Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Sextet presents Jazz Education Tour to Virginia Public Schools, May 22-26

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists SEAN JONES and LISA HENRY

Weeklong series of events includes 2 performances open to the public at Blues Alley in Washington, DC on May 27

Washington, DC – With lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz will bring its Peer-to-Peer jazz education program to Virginia public schools May 22-26, 2023. Combining performance with educational information, these “informances” will be presented by the Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Sextet, comprising six of the country’s most gifted high school music students. They will be featured alongside internationally acclaimed trumpet recording artist Sean Jones, Kansas City jazz and blues vocalist and a former winner of the Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition Lisa Henry, and renowned jazz educator Dr. JB Dyas. Each school visit will include an assembly program featuring a musical performance for all students, followed by workshops for each school’s jazz band and choir with the visiting student performers playing alongside and sharing ideas with their Virginia counterparts.

“We’ve found that sometimes young people can learn about certain things better from kids their same age, and one of them is jazz,” said jazz great Herbie Hancock, Institute Chairman, NEA Jazz Master, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). “And when you hear how accomplished these musicians are at such a young age, you know their peers are going to listen.”

Besides playing jazz at a level that belies their years, the students will talk with their Virginia peers about what jazz is, why it’s important to America, and how a jazz ensemble represents a perfect democracy. They also will discuss the important American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity with ethnic diversity, the correlation of hard work and goal accomplishment, perseverance, and the importance of finding a passion early in life, being persistent, and believing in yourself. When young people hear this important message from kids their same age, they are often more likely to listen.

The members of the all-star sextet selected nationwide to participate in the Virginia tour include saxophonist Leo Milano (18) from Chicago; trombonist Evan Dexter (17) from Los Angeles; guitarist Leo Sandoval (17) from Houston; bassist Camara Dupree (17) from New Orleans; and pianist Jose Andre Montano (17) and drummer Kevin Kearney (17) from Washington, DC. “I had the wonderful opportunity of performing with Mr. Jones along with US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona last year at the US Department of Education,” said Montano, who also was selected to this year’s Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra with which he’ll tour Europe this summer with Jones. “I can’t wait to play with and learn from him again.”

Immediately following the informances, Jones, Henry, and Dyas will conduct jazz workshops for each host school’s jazz band and choir. The visiting students will play side-by-side with their Virginia counterparts, providing tutelage peer to peer. In so doing, they will teach and learn from one another not unlike what Herbie Hancock did with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and so many other eminent jazz artists over half a century. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“I’m really looking forward to spending a week in Virginia,” added Dupree. “I can talk about the historic city of New Orleans, and the Virginia kids can tell me all about the historic cities of Williamsburg, Richmond, and Charlottesville.”

The weeklong tour will include two shows open to the public on May 27 at the iconic Washington, DC jazz club, Blues Alley (1073 Wisconsin Ave NW), where DC residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Jones and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The octet will perform standards, jazz classics and contemporary jazz, including tunes from Jones’ and Henry’s latest recordings. Shows begin at 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. For further information, call 202-337-4141 or visit https://www.bluesalley.com.

Virginia Peer-to-Peer Jazz Informance, Concert, and Workshop Schedule

DateTimeEventLocation
Mon, May 229:10 amMEDIA DAYJamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
9:10 amAssembly Program/ConcertJamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
11:00 amJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsJamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Tue, May 239:10 amAssembly Program/ConcertWarhill High School, 4615 Opportunity Way, Williamsburg, VA 23188
11:00 amJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsWarhill High School, 4615 Opportunity Way, Williamsburg, VA 23188
Wed, May 2410:45 amAssembly Program/ConcertThomas Jefferson High School, 4100 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23230
12:45 pmJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsThomas Jefferson High School, 4100 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23230
Thu, May 2510:45 amMEDIA DAYHuguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
10:45 amAssembly Program/ConcertHuguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
12:45 pmJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsHuguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
Fri, May 269:30 amMEDIA DAYCharlottesville High School, 1400 Melbourne Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901
9:30 amAssembly Program/ConcertCharlottesville High School, 1400 Melbourne Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901
11:00 amJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsCharlottesville High School, 1400 Melbourne Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901
Sat, May 277:00 pmConcert Open to the PublicBlues Alley Jazz Club, 1073 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007
9:00 pmConcert Open to the PublicBlues Alley Jazz Club, 1073 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007

For more information, full-length bios and photos, or to schedule an interview with the artists and/or students, please contact: JB Dyas at jbdyas@hancockinstitute.org or 323-270-3904.

Download the press release here.

