talented jazz student might consider starting at Cuesta College:

  • Award winning ensembles: two big bands and eight combos!
  • One of only two Jazz Studies AA programs in California!
  • Free-private lesson program (Applied Music) for all music majors with professional musicians on all major instruments
  • Amazing Recording Arts program and studio
  • Substantial scholarship program (Cuesta Conservatory honors cohort)
  • Modern beautiful sounding facilities
  • Located right on Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and beautiful Morro Bay


If you have any questions about Cuesta College or our festival, please don't hesitate to contact me or our Festival Coordinator,  (805-546-3195) and be sure to check out our "Cuesta Music Page" on the left to see what is happening here at Cuesta.

Thanks, and I look forward to seeing you here.

Ron McCarley
Director of Jazz Studies/Festival Director
(805) 592-9545