Music and memories brought Yumi Kusunoki 10,000 miles -- from Japan to Galesburg -- for the 2015 Knox-Rootabaga Jazz Festival.

"I've been missing the festival so much," said the 2010 Knox graduate from Osaka who majored in music and played trombone in the Knox Jazz Ensemble. "It's been four years. I enjoy the festival so much. I wanted to come back, because this is my home."

Kusunoki was among the hundreds of jazz fans and performers -- students, faculty, alumni and community -- who attended five concerts over the course of the three-day festival, April 9-11.

Festival headliner, clarinetist Anat Cohen, performed with her quartet and the Knox Jazz Ensemble, in the Orpheum Theatre -- a free concert, thanks to a Challenge America Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The festival also featured the Lowdown Brass Band, Knox Alumni Big Band, Knox Faculty & Friends Combo and The Daniel Leahy Group.

Above, Anat Cohen, Knox Alumni Big Band, Lowdown Brass Band; top of page, Knox Jazz Ensemble

Winners of the Annual Rootie Awards, handed out (by a reporter) at the Knox Alumni Big Band performance:

Best Shirt: Kevin Malley '04 (Repeat winner from 2013)

Longest Flight: Yumi Kusunoki '10 (Traveled from Japan to play trombone in the Alumni Big Band)

Most Spirit: Chris Rollins '04 (Repeat winner from 2014 and 2013)

Hottest Hands: Andy Crawford '00; Kevin Malley '98; Justin Haynes '04 (All played both Thursday and Friday nights)

Best Festival Parade on Friday: Lowdown Brass Band (With Knox students at The Burg's)

Best Festival Parade on Saturday: Lowdown Brass Band (With Rootabaga Kids at the Galesburg Public Library)

Community Service: The Daniel Leahy Group (Concerts at seven schools in two days)