Institute Kicks Off Arkansas Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Tour, May 15-19

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists DON BRADEN and LISA HENRY

Weeklong series of events includes performance open to the public at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville on May 18

Washington, DC – With lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz will bring its Peer-to-Peer jazz education program to Arkansas public schools May 15-19, 2023. Combining performance with educational information, these “informances” will be presented by the Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet, comprising five of the country’s most gifted high school music students. They will be featured alongside internationally acclaimed saxophone recording artist Don Braden, Kansas City jazz and blues vocalist and a former winner of the Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition Lisa Henry, and renowned jazz educator Dr. JB Dyas. Each school visit will include an assembly program featuring a musical performance for all students, followed by workshops for each school’s jazz band and choir with the visiting student performers playing alongside and sharing ideas with their Arkansas counterparts.

“We’ve found that sometimes young people can learn about certain things better from kids their same age, and one of them is jazz,” said jazz great Herbie Hancock, Institute Chairman, NEA Jazz Master, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). “And when you hear how accomplished these musicians are at such a young age, you know their peers are going to listen.”

Besides playing jazz at a level that belies their years, the students will talk with their Arkansas peers about what jazz is, why it’s important to America, and how a jazz ensemble represents a perfect democracy. They also will discuss the important American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity with ethnic diversity, the correlation of hard work and goal accomplishment, perseverance, and the importance of finding a passion early in life, being persistent, and believing in yourself. When young people hear this important message from kids their same age, they are often more likely to listen.

The members of the all-star quintet selected nationwide to participate in the Arkansas tour include trumpeter Giovanni Martinez (18) from Jacksonville, FL; trombonist Andre Perlman (17) from Miami; pianist William Schwartzman (17) from Los Angeles; bassist Laura-Simone Martin (17) from Lawrence, NJ; and drummer Julian Frazier (16) from Baltimore. “We’ve been meeting with Dr. Dyas online via Zoom since the beginning of the year, and we’re so happy that we are now finally able to perform with each other in person,” said Martin, who also was recently selected as the bassist for this year’s edition of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Jazz Orchestra with whom she’ll tour Europe this summer.  “It’s been both a joy and a challenge to prepare Mr. Braden’s music and we’re so looking forward to playing with and learning from him.”

Immediately following the informances, Braden, Henry, and Dyas will conduct jazz workshops for each host school’s jazz band and choir. The visiting students will play side-by-side with their Arkansas counterparts, providing tutelage peer to peer. In so doing, they will teach and learn from one another not unlike what Herbie Hancock did with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and so many other eminent jazz artists over half a century. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“I’m really looking forward to spending a week in such a different part of the country,” added Schwartzman, who also was recently selected to the Carnegie Hall National Youth Jazz Orchestra. “I suspect that the kids in Arkansas and I have way more in common than differences. And whatever differences we may have, as jazz musicians we celebrate them.”

The weeklong tour will include a concert open to the public on May 18, 7:00 pm, at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville (495 W Dickson St), where Fayetteville residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Braden and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The septet will perform standards, jazz classics and contemporary jazz, including Braden’s jazz arrangements of Earth, Wind, & Fire and Stevie Wonder songs from his latest album, Earth, Wind, and Wonder. For further information, call 479-443-5600 or visit www.waltonartscenter.org.

Arkansas Peer-to-Peer Jazz Informance, Concert, and Workshop Schedule

DateTimeEventLocation
Mon, May 1510:30 amAssembly Program/ConcertParkview Arts & Science Magnet High School, 2501 John Barrow Rd, Little Rock, AR 72204
12:30 pmJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsParkview Arts & Science Magnet High School, 2501 John Barrow Rd, Little Rock, AR 72204
Tue, May 1610:30 amMEDIA DAYLittle Rock Southwest High School, 9715 Mabelvale Pike, Mabelvale, AR 72103
10:30 amAssembly Program/ConcertLittle Rock Southwest High School, 9715 Mabelvale Pike, Mabelvale, AR 72103
12:30 pmJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsLittle Rock Southwest High School, 9715 Mabelvale Pike, Mabelvale, AR 72103
Wed, May 1710:30 amMEDIA DAYFayetteville High School, 994 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72701
10:30 amAssembly Program/ConcertFayetteville High School, 994 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72701
12:30 pmJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsFayetteville High School, 994 M.L.K. Jr Blvd, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Thu, May 1810:00 amMEDIA DAYBentonville High School Arend Arts Center, 1901 SE J St, Bentonville, AR 72712
10:00 amAssembly Program/ConcertBentonville High School Arend Arts Center, 1901 SE J St, Bentonville, AR 72712
11:30 amJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsBentonville High School Arend Arts Center, 1901 SE J St, Bentonville, AR 72712
7:00 pmConcert Open to the PublicWalton Arts Center, 495 W Dickson St, Fayetteville, AR 72701
Fri, May 1910:00 amAssembly Program/ConcertBentonville West High School, 1351 Gamble Rd, Centerton, AR 72719
11:30 amJazz Band and Vocal WorkshopsBentonville West High School, 1351 Gamble Rd, Centerton, AR 72719

For more information, full-length bios and photos, or to schedule an interview with the artists and/or students, please contact: JB Dyas at jbdyas@hancockinstitute.org or 323-270-3904.

