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Montana music students get a taste of mambo at MSU Billings Jazz Festival

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Montana music students get a taste of mambo at MSU Billings Jazz Festival


BILLINGS — The 11th annual MSU Billings Jazz Festival brought together music students from across the state to showcase their talent and learn from professional musicians.

Isabel Spartz/MTN News

Middle school, high school, and college students were adjudicated by guest musicians and MSU Billings professors.

Held all day Friday, the festival provided a unique opportunity for young musicians in junior high, high school, and college to perform, be judged, and receive valuable feedback from industry professionals. Ensemble entry is free for schools and non-competitive.

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Montana music students get a taste of mambo at MSU Billings Jazz Festival

MSU Billings music professor and department chair John Roberts founded the festival in 2014. Since then, it has only grown to include over 25 schools and expanded beyond jazz music.

“We expect to get about 800 people through our doors and we sold this 500-seat room out in about four hours as soon as the tickets opened, so it’s really nice,” said Roberts. “Part of that is because of the people I’m bringing in and the level of students I have playing in my ensemble, so people want to see that.”

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

The Ben Steele Middle School ensemble played in Cisel Hall Friday morning.

Each year, Roberts invites guest artists to attend and adjudicate the ensemble performances, as well as host musical clinics. This year, six guest artists were in attendance, including Ron Blake, Joey De Leon, Otto Granillo, James King, Junko Seki, and Eric Richards. While the events throughout the day were free, the night ended with a sold-out gala concert featuring the MSU Billings Jazz Ensemble and, for the first time in the event’s history, a 20-piece full mambo-style orchestra.

“It’s just something I always wanted to do and it’s something that never happens anymore, so it’s kind of special. This was standard in the ’70s, but nobody does this music,” said Roberts.

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

The mambo orchestra practiced together for the first time Thursday night in Petro Theatre.

The band performed traditional mambo music, a Latin dance style that originated in Cuba. Made up of Grammy winners, nominees, composers, and various local artists and music professors, the performance blended the talents of Montana musicians with those from Los Angeles.

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“These guys, I mean they play with Fitz and the Tantrums, they played with Christina Aguilera, they played with Mark Anthony,” said Roberts. “People want to see them and they’re just all really great people who have a great spirit, and they’re here for the right reason.” 

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

Multi-instrumentalist James King was one of the several guest artists in attendance. He is a co-founding member of popular music group Fitz and the Tantrums.

Guest multilingual singer Junko Seki, who flew in from California to teach a clinic, was thrilled for the opportunity to play in the band and to share her experiences with the students.

“We’re all excited. This is the first for all of us,” said Seki. “It’s really fortunate for us to be able to share our stories with all of (the students), and then some of (them) may get inspired.”

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

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Guest artist Junko Seki is a multilingual singer. She is most known for her work in salsa and mariachi-style music.

That opportunity to listen to and learn from professional musicians is rare but valuable for the students themselves.

“It’s a little nerve-wracking. It’s super cool, like it’s a super great experience” said Alexa Caswell, an MSU Billings sophomore alto sax player. “That’s where you want to be someday so just seeing them is awesome.”

For former Sidney High School students Ben Stevens and Sheali Seitz, the festival played a pivotal role in igniting their passion for music, ultimately guiding them to pursue their studies at MSU Billings.

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

Robert’s biggest inspiration for the mambo band came from Puerto Rican artist Tito Puente.

“High school for me was a great opportunity for me to explore the genre of music that I had a particular interest in at the time,” said Stevens, a senior trombone player. “(Roberts) kind of demonstrated with this festival that the state of Montana really has a large scene to accommodate for jazz and Latin-style music.”

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As high schoolers, Stevens and Seitz attended the festival, taking part in the event’s performances, but now as college students, they help out behind the scenes. Their involvement with the festival has come full circle, allowing them to assist with event operations while also performing in the final concert alongside their school’s jazz ensemble.

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

John Roberts created the festival 11 years ago, and with the help of the school, he was able to secure enough funding to bring more guest artists to the festival this year.

