The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
Long Beach Poly alum Tatiana Tate became a viral sensation last weekend at the Dodgers’ season-opening series against the Diamondbacks. Tate is an accomplished trumpeter, and did a live rendition of Timmy Trumpet’s Narco, the walkout song for new Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz.
In New York, Diaz would run onto the field while Narco played over the sound system at Citi Field—at Dodger Stadium, the home team brought Tate out to a live rendition led by Tate’s performance. The magic seemed to work—Diaz got his first two saves for the Dodgers as part of a 3-0 start to the season.
Video of the performance went viral, with millions of views on social media drawing thousands of new followers to Tate’s social media pages. “I played with the Dodgers last night,” she posted on Instagram. “Thank y’all soo much for all the love and support…it’s only up from here.”
She also drew praise from current Dodgers players including second baseman Miguel Rojas.
The Jackrabbit alum may have burst onto a new scene with her performance at Dodger Stadium, but she’s no stranger to the limelight. She’s appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series, an ESPN Super Bowl commercial, and she’s played and toured with prominent names like Stevie Wonder, Doechii, Macklemore, and Arturo Sandoval.
She’s already been a well-known name at Poly, where she joins an all-star list of musical alumni including Snoop Dogg, Jenni Rivera, Nate Dogg, Bradley Nowell of Sublime (who attended Poly as a PACE student as well as Wilson), and many others. The Jackrabbits’ music program has been recognized by the GRAMMYs six times as a “Signature School,” placing it as a top high school music program in the nation.
“Tati Tate is prolific,” said Tom Terrell, one of two music directors at the school alongside Tom Hughes. “Also, she was not created in a lab last week. She dedicated her life to music, working on her craft, studying the greats, learning, adapting, creating. She is the truest definition of an artist not just with her obvious talent and skill, but because she knows how to make herself necessary.”
Tate was a participant in nearly all of Poly’s massive music program, playing in the school’s jazz bands, symphony orchestra, marching band, and taking AP Music Theory. She’s also an accomplished gig musician who plays constantly.
“She works tirelessly to create opportunities for herself and other artists, especially jazz musicians,” said Terrell. “The odds of ‘making it’ as a musician in today’s world are infinitesimally slim…only 0,01% will ever be seen or heard by the public. She caught the music bug early on, studies with great teachers, was blessed with a supportive family and community, and now leads the charge as a young pioneer of female jazz trumpet players.”
At a Poly instrumental concert two weeks ago, Tate surprised the Jackrabbits with a donation of 20 trumpets and three trombones as well as new mouthpieces, in partnership with Guitar Center. Poly’s music program enrollment has ballooned to over 800 students recently under Terrell and Hughes, and they were sorely in need of new instruments. Tate shouted out legendary former Poly music teachers Andy Osman and Chris Stephens, as well as Terrell.
“Tom, thank you so much for all your mentorship and everything you’ve instilled in me over the years,” she said.
“She is always looking to fulfill her purpose by inspiring more young people to pursue music,” said Terrell.