Download the press release here.

International Jazz Day 2023, April 30th: A Jazz Journey around the World

Herbie Hancock to host All-Star Global Concert with UNESCO featuring performances in 13 global cities by Dianne Reeves, Marcus Miller, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Christian McBride, Somi, Sérgio Mendes, Cyrille Aimée, Antonio Sánchez, John Beasley and many more

Paris and New York––UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock today announced the program for the 2023 celebration of International Jazz Day, with participation from more than 190 countries. The flagship Jazz Day event, a spectacular All-Star Global Concert, will feature an extraordinary selection of jazz performances from Austria to Zimbabwe, highlighting the power of jazz in bridging differences and promoting unity and peace through intercultural dialogue and collaboration.

Herbie Hancock will take viewers on an international tour of sights and sounds showcasing jazz in all its diversity. The concert will feature performances from Beijing, China; Beirut, Lebanon; Casablanca, Morocco; Johannesburg, South Africa; Marondera, Zimbabwe; Paris, France; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Vienna, Austria; and Fairbanks, Honolulu, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC, USA.

The live-streamed concert event will feature performances by some of the world’s most accomplished jazz artists, including Cyrille Aimée (France), Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Thana Alexa (Croatia), John Beasley (USA), Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA), Bill Charlap (USA), Emmet Cohen (USA), Tom Gansch (Austria), Christian McBride (USA), Sérgio Mendes (Brazil), Marcus Miller (USA), Thandi Ntuli (South Africa), Dianne Reeves (USA), Antonio Sánchez (Mexico), Walter Smith III (USA), Somi (Rwanda) and Mike Stern (USA), among others. Renowned Mbira player Musekiwa Chingodza (Zimbabwe) will duet with Oran Etkin (Israel) on baritone clarinet; the Blue Note China Jazz Orchestra joins the Global Concert from Beijing; and JazzWomenAfrica celebrate from Casablanca. More information on the 2023 cast is available on jazzday.com.

The All-Star Global Concert will be webcast worldwide on April 30 at 4 pm EDT/1 pm PDT/10 pm CET on jazzday.com, unesco.org, the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook channels, and other outlets.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, recalling the significant role played by jazz in modern history, stated, “On this International Jazz Day, musicians around the world are once again answering, in great numbers, the resounding call for peace through music. Born out of struggles for justice, jazz inspires us to build a future that reflects its spirit – united in the celebration of diversity. Join us on this ‘Jazz Journey around the World’ and witness the power of music.”

Looking back on twelve years of International Jazz Day, Herbie Hancock remarked, “As the world’s largest, most inclusive celebration of jazz music, International Jazz Day unites people across the globe. Jazz has always been about expanding boundaries – inspiring musicians toward the future and its infinite possibilities. This year, we are thrilled that the All-Star Global Concert will reflect this expansive identity in a new way, by sharing with our audience a rich palette of sounds on more than a dozen stages in every corner of the planet.”

To kick off the International Jazz Day weekend, PBS will air a special on Friday evening, April 28 at 10 pm EDT (check your local listings). “International Jazz Day from the United Nations” will feature highlights of the 2022 All-Star Global Concert with performances by Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Shemekia Copeland, Gregory Porter, Lizz Wright, José James, Hiromi, Marcus Miller, Ravi Coltrane, Terri Lyne Carrington, Zakir Hussain, Brian Blade, Linda May Han Oh, Joey Alexander and more.

Masterclasses, concerts, educational programs and other events worldwide
In the lead-up to the 2023 All-Star Global Concert, a series of free, online education programs will be presented via jazzday.com, unesco.org, the International Jazz Day YouTube and Facebook pages.

An array of acclaimed artist-educators will present a multilingual selection of offerings that will emphasize the richness—and relevance—of jazz to learners at all levels. Programming will be available in Arabic, English, French, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish, with topics including music making for kids, improvisation, and the intersection of jazz harmony and diverse international musical traditions. A complete listing and schedule of education programs will be available at jazzday.com/education.