“Every year, I always dreamed about being in this band and being a part of the MSUB jazz orchestra,” said Seitz, a sophomore tenor sax player. “(Now) to be on this stage in front of the sold-out house was an insane experience and be able to sit with all these musicians who I’ve watched for years and years growing up.”

Instead of attending the festival as spectators, Robert’s jazz students actively help make it happen, passing along the inspiration they once received to the next generation of students while still developing as musicians themselves.

“We have someone to look up to, and I feel like just being around those types of people and that level of musicianship helps you improve in a way too, even just for a couple days,” said Sam Laytom, MSU Billings junior and percussion player. “I feel like that’s what they’re going to remember in high school like just getting that positive feedback as well and that encouragement to keep playing their instrument.”

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Isabel Spartz/MTN News

Hundreds of students participated in the MSU Billings Jazz Festival.

For many young musicians, the MSU Billings Jazz Festival is not just a high-stress performance, but a chance to grow, connect with others, and be inspired by some of the best musicians in the world, no matter their skill level, all united by their shared love for music.

“Music is universal,” said Seki. “You speak the same language, so it really doesn’t matter who you are. We all play music, so that’s just love, I think.”





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Montana

Joe Montana Weighs in on 49ers Paying Brock Purdy After Down Season

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Joe Montana Weighs in on 49ers Paying Brock Purdy After Down Season


San Francisco 49ers all-time great Joe Montana became the latest former 49ers player to share his thoughts on the upcoming Brock Purdy contract. Montana, revered as the team’s four-time Super Bowl champion and the leader of their dynasty in the 1980s, believes the 49ers should extend Purdy.

“You gotta pay him,” Montana said on the Rich Eisen Show. “I can show you four or five guys in the league making tons of money that haven’t produced anywhere near what he’s been able to do.”

Though Purdy and the 49ers are coming off a down year after two outstanding seasons to begin his career, Montana attributed this to a variety of factors that caused the team as a whole to struggle in 2024.

“They just had one of those years where guys get hurt offensively, defensively,” Montana said. “Craziness in the beginning of the year with the trade talks with [Brandon Aiyuk], and then he gets hurt. They just had one of those years you can’t wait to get behind you.”

The 49ers certainly dealt with a lot of adversity throughout the season with multiple All-Pros either missing games or playing through injuries. They could not consistently hold onto leads, the defense did not play as stoutly as in previous years, and the Kyle Shanahan offense did not withstand injuries and subpar offensive line play well enough.

Nearly every current or former 49ers player that has spoken publicly does not fault Purdy for the 49ers’ down year, and believes he should get re-signed this offseason.

Montana’s former top receiver, Jerry Rice, is among those that believes the 49ers need to re-sign Purdy. Like Montana, Rice noted the distraction that the ongoing contract negotiations with Brandon Aiyuk caused last offseason. Rice called for the 49ers to extend Purdy as soon as they can.





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Montana musher wins Idaho Sled Dog Challenge 100-mile race

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Montana musher wins Idaho Sled Dog Challenge 100-mile race


A Montana musher won the 100-mile race of the Idaho Sled Dog Challenge for a third time on Wednesday.

Nicole Lombardi from Lincoln took first place again, after previously winning in 2023 and 2022.

According to a press release, this year Lombardi ran two teams, with her second team mushed by Madeline Rubida and earning third place. Dallin Donaldson from Coalville, Utah, captured second.

Alexandra Ness of Trego took sixth place. Redman Glisson of Power took eighth place.

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Fans are calling out ‘weird’ Hannah Montana detail 14 years after Miley Cyrus appeared on the show

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Fans are calling out ‘weird’ Hannah Montana detail 14 years after Miley Cyrus appeared on the show


Hannah Montana fans are sharing their shock over actor Jason Earles’ real age when he starred on the hit series alongside teen Miley Cyrus.

The popular Disney Channel show saw the duo playing teenage siblings, while Miley’s actual father Billy Ray Cyrus starred as their dad.

However, while Jason’s character Jackson Stewart was meant to be sixteen years of age, the actor was actually 30 years old at the time.

