Jazz Matters, JJA / New School NYC: "Jazz Education: For Students Only?"

Leading New York-area jazz educators address the value of jazz education beyond school classrooms in the first “Jazz Matters" panel discussion of the New School Jazz program's fall semester, “"Jazz Ed. - For Students Only?" The free admission panel, co-produced by the Jazz Journalists Association and New School Jazz, is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, September 20, at the New School Jazz fifth floor performance space, 55 W. 13th St., NYC NY.

Confirmed participants in the lively, provocative discussion moderated by Howard Mandel, president of the JJA and adjunct associate professor at New Your University, include William Patterson University (NJ) professor of music and coordinator of jazz studies jazz education coordinator David Demsey, New School Jazz executive director Martin Mueller and pianist Kenny Werner, currently teaching at New York University. Representatives from the Juilliard School, Queens College, Rutgers' Institute of Jazz Studies and Columbia University's Center for Jazz Studies have also been invited.

“Jazz education is the fastest growing aspect of the jazz economy," Mandel says. “What's news about jazz eeucation? And what stories does jazz ed. want to get to the general public?" With jazz ed proliferating from kindergarden through terminal degree programs, jazz education rating special covererage in autumn issues of three major US jazz magazines, and the International Association for Jazz Educators' Conference schedule for New York City again next January (2007), perhaps the most pressing question is: From an educator's perspective, what role do jazz schools play within the larger community?

Admission to “Jazz Matters" panels is free, though space is limited in the New School Jazz fifth floor performance space. For further information, call (212) 533-9495.