The worldwide program for International Jazz Day 2023 also includes an extraordinary range of programming in more than 190 countries, with concerts and performance-based initiatives complemented by wide-ranging social outreach and educational activities. In Brazil, the Música na Árvore Solar Festival will pay homage to Louis Armstrong and feature sustainability in its lineup, powering its stage performances with mobile solar panels. The Croatian Radio Television Jazz Orchestra will be toasting its 75th anniversary on Jazz Day with a concert and live broadcast on Croatian national television. In New Zealand, the Whanganui Collegiate School presents three days of events including a jam session, a gala concert and an open forum with the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, exploring jazz music in education. The Tottori Jazz Festival in Japan hosts a five-day series of concerts in addition to an art exhibit, jam sessions and workshops. The Botswana Society for Jazz Education kicks off a week of music workshops, instrumental clinics, masterclasses and nightly jam sessions, culminating with a grand concert featuring local and international musicians. UNESCO Creative Cities will be hosting a variety of activities around the world, leveraging music as a powerful accelerator for culture-driven sustainable urban development.

Jazz festivals around the world will also be commemorating International Jazz Day through special events. Participating festivals include the Adelaide Jazz Festival (Australia), Baku Jazz Festival (Azerbaijan), Festival Jazz à Ouaga (Burkina Faso), Festival Internacional de Blues y Jazz de Bucuramanga (Colombia), Mladí Ladí Jazz (Czechia), La Esquina Jazz Festival (Guatemala), Jazzfest Budapest (Hungary), Rossini Jazz Festival (Italy), Azalea JazzFEST (Japan), Bishkek International Jazz Festival (Kyrgyzstan), MAMA JAZ (Mauritius), Neuma International Jazz Festival (Mexico), Port Moresby Jazz & Blues Festival (Papua New Guinea), JAZZtrzębie Festiwal (Poland), Scottsdale Jazz Festival and Overtown Jazz Festival (USA) and many more.

To learn about the hundreds of other events planned in all 50 U.S. states and 190+ countries across the world, visit jazzday.com/events.

Major support for International Jazz Day is provided by the Doris Duke Foundation, with additional, generous support from the Ford Foundation. Air transportation and additional support for artists and educators is provided by United Airlines, the airline partner of International Jazz Day.

Proclaimed at UNESCO in 2011 at the initiative of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly, International Jazz Day brings together countries and communities worldwide every year on April 30. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is UNESCO’s partner in the organization and promotion of International Jazz Day.

Download the press release

Learn more about International Jazz Day

Learn more about UNESCO

Media: contact Alisse Kingsley

Watch the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert here on April 1st at 7:30pm ET

In honor of the 2023 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Masters—Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett, Louis Hayes, and Sue Mingus—the NEA presents the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert on Saturday, April 1, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and available through a live webcast below.

Hosted by Mark Ruffin of SiriusXM’s Real Jazz channel (67), this one-night-only concert will honor the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters, recipients of the nation’s highest honor in jazz. The concert will feature performances by honorees Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett, and Louis Hayes. Additional performers include Rudy Bird, Michael Bowie, Keith Brown, Ronald Bruner, Abraham Burton, Adam Cruz, Dezron Douglas, Kal Ferretti, Alvester Garnett, Sarah Hanahan, David Hazeltine, Corcoran Holt, Steve Nelson, Shawn Purcell, Melvis Santa, Helen Sung, Camille Thurman, and The String Queens—Dawn Michelle Johnson, Kendall Isadore, and Elise Sharp. (Performers subject to change.)

The concert will also include video tributes to the honorees, illuminating their lives and careers, as well as remarks by NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD; President of the Kennedy Center Deborah F. Rutter; honorees Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett, and Louis Hayes; and Roberto and Emma Ungaro, representing honoree Sue Mingus, who passed away in September 2022.

Wayne Shorter 1933-2023

Wayne Shorter was a member of the Institute family for over 30 years, serving as a member of the Board of Trustees, Competition Judge, and teacher and mentor to our college students and other young artists in our programs. Wayne participated each year in International Jazz Day and was deeply committed to its mission of uniting people around the world through the power of jazz.  He was a giant in the music and we are forever grateful for his friendship and the generous sharing of his vast knowledge and wisdom with all of us. 