After one fan pointed out the often-forgotten detail in a video on Instagram, fans soon began to share their shock at the fact Jason was closer in age to Billy Ray than Miley.

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Instagram user Josh Denney posted a video which read: ‘Jason Earles playing a 16-year-old at age 30 was a lot weirder than we think.’

He noted that Jason’s character was only meant to be ‘a few years older’ than Miley but in real life he was 15 years her senior.

Fans then shared their reactions in the comment section as one wrote: ‘I’m sorry. He was 30????’

Another replied: ‘That’s weird as hell.’

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Hannah Montana fans are sharing their shock over actor Jason Earles’ real age when he starred on the hit series alongside teen Miley Cyrus 

Instagram user Josh Denney posted a video in December which read: 'Jason Earles playing a 16 year old at age 30 was a lot weirder than we think'

Instagram user Josh Denney posted a video in December which read: ‘Jason Earles playing a 16 year old at age 30 was a lot weirder than we think’

‘He was 30!?!?’ a third stated, while a fourth added: ‘I NEVER thought he looked 16. He always looked like a grown up.’

One person commented: ‘Zero self awareness. Dude went into an audition for a 16-year-old knowing he’s 32.’

Another wrote: ‘It was pretty funny seeing what is clearly a fully grown man running up to Billy Ray Cyrus and jumping into his lap.’

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However most people in the comments found no issue with the age difference due to the fact the pair starred as siblings.

‘I have no problem with the age difference because they were playing siblings not lovers,’ one person wrote.

Another commented: ‘Nobody talks about it because he looked the age he was playing so it doesn’t matter. They were siblings on the show. It’s not weird at all.’

One Instagram user stated: ‘You should check out this profession called “acting.” It’s like a whole group of people who pretend to be something they’re not. It’s pretty neat.’

Hannah Montana on The Disney Channel in 2006, following Miley Stewart, a young girl who moved from Tennessee to Malibu, California, as she adapts to a whole new lifestyle. 

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The popular Disney Channel show saw the Jason and Miley playing teenage siblings, while Miley's actual father Billy Ray Cyrus starred as their dad

The popular Disney Channel show saw the Jason and Miley playing teenage siblings, while Miley’s actual father Billy Ray Cyrus starred as their dad 

But Miley hides a secret that only a few know: that she leads a double life as pop star Hannah Montana.

Those that know her secret included her father/manager Robbie Ray (Billy Ray Cyrus), brother Jackson (Jason Earles) and friends Lilly Truscott (Emily Osment) and Oliver Oken (Mitchell Musso), with Lilly leading a double life herself as Hannah’s friend Lola.

The show ran from 2006 to 2011, with Hannah Montana: The Movie debuting in the midst of the run in 2009. 

Jason, a California native, said his age allowed him to obtain an education prior to starting on the show.

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He got a degree in theatre arts from Rocky Mountain College in Montana.

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After being reminded of the often-forgotten detail in a video on Instagram, fans shared their shock in the comments

After being reminded of the often-forgotten detail in a video on Instagram, fans shared their shock in the comments

Hannah Montana on The Disney Channel in 2006, following Miley Stewart, a young girl who moved from Tennessee to Malibu, California, as she adapts to a whole new lifestyle

Hannah Montana on The Disney Channel in 2006, following Miley Stewart, a young girl who moved from Tennessee to Malibu, California, as she adapts to a whole new lifestyle

By the season premiere of Hannah Montana, Jason had a number of big names on his portfolio with minor roles in Malcolm in the Middle, MADtv and American Pie – but his career really took off as the annoying older brother of protagonist Miley.

His Hannah Montana fame helped him appear in other Disney productions – namely Kickin’ It, Dadnapped alongside his co-star Osment, and most recently High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

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He has been twice-married, first wedding Jennifer Earles, a partnership which lasted from 2002 to 2013, coinciding with the filming of Hannah Montana.

The actor celebrated his nuptials once again in August 2017 after tying the knot with social media personality Katie Drysen.



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