SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Have you ever wanted to kick yourself for missing an opportunity: one you now wish you could have, should have, would have taken? Well, that’s the situation right now! The GreenHaven Pocket Farmers Market (GHP) welcomed The New Traditionalists (TNT) to the Aug. 3 market for the first of two performances this month.

The New Traditionalists, established in 1989, is a youth honor band sponsored by the Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation.

If you missed them the first time, don’t worry; the group will return to perform at GHP, in the Elks parking lot at 6446 Riverside Blvd., on Sunday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Mike Duffek, secretary of the Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation’s Board of Directors, said, “Playing at the Greenhaven Pocket Farmers Market helps these young musicians thrive, giving them the tools, mentors and stage time they need to keep early jazz music alive. It’s a free and fun jazz experience, and these teenagers bring a new twist: a Venmo app for tips!”

The band is made up of high school-age musicians selected annually by audition.

Sacramento Elks Lodge No. 6 Exalted Ruler Rob Moore said, “This is one of those very special events in your life that you don’t want to look back on and say, ‘I should have. I could have!’”

Lachlan Keightley, one of eight band members, lifts his trombone and lets the golden tones of traditional jazz spill into the air. While many high schoolers are just discovering their interests, Keightley is already performing in the professional music scene, bringing the soulful sounds of the trombone and the rhythmic twang of the banjo to life on stage.

The band rehearses weekly and performs at the Sacramento Hot Jazz Jubilee, other festivals across California and many local establishments.

Over the years, The New Traditionalists have produced alumni who have gone on to become outstanding professional musicians and educators. In combination with other Sacramento Jazz Education Foundation programs, like the Teagarden Jazz Camp and Teagarden Jazz Festival (teagardenjazzfestival.org), the group is an integral part of the Foundation’s educational offerings.

Keightley’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. He is a two-time recipient of the Jack Teagarden Outstanding Trombonist Award Scholarship (2023, 2024) and was recently honored with the Stan Cummings Outstanding Banjo Award Scholarship (2024, 2025) at the prestigious Teagarden Jazz Festival: an event that celebrates excellence in traditional jazz and showcases some of the best young talent in the country.

Outside the rehearsal hall, Keightley is equally driven. As a varsity-level tennis player, he knows the value of discipline, practice and perseverance: qualities that serve him just as well on the court as they do on stage. Whether it’s executing a perfect serve or nailing a complex solo, Keightley approaches every challenge with focus and passion.

Keightley is currently a high school senior in the process of applying for fall of 2026.

With his eyes set on a future as a professional jazz musician, Keightley is already tuning the world to his frequency, one note, one performance and one standing ovation at a time.

At the conclusion of The New Traditionalists’ Aug. 3 performance, Vic Cima, the GreenHaven Pocket Farmers Market’s general manager, said, “It is a shame that young female vocalist didn’t sing until the very end. I am totally overwhelmed. She was fantastic!”

Cima didn’t know her name, but insisted she needed to come back on Aug. 24. We asked her to answer a few questions, and she responded with a very nice essay. Madison Kate, who will be at the farmers market this Sunday, shared her musical background and aspirations in the following four paragraphs:

“I am a 17-year-old jazz vocalist from Sacramento, California. I have been singing for as long as I can remember, but I began listening to and performing jazz at age 8 with my elementary school band. I now attend Rio Americano High School, where I will be singing with the big band and also participating in the Charles Mingus combo, which auditions for a festival in New York each year.

I was a member of the 2024 California All-State Vocal Jazz Ensemble and a 2024 and 2025 winner of the DownBeat Student Music Awards for jazz voice. I also received an Outstanding Musicianship Award at the 2024 Santa Cruz Jazz Festival. At Rio Americano High School, I was honored with the “Hardest Working” award in 2023.

I would love to attend college somewhere on the East Coast. I have many choices and am excited to see where I end up! I plan to continue with music beyond high school. I intend to major in jazz vocal studies in college and pursue music for the rest of my life.”

Another outstanding jazz musician The New Traditionalists is nurturing is Yash Saini.

In the heart of River City, where the streets echo with rhythm and ambition, Saini stands out: not just as a senior at River City High School, but as a musician whose passion resonates far beyond the classroom.

For over eight years, Saini has been mastering the clarinet and the tenor saxophone, weaving melodies that speak louder than words. While he started with the fundamentals, it was jazz that truly unlocked his soul. For the past three to four years, he’s been diving deep into the world of improvisation, syncopation and swing. And it shows.

From school concerts to statewide stages, Saini has carried his clarinet and tenor saxophone – and his dreams – with pride. His talent hasn’t gone unnoticed. Across California, he’s earned scholarships and medals at jazz competitions, each one a testament to the hours of practice and the pure love he has for music.

Now, as graduation nears, Saini has set his sights on California State University, Sacramento. There, he plans not just to study, but to thrive, continuing his musical journey with even more dedication. For him, college is not a stopping point but a stepping stone. Music isn’t just something he does; it’s who he is.

And as Saini prepares to step onto his next stage, one thing is clear: The music isn’t fading. It’s only getting louder.

Someday, everyone who is at GreenHaven Pocket Farmers Market from 10 to 1 this Sunday can say:

“I heard Lachlan, Madison and Yash perform together as part of TNT.”