Visionary composer, saxophonist, visual artist, devout Buddhist, devoted husband, father and grandfather Wayne Shorter has embarked on a new journey as part of his extraordinary life – departing the earth as we know it in search of an abundance of new challenges and creative possibilities.  Always inquisitive and constantly exploring – ever the fearless and passionate innovator – Shorter was 89 years young and had just won his 13th Grammy Award in February.  A gentle spirit, sci-fi and cartoon enthusiast, his long realized Opera “…Iphigenia,” that he created with collaborator esperanza spalding (and featuring sets by Frank Gehry) played to widespread critical acclaim across the country in 2021.  Shorter was surrounded by his loving family at the time of his transition and is survived by his devoted wife Carolina, daughters Miyako and Mariana, and newly-born grandson, Max.  Most recently Wayne had been contemplating his next project, a Jazz ballet.   

“Generally acknowledged to be jazz’s greatest living composer” (The New York Times), Wayne Shorter has left an indelible mark on the development of music for the last half-century. He first rose to prominence in the late 1950s as the primary composer for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. Shorter next joined the Miles Davis Quintet, becoming what that bandleader referred to as the ensemble’s “intellectual musical catalyst” before co-founding the pioneering group Weather Report. Since 2001, he has led his own highly acclaimed quartet.

Said Herbie Hancock, Shorter’s closest friend for more than six decades, “Wayne Shorter, my best friend, left us with courage in his heart, love and compassion for all, and a seeking spirit for the eternal future. He was ready for his rebirth. As it is with every human being, he is irreplaceable and was able to reach the pinnacle of excellence as a saxophonist, composer, orchestrator, and recently, composer of the masterful opera ‘…Iphigenia’. I miss being around him and his special Wayne-isms but I carry his spirit within my heart always.” 

Shorter’s works have been performed by the Chicago Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Lyon Symphony, National Polish Radio Symphonic Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Prague Philharmonic, and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Acclaimed artists and ensembles including Renée Fleming and the Imani Winds have also performed his works. He has received commissions from the National, St. Louis, and Nashville symphony orchestras, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the La Jolla Music Society. In all, Shorter has realized over 200 compositions, and dozens of these works have become modern standards.  His many accolades include 13 Grammy Awards and a 2018 Kennedy Center Honor.

Institute/LAUSD All-City band wows attendees at Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival

Students in the Institute’s Los Angeles-based Jazz in the Classroom program showcased their skills at this weekend’s Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, one of the premier live jazz events on the West Coast. A joint project with the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Beyond the Bell Branch, the Herbie Hancock Institute/LAUSD All-City Jazz Band drew plaudits not only from the assembled audience, but also Festival staff and high-profile participants. Festival Host and jazz aficionado Arsenio Hall said he “could not believe it was a high school band. They were on fire!”

The Herbie Hancock Institute/LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Band performs at the 2022 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival. (Photo by Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging)

Reflecting its credentials as a collection of the city’s most talented young jazz musicians, the All-City group shared billing with an array of eminent musicians. The 2022 Festival, which was presented from June 25-26, featured such jazz luminaries as Veronica Swift, Gerald Clayton, Gregory Porter, Terri Lyne Carrington and Carmen Lundy. Also appearing were venerable crossover acts including The Roots, Tower of Power, and Femi Kuti & The Positive Force. The All-City Jazz Band’s set featured exciting big band arrangements of Perdido (Duke Ellington/Juan Tizol), Cantaloupe Island (Herbie Hancock), Now’s the Time (Charlie Parker) and Blue Bossa (Kenny Dorham), giving the audience a taste of multiple eras and flavors of jazz.

The Institute has been a consistent presence in Los Angeles public schools for more than 25 years, and the All-City Jazz Band is a mainstay of its educational and mentorship efforts. Each year, the Institute selects approximately 20 exceptionally talented young musicians to participate in this full big band. Students rehearse and study with Institute teaching staff and perform for the Los Angeles community at leading venues and events. In addition to more than a decade of appearances at the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival, the All-City Jazz Band has also performed at LA’s storied Central Avenue Jazz Festival, the historic Roxy Theatre and the Catalina Jazz Club, among other venues.

“Could not believe it was a high school band. They were on fire!”

Arsenio hall, 2022 hollywood bowl jazz festival host
The Herbie Hancock Institute/LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Band performs at the 2022 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival. (Photo by Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging)

A Unique Learning Opportunity

All-City Jazz Band participants receive intensive instruction and coaching from Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas, as well as guest instructors. Dyas co-directs the band with LAUSD Beyond the Bell Branch Visual & Performing Arts Coordinator Anthony White. The musicians study advanced performance techniques associated with performing professional-level big band repertoire, drill down into harmony and improvisation, and learn about each chart’s history and place in the jazz tradition. As an integral part of the Institute’s approach to the All-City Jazz Band, every student in the group is required to memorize the melody and chord changes for each tune, as well as develop competency with soloing.

