ONONDAGA COUNTY, N.Y. -- Onondaga Community College will be filled with music this weekend, courtesy of some of the best jazz artists in the country.

"It's multi-generational, people of all ages. I met my wife at Jazz Fest 1998, we fell in love 11 years ago. We're happily married now. A lot of people come here for their family reunions. So it's become something that people really point to on their calendars," said festival founder and director Frank Malfitano.

To ensure that more great names and bands like Kenny G and Spyro Gyra will arise, nurturing new talent is a top priority for the jazz fest. This year, the Westhill High School Jazz Ensemble was one of the schools that got the honor of performing on the main stage.

"I know a lot of high schools would kill to be able to play in front of all these people and it's just really great," said Laurent Rice, a member of the Westhill High School Jazz Ensemble.

"Normally, the jazz ensemble, we get like 10,15 minutes at the school. We get a whole half hour to play whatever we want. It's great. I love it," said Westhill High School Band President Patrick Parkinson.

"They really get a charge out of playing on the same stage as Spyro Gyra, the Brecker Brothers, all these great artists. And especially the main stage. They really feel like that is such a big step up, to play like professional musicians," said Westhill High School Band Director Tony Mastrobattisto.

The experience has now instilled in the students an even greater appreciation of jazz.

"In jazz, you can play it any way you want. You play it twice and it doesn't sound like the first time you played it. It's great," Parkinson said.

On Saturday, the Manlius-Pebble Hill Jazz Combo will be performing on the main stage. There will also be special tributes throughout the festival to jazz guitar great, Hiram Bullock and Michael Jackson.