Decaf Jazz is a jazz group made up of only high school students, with the goal to put jazz back into mainstream music, and here is the story behind it.

Emilio fell in love with music at a young age, listening to his older siblings participate in different classes and school programs. Initially playing alto sax and later embracing the trombone and playing percussion in some opportunities.

When did he decide to create a band? It's unclear, but his first combo was a middle-school jazz combo, called The Ramblers, which was instigated mainly by his teacher, Mr. Thielen, but the seed was planted. The Ramblers played as the opening act for a play from the San Carlos Children's Theater in 2024.

That year, 2024, saw another milestone for this young band founder when he wrote and conducted his first jazz composition, as part of the Ralston Middle School end-of-year music program, played by the Ralston Jazz Ensemble.

For the school year 2024-2025, Emilio joined the acclaimed Carlmont Jazz Band as a freshman. But when the opportunity to travel with Carlmont to their bi-annual Instrumental Music trip came up, Emilio and a saxophone player decided to busk around San Carlos, CA., to fund their trip to Chicago.

With that success, other musicians started joining them on their weekly public playing adventures. And with Emilio acting as the de facto band leader, the group played at different events around the area.

Unfortunately, by the end of the school year, the band went its separate ways, leaving Emilio working on the new iteration of the band re-established as Decaf Jazz.