ALPHA Institute won the 2016 Jamaica Best School Band (JBSB) competition last Sunday at the Edna Manley College of The Visual And Performing Arts in St Andrew.

The Andres Lopez-coached band out-performed three rivals to take the third staging of the competition in their first appearance.

The top four bands in the CHASE FUND-sponsored final were Alpha Institute (47 points), St Andrew Technical High School and Herbert Morrison Technical High School ended on 45 points, Cross Keys High (33 points) and Belair High School (31 points).

Alpha has an outstanding musical heritage. Its boys school has produced a number of Jamaica’s top musicians including trombonist Don Drummond, saxophonist Tommy McCook and drummer Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace.

The Alpha Institute won a trophy as well as a recording session with Frankie Campbell of the Fab Five Band and a day at Green Grotto Cave.

Alpha also bagged sectional prizes for Best Bandleader and Most Disciplined Band. Other sectional prizes went to Cross Keys High School for Most Improved Band and Best Image; St Andrew Technical High School won Most Dedicated Band.

St Richards Primary School won the inaugural primary school contest. They were awarded a guitar courtesy of Music Mart. Runners-up were Calabar Infant Primary and Junior High and St Patrick’s Primary.

Guest bands Alpha Primary, Abatau and Tribe Azizi went over well with the audience.

— Basil Walters