The Herbie Hancock Institute/LAUSD Beyond the Bell All-City Jazz Band at the 2022 Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival. (Photo by Greg Grudt/Mathew Imaging)

At the conclusion of every school year, the All-City Jazz Band delivers a featured performance as part of the culminating spring concert for the Jazz in the Classroom program, alongside a renowned guest artist. Recent guest artists have included pianist Kris Bowers; drummer Peter Erskine; guitarist Kevin Eubanks; saxophonists James Carter and Joshua Redman; and vocalists Patti Austin, Tierney Sutton, Lalah Hathaway, Jane Monheit and Michael Mayo.

The Institute thanks the Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival for its kind invitation for the All-City Jazz Band to perform this year–and looks forward to our next appearance.

Institute Concludes Educational & Cultural Tour of Jordan

The Institute completed its first international tour since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with jazz legend and Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock joining acclaimed saxophonist Don Braden and the eight students of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at UCLA for a week of teaching, learning and cultural exchange in the Kingdom of Jordan. Sponsored by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the May program continued the Institute’s commitment to using jazz to advance diplomacy, dialogue between cultures and mutual understanding.

Over the course of five days, the Institute delegation visited prominent educational, performing arts and community service organizations in and around the Jordanian capital, Amman, offering free concerts and master classes for local students and jazz lovers. Complementing the extensive outreach programs were visits to the vaunted 5th-century BC city of Petra, as well as outdoor concerts at the ancient ruins of Gadara in Umm Qais and the Odeon, a Roman amphitheater situated in the heart of downtown Amman.

A Focus on Education

As part of the tour’s educational offerings, young Jordanians aspiring to careers in music gathered at the King Hussein Foundation’s National Centre for Culture and Arts (NCCA) for an informance, concert and jam session with the Institute band. Led by Braden, the Institute of Jazz Performance students gave musical demonstrations of every major stylistic touchpoint in jazz, from ragtime to present day. To represent the fusion era, the group invited Hancock up for a performance of his landmark composition “Actual Proof.” Later, Institute of Jazz Performance clarinetist Matthew Stubbs led a demonstration of the connections between Western classical music and jazz.

Class of 2023 vocalist Darynn Dean performs alongside teaching artist Don Braden during the Institute’s master class at Jordan’s National Centre for Culture and Arts. (Photo by Steve Mundinger / Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz)

The intensive session gave the assembled Jordanian musicians an invaluable opportunity to listen to and learn from world-class jazz artists in an intimate setting, and to share their own talents and musical perspectives. To close the educational program, more than a dozen music students and faculty from the NCCA and Jordan’s National Music Conservatory gave a special performance fusing traditional Jordanian music with contemporary improvisational forms. The entire group then convened for a spirited jam session, demonstrating that when it comes to jazz music, no translation is required.

Musical Relief

Perhaps the most moving moment of the trip came in the northern city of Jerash, where the Institute delegation gathered to perform for a group of Syrian refugee students at the Princess Taghrid Institute for Development and Training. Established by Jordan’s King Abdullah and led by Princess Taghrid Mohammad, the Princess Taghrid Institute provides lodging, education and psychological support to orphaned and abandoned youth, including those displaced by the ongoing war in Syria, which has led to an influx of more than 1 million refugees over the border into Jordan. The musicians’ interactive presentation included the performance of jazz standards and original compositions, a basic introduction to the history and significance of jazz music, and an instrument “petting zoo” for the youngsters, many of whom had never had opportunities to hold musical instruments in their hands.

The Institute of Jazz Performance students lead a musical presentation for Syrian refugees at the Princess Taghrid Institute for Development and Training in Jerash. (Photo by Steve Mundinger / Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz)
A young student at the Princess Taghrid Institute for Development and Training tries her hand at the drums as part of the Institute delegation’s visit. (Photo by Steve Mundinger / Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz)

Memorable Performances

With the blessing of Jordan’s Department of Antiquities, Hancock, Braden and the Institute students also brought the contemporary sounds of jazz into some of the Kingdom’s storied archaeological sites. At Umm Qais, against the iconic backdrop of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights, the group gave an hourlong concert for Jordanian officials and guests, showcasing a range of original compositions and inventive takes on some of Hancock’s classic tunes. At the final concert at the Odeon, the multigenerational band illuminated the millennia-old amphitheater with songs blurring the lines between jazz, blues and local traditional music, including an Arabic maqam-inflected performance of “Autumn Leaves” featuring renowned Jordanian vocalist Macadi Nahhas.

The Jordan tour proved an apt addition to the long tradition of U.S. State Department-led cultural diplomacy abroad, following in the footsteps of the famed Jazz Ambassadors program from the 1950s. As one American diplomat remarked of the Institute’s visit, “It’s remarkable and wonderful that here we are, almost 70 years after [the Jazz Ambassadors] program began, still connecting with each other through the beauty and inclusiveness of jazz music. That is the power of this art form.”

Special thanks to the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the U.S. Embassy in Jordan for sponsoring this program.

Air transportation for the May 2022 Jordan tour was provided by United Airlines, the official airline of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz.

U.S. Embassy in Jordan organizes musical performances, educational workshops by jazz legend Herbie Hancock, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

Amman, Jordan – The U.S. Embassy in Jordan announces the arrival of jazz legend Herbie Hancock, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Ensemble at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), and guest Don Braden for a series of musical performances and workshops across Jordan.  The musical tour celebrates U.S.-Jordanian cultural ties through arts and music.  It is sponsored by the Arts Envoy Program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and developed in partnership with the Jordan Ministry of Tourism, Department of Antiquities, National Music Conservatory, National Center for the Culture and Arts, the University of Jordan, King Hussein Foundation, and Princess Taghreed Institute. 

Chargé d’Affaires Mike Hankey welcomed the musical tour, emphasizing its importance to diplomacy: “The language of great art needs no translation because it speaks to all of us.  And diplomats and political leaders have much to learn from the collaboration inherent in jazz.  Herbie Hancock has spent decades bringing together audiences around the world through his music.”  Hankey highlighted the long tradition of American jazz ambassadors, recalling the 1963 visit by jazz great Duke Ellington in Amman at the Roman Theater as part of a global tour supported by the U.S. Department of State.  Hancock expressed his delight to perform in Jordan, noting that while jazz originated in the United States, it now belongs to the entire world.  He added, “In addition to its artistic significance, jazz actually is a music that promotes peace, freedom, and democratic values. It is an art form with real applications to our world today.” 

Herbie Hancock is a 14-time GRAMMY Award winner and Academy Award winner, and internationally renowned pianist and composer who has been an integral part of every jazz movement since the 1960s.  In 2007, he won the GRAMMY for Album of the Year, becoming the first jazz musician to receive this honor in 44 years.  Hancock was designated a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Intercultural Dialogue in 2011 in light of his profound dedication to the promotion of peace through dialogue, culture and the arts. He also serves as Chairman of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz and Professor of Music at the University of California Los Angeles.  Hancock has performed for the U.S. Department of State in Morocco, Egypt, and India, and many other places around the world.  The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a nonprofit education organization with a mission to offer the world’s most promising young musicians college level training by internationally acclaimed jazz masters and to present public school music education programs for young people around the world. 

Hancock’s itinerary in Jordan includes performances in Irbid, Jerash, and Amman, and engagement with Jordanian artists and youth.  Audiences will include students at the University of Jordan and the National Center for Culture and Arts, and attendees at prominent archeological sites and community service institutes.  The tour continues the extensive engagement by the U.S. Embassy in Jordan and the U.S. Department of State focused on strengthening U.S.-Jordanian cultural ties through music, arts, cultural heritage, community programs, and exchanges.  Air transportation for the tour was provided by United Airlines, the official airline of the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. 

Institute Presents Educational Jazz Informance at U.S. Department of Education, Hosted by Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona

The Institute’s recent jazz informance at the U.S. Department of Education displayed all the hallmarks that have made the annual event a favorite for Department colleagues and DC and Baltimore public school students and teachers alike. These included a superb high school student group–the Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet, a renowned guest artist–internationally acclaimed trumpeter Sean Jones­–and the pedagogical prowess of jazz educator and Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas. This year, the presentation featured one other notable element: the participation of U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona, who traded his customary speaker’s podium for a pair of bongos and joined in on lively renditions of Herbie Hancock’s compositions “Chameleon” and “Watermelon Man.”

Back in the Groove

The April 19 jazz informance brought audiences back into the Department of Education building after two years of virtual presentations due to the pandemic. The excitement in the auditorium was palpable as dozens of Department of Education officials, students and educators–including 2021 National Teacher of the Year Juliana Urtubey–took their seats. In parallel, students in hundreds of school districts across the United States and music lovers around the world had the opportunity to watch the afternoon program via livestream on the Department of Education’s YouTube, Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona (far left) performs alongside the Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet at the U.S. Department of Education, April 19, 2022. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Education)

“Jazz is the Great Equalizer”

In just over 90 minutes, students from the Institute’s Jazz in the Classroom programs in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., led by Dr. JB Dyas, demonstrated the roots and rhythms of jazz through a dynamic series of performances and presentations. The session included explanations of jazz history, performance practices, and the music’s role in promoting equality and mutual understanding among people with vastly different backgrounds. “Jazz is the great equalizer,” Dr. Dyas noted to resounding applause, because in a jazz group, factors like ethnicity, religion and gender all become secondary to “what you have inside.”

Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas (left) leads the April 19 jazz informance alongside Sean Jones (fourth from right) and the Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Education)

The student Quintet, made up of pupils from the Institute’s Jazz in the Classroom and National Performing Arts High Schools jazz programs, included alto saxophonists Ebban Dorsey and Quinn Rehkemper from the Baltimore School for the Arts; tenor saxophonist Elijah Woodward and pianist José André Montaño from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts; and drummer Jillian Upshaw from Jackson Reed High School. Leading the performances was renowned jazz trumpeter and Peabody Institute professor Sean Jones.

“Jazz can teach us about ourselves…it’s nothing short of enlightening.”

– Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education

In his remarks before taking to the bandstand with the Institute group, Secretary Cardona emphasized the centrality of students in the Department of Education’s activities. “You give us purpose,” he declared to the assembled young musicians. “We can’t thank you enough for brightening our lives with your talent–each of you is an inspiration.” The Secretary also touched on the valuable practical lessons jazz offers, noting that “jazz can teach us about ourselves, and how to overcome adversity. Watching a live jazz performance is a lesson in leadership–listening and collaborating, improvising and improving, recognizing and reimagining…it’s nothing short of enlightening.”

Watch the complete jazz informance below, including Secretary Cardona’s performance:

Institute Announces Delaware Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Tour, May 16-22

Weeklong series of events includes two performances open to the public at Keystone Korner in Baltimore on May 22

Washington, DC – With lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz will bring its Peer-to-Peer jazz education program to Delaware public schools May 16-20, 2022. Combining performance with educational information, these “informances” will be presented by the National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet, comprising five of the country’s most gifted high school music students. They will be featured alongside internationally acclaimed saxophone recording artist Bobby Watson, Kansas City jazz and blues vocalist and a former winner of the Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition Lisa Henry, and renowned jazz educator Dr. JB Dyas. Each school visit will include an assembly program featuring a musical performance for all students, followed by workshops for each school’s jazz band and choir with the visiting student performers playing alongside and sharing ideas with their Delaware counterparts.

“We’ve found that sometimes young people can learn about certain things better from kids their same age, and one of them is jazz,” said jazz great Herbie Hancock, Institute Chairman, NEA Jazz Master, and Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). “And when you hear how accomplished these musicians are at such a young age, you know their peers are going to listen.”

Besides playing jazz at a level that belies their years, the students will talk with their Delaware peers about what jazz is, why it’s important to America, and how a jazz ensemble represents a perfect democracy. They also will discuss the important American values that jazz represents: teamwork, freedom with responsibility, unity with ethnic diversity, the correlation of hard work and goal accomplishment, and the importance of finding a passion early in life, being persistent, and believing in yourself. When young people hear this important message from kids their same age, they are often more likely to listen.

The members of the all-star quintet selected nationwide to participate in the Delaware tour include trumpeter Loren Littlejohn (18) from Dallas; tenor saxophonist Leo Milano (17) from Chicago; pianist José André Montaño (16) from Washington, DC; bassist Camara Dupree (16) from New Orleans; and drummer Matthew Fu (18) from Houston. “I had the opportunity to sit in with Mr. Watson the last time he performed at the Jazz Showcase in Chicago” said Milano, who is one of the best tenor saxophonists for his age in the country. “I’ve been a big fan of his for a long time, and now having the opportunity to tour with and learn from him is really incredible!”

Immediately following the informances, Watson, Henry, and Dyas will conduct jazz workshops for each host school’s jazz band and choir. The visiting students will play side-by-side with their Delaware counterparts, providing tutelage peer to peer. In so doing, they will teach and learn from one another not unlike what Herbie Hancock did with Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, and so many other eminent band mates over the past half century. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“We’re really looking forward to traveling to this historic part of the country,” added Fu, who was recently selected to this year’s edition of the Carnegie Hall National Youth Jazz Orchestra. “We’re even planning a day trip to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell and other U.S. historical landmarks.”

The weeklong tour will conclude with two performances open to the public on May 22 at Baltimore’s iconic jazz club, Keystone Korner (1350 Lancaster St.), where Baltimore residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Watson and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The septet will perform standards, jazz classics, and contemporary jazz, including compositions from Watson’s and Henry’s latest recordings. The shows begin at 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm. For further information call 410-946-6726 or visit www.keystonekornerbaltimore.com.

Learn more about the Peer-to-Peer jazz education program

Download the full press release