Sparked by a desire to fill a void in the local arts scene, Bremerton was alive with the sound of jazz Feb. 7 as the historic Olympic College Jazz Festival marked its return after a 50-year hiatus.

The festival, revived through a partnership between the Music Discovery Center and Olympic College, drew theatergoers who filled every seat, ready to experience the competition that featured high school and middle school bands from across the region.

Redge Campbell, chair of the Fundraising and Finance Committee at the MDC, reflected on the festival’s revival.

“When Ralph Mutchler retired in 1974, it left a big gap in our community,” Campbell said. “The Olympic College Jazz Festival used to be the largest in the Northwest, and there was a real need for something like it. The Music Discovery Center was created to bring music and performance opportunities to kids, and we saw this as a chance to bring back an event that would honor the legacy of Mutchler and reignite our jazz tradition.”

Campbell, who participated in the festival in high school, said that when he joined the MDC board, he realized it was time to bring back the festival. “There’s been a real vacuum for events like this, and we knew it was an opportunity we couldn’t miss,” he said.

MDC partnered with OC president Marty Cavalluzzi, and music instructors Jonathan Campbell and Emerald Lessley.

Once the plan was in motion, the response was overwhelming. “We announced it, and immediately, every high school jazz band in Kitsap County, and as far west as Port Angeles and south to Gig Harbor, wanted to be part of this,” Campbell said. “The support from the local schools was incredible, and it really showed how much this event was needed in the community.”

The result was a sold-out performance at Bremerton’s Roxy Theater, with nearly 500 tickets sold, despite challenging weather. Campbell said. “It was such a powerful moment to see these kids competing and performing for such a large audience.”

Now called the Quincy Jones Jazz Festival, it honored Jones, who discovered his love of music in Bremerton as a child and went on to become a legend in the music industry.

The competition featured 12 high school and middle school jazz bands vying for the Ralph Mutchler Sweepstakes Award. Mutchler was director of the OC music programs for more than 20 years, and founder of the jazz festival for the 14 years it ran. Before his death in 1989, Mutchler played a pivotal role in fostering the local jazz scene, officials said.

Among those competing in the event were Bainbridge Island, South Kitsap, Central Kitsap, Bremerton and Kingston high schools. The event kicked off at OC, and the top two high school bands and the top middle school band performed at the Jazz Gala that evening at the Roxy.

After hours of performances, three finalists emerged as the judges’ favorites: Fairview Middle School in Central Kitsap, along with Gig Harbor and Ballard high schools.

When the final notes were played, Gig Harbor claimed first place. Its director, Eric Swanson, shared the band’s mindset going into the event: “We have been focusing on joy this week. Jazz is joy. These guys really love playing and playing in front of you guys,” he told the judges.

A guest performance by The Jazz Punishments also was part of the event.