31.3 C
New York
Tuesday, July 1, 2025

coaching tomorrow’s jazz stars : NPR


Jazz House Kids students

Jazz Home Children college students

Chris Drukker


disguise caption

toggle caption

Chris Drukker

For over 20 years, Montclair, N.J.’s Jazz Home Children has constructed a popularity for excellence in music training. Promising younger musicians stroll by its doorways and obtain the sort of coaching that may set them on the trail to jazz stardom. Artists like Isaiah J. Thompson, Julian Lee, Immanuel Wilkins and Matthew Whitaker all benefited from the one-of-a-kind expertise Jazz Home provides.

However simply as vital because the prodigies are the scholars who arrive having by no means heard jazz earlier than. Some might not be musical virtuosos or pursue music past highschool. In contrast to different comparable packages, Jazz Home Children welcomes all college students, no matter ability stage. As founder and president Melissa Walker instructed Jazz Night time, “Jazz Home would have its door swinging extensive open to everybody.” That philosophy has at all times been central to her imaginative and prescient. Her dedication to inclusivity has led not solely to dozens of standout musicians, but additionally to lots of of alumni who realized what it means to be a very good individual by the values of jazz.

I am considered one of them.

Once I joined Jazz Home Children at 14, I wasn’t simply hesitant — I used to be utterly resistant. I could not have imagined that 11 years later, I might be working in jazz journalism, impressed by a program that reshaped how I take into consideration music, folks and myself. Producing this episode of Jazz Night time in America looks like coming full circle.

SET LIST

  • “Chinoiserie” (Duke Ellington) carried out by the Jazz Home Large Band from the album Swinging with the Jazz Home Large Band 
  • “The Extra I See You” (Harry Warren) carried out by the Jazz Home Large Band that includes Melissa Walker from the album Swinging with the Jazz Home Large Band 
  • “Gettin’ to It” (Christian McBride) carried out by the Jazz Home Large Band that includes Christian McBride from the album Swinging with the Jazz Home Large Band 
  • “Blue Rondo à la Turk” (Dave Brubeck) carried out by Matthew Whitaker dwell from the 2022 Montclair Jazz Pageant 
  • “Enjoyable” (Nat Adderley) carried out by the Jazz Home Legacy Band* dwell from the 2024 Montclair Jazz Pageant 
  • “Yessaah” (Matthew Whitaker) carried out by Matthew Whitaker from the album On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute
  • “Clementine” (Julian Lee) carried out by Julian Lee from the EP Clementine 
  • “The Prophet” (Isaiah J. Thompson) carried out by Isaiah J. Thompson from the album The Ebook of Isaiah: Fashionable Jazz Ministry
  • “Spring Flower, Sprung Flower” (Isaiah J. Thompson) carried out by Isaiah J. Thompson  from the album The Ebook of Isaiah: Fashionable Jazz Ministry

*Jazz Home Legacy Band: Caelan Cardello, piano; Wallace Roney Jr., trumpet; Julian Lee, tenor saxophone; Zoe Obadia, alto saxophone; Coleman Hughes, trombone; Lex Warshawsky, bass; Zach Adelman, drums.

Credit: Emily Springer and Sarah Geledi, writers and producers; Simon Rentner, consulting senior producer; Michel Martin, visitor host; Ron Scalzo, episode combine; Steven A. Williams, govt producer; Suraya Mohamed, govt producer at NPR Music.

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles