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Julianna Shapiro

About Me

My Jazz Story

I was first exposed to jazz when I was about 10. My step-father loves jazz. Dad lives it, breathes it, my dad devours jazz. I grew up in a house of music of every kind, almost, and jazz has always been a big part of my life. I met... I have met many jazz musicians. Because of my father's relationship with the jazz community, I have met a diverse group of people in the jazz community from Quincy Jones, Christian Mcbride, Dee Dee Bridgwater, my "adopted sister": Helen Sung, T Monk Jr., Claire Daly, and more. Whenever I meet a new musician, I am honored and excited. I love creative people. I love the laid back jazz musicians I meet. I think that there is a mistaken stereotype about jazz and jazz musicians that with jazz comes pretentiousness. I don't believe that is true. That has not been my experience at all. The best show I ever attended was: That would be hard to pin down. I was excited to be backstage at Monterey to see Joey Alexander play. I have attended multiple Monk Galas and Monk annual competitions where I have seen young talent compete and seasoned professionals play together, play with young people and play with the community that jazz has built over so many generations. It is hard to pick just one. My advice to new listeners: Don't give up. You don't have to "understand" jazz to love it. There are so many ways to love jazz. Pick your way, pick the style you like, don't let anyone tell you that your love of jazz is the "wrong way" to listen to jazz if that is the way you like it. Now, if you REALLY want to get into jazz from top to bottom, inside and out, if you want to understand how a composition is built and played, I have something for you:http://bit.ly/JBListenJazz