Tag: Peer to Peer

Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Sextet presents Jazz Education Tour to Iowa Public Schools, March 24-28

Posted on by Kamil Walji

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists MARQUIS HILL and LISA HENRY

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 Iowa public schools March 24-28, 2025. 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 acclaimed trumpet recording artist Marquis Hill and Kansas City jazz and blues vocalist Lisa Henry – both former winners of the Institute’s International Jazz Competition – 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 Iowa 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 Iowa 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, 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 Iowa tour include alto saxophonist Ryan Kaplan (17) and drummer Enzo Pulley (17) from Miami; pianist Gabe Faro (18) from Houston; guitarist Jackson Petty (17) from Los Angeles, bassist Læsio Littlejohn (18) from Plano, TX; and tenor saxophonist Ben Sherman (18) from New York City. “We’re going to learn so much performing alongside Marquis Hill,” said Littlejohn. “He’s on the cutting edge of what’s happening in jazz today, but always with reverence to the tradition.”

Immediately following the informances, Hill, 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 Iowa 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 more than half a century ago. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“I’m so looking forward to going to Iowa,” added Sherman. “It will be nice to get out of New York for a week and enjoy the clean air and wide-open spaces.”

The weeklong tour will conclude with a concert open to the public on March 28, beginning at 7:00 pm, at Noce Jazz & Cabaret in Des Moines (1326 Walnut St). There, Des Moines residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Hill and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The octet will perform standards and jazz classics as well as contemporary tunes from Hill’s latest recordings. For further information, call 515-244-5399 or visit www.nocedsm.com.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS & EDUCATORS

Marquis Hill is one of today’s leading jazz trumpeters and composers, known for his distinctive sound and genre-blending approach. Born and raised in Chicago, he honed his craft at Northern Illinois University and DePaul University, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively. His career gained international recognition after winning the Herbie Hancock Institute’s prestigious International Jazz Trumpet Competition, propelling him onto the global stage. Hill has collaborated with some of the most renowned names in jazz, including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Boney James, Joe Lovano, and Marcus Miller. His music transcends traditional genre boundaries, seamlessly fusing elements of classic and contemporary jazz, R&B, hip-hop, Chicago house, and neo-soul. With 15 recordings as a leader, he consistently ranks among the top trumpeters in DownBeat magazine’s