Education News

Northwestern Jazzes up Its Faculty

Source: All About Jazz
October 17, 2008

Remember that famous scene in “Citizen Kane," in which the title character decides he wants to have an all-star newspaper staff—and hires one, en masse? The musical equivalent unfolded Monday night at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, where Northwestern University's Bienen School of Music unveiled its all-star jazz faculty—newly hired, en masse. Suddenly, Northwestern's jazz department, which never commanded much of a national profile, was reaching for the big leagues. And though it obviously takes more than a high-powered faculty to build ...

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New on JazzPianoOnline.com: Londonderry Aire Reharmonized

Source: All About Jazz
October 14, 2008

Londonderry Aire

This old irish folk tune (aka Danny Boy) is the perfect choice for reharmonization. When it's familiar diatonic melody is set against the highly chromatic harmonic treatment given here, the tune takes on a new life as a true jazz piece. Watch this lesson to see how JazzPianoOnline.com contributor Steve Anderson uses a range of reharmonization techniques to transform the piece from a simple three chord tune to a lush and complex jazz ballad. After the lesson, you ...

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Fire and Ice in American Culture

Source: Michael Ricci
October 13, 2008

ESSAY Politics highlight a faceoff of cool and hot in the United States' state of mind.

Forget about red state versus blue state, Prius versus Hummer, Wall Street versus Main Street or whatever other pop culture yardstick we've been using to measure the state of the nation recently. The real choice facing Americans this election year is much more simple: Cool or hot?

Let me explain. Three-score years ago, or thereabouts, some cats named Miles, Dizzy ...

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San Francisco State University Announces Second Annual Generations Jazz Program International Competition and Fellowship for Emerging Jazz Combos

Source: Rocket Words
October 9, 2008

The International Center for the Arts at San Francisco State University invites up-and-coming jazz combos in all countries to enter its second annual Generations Jazz Program International Competition and Fellowship for Emerging Young Combos. The winning combo will earn a year-long fellowship, with stipend, at San Francisco State University studying with the all-star Generations Band, including jazz masters Jimmy Cobb, Ray Drummond, Eric Alexander and Andrew Speight. Deadline for entry is March 23, 2009. The Generations Jazz Program represents an ...

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Health and Financial Fitness Fair Will Focus on Jazz Musicians

Source: All About Jazz
October 8, 2008

What’s the best way for a jazz musician to obtain health insurance? And how should musicians best invest and save their money in this economy? On Saturday, the first Coda Jazz Fund Health and Financial Fitness Fair will attempt to provide answers to those and other questions. Since the Coda Jazz Fund was formed in 2001, the foundation has addressed the end-of-life needs of area jazz musicians. In 2008 alone, the fund has assisted at least eight families of jazz ...

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2009 Residency Season at the Artists Enclave at I-Park

Source: All About Jazz
October 6, 2008

Application Deadline: January 5, 2009 (postmark date) I-Park announces its ninth season hosting The Artists Enclave. Artists residencies, self-directed/project oriented, will be offered from May through November 2009, with possible off-season sessions in April and December. Most sessions are four weeks in duration. Residencies will be offered to visual (including digital) artists, music composers, environmental artists, landscape and garden designers, creative writers and architects. Work samples will be evaluated through a competitive, juried process. There is a $25 application processing ...

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Bill Wright's Guitar Studio News

Source: All About Jazz
October 6, 2008

Bill Wright's Guitar Studio located in Sparta NJ announces the recent addition of several instruments to their lineup, which now includes Electric and Acoustic Guitar, Electric Bass, Drums, Piano, Vocals, Ukulele, Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle, Violin, Viola, Cello, Double Bass and also Music recording classes. In order to meet growing demand they have added an additional lesson room and have hired 3 new teachers. Bill Wright's Guitar Studio specializes in all Modern Styles of music including Rock, Jazz, Blues, Country, Heavy ...

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Jazz for Kids: Stix Hooper and Bobby Rodriguez

Source: All About Jazz
October 3, 2008

Jazz luminaries Stix Hooper and Bobby Rodriguez, fronting an ensemble of professional instrumentalists, opened the ears and minds of Santa Ynez Valley students Sept. 25 at Solvang School. More than 800 kids from local schools filled the bleachers and floor of the school’s gym as Rodriguez, Hooper and the band took them through the various forms of jazz. The students represented 11 area schools, grades three through twelve. The jazz professionals were in Solvang for the second annual Jazz Festival, ...

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