The Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival is an annual high school jazz festival and competition that takes place every May at Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) in New York City. The festival is aimed at encouraging young musicians to play music by Duke Ellington and other various jazz artists. All festival events are housed at JALC's Frederick P. Rose Hall. The current festival director is Wynton Marsalis, renowned jazz trumpeter and artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center.