Junior Esteban Ruiz will be a featured performer in the 33rd Annual Berks Jazz Fest, which begins tonight. Esteban, who plays the bass in a jazz trio called “So What?” with percussionist Dexter Sales from Wilson High School and keyboardist/vocalist Noah Gibney from Wyomissing High School, will be performing at the DoubleTree’s Cheers American Bistro tonight at 4:30PM; Saturday at 11:30AM; Friday, April 12th at 4:30PM; and Saturday, April 13th at 11:30AM. They also will be performing this Sunday at 3PM at the Legacy Cigar Lounge in West Reading. 

The trio jammed together initially at one of Noah’s well-known open mic nights. Their chemistry was undeniable, which led to the formation of “So What?” and a chance to win the Chuck Loeb Memorial Scholarship, a scholarship jointly established by the Jazz Fest and the Reading Musical Foundation to honor the memory of Grammy-nominated guitarist Chuck Loeb, who loved teaching as much as he enjoyed making music. The trio won the scholarship last year–and again this year in 2024. 

Esteban said that the audition for the scholarship judged musicality, improvisation, balance, creativity and other criteria. The judges, in particular, look for chemistry as an ensemble. “This is not a competition where one musician can be a showoff. Entrants are especially judged on their ability to perform as a group,” he said. The winner of the scholarship enjoys a performance slot alongside other world-renowned jazz musicians during the 10-day music festival, as well as a cash prize. “Winning the scholarship means a lot to me and the other boys in ‘So What?’ because it allows us to get more recognition by other people and musicians which can further our popularity as a band and as individuals,” he said. “Simply having the opportunity to compete is an incredible honor. Competition is keen and gets stiffer every year.”

According to Berks Arts, which presents the festival, the Jazz Fest is one of the most prolific festivals of its kind, drawing nearly 30,000 visitors from all over the world right here to Berks County. Musicians from all backgrounds, locales and genres convene annually, performing dozens of concerts at venues across the region. 

In addition to larger-scale concerts, dozens of smaller, live-music events featuring local musicians, such as “So What?,” perform free concerts in area clubs and restaurants. The festival combines touring artists with unique collaborative performances while providing performance opportunities for world-renowned musicians and emerging artists alike. Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of genres including jazz, blues, R&B, funk, soul, bluegrass and more.

If you miss one of the trio’s performances, be sure to check out their YouTube channel for videos of the high schoolers jamming together: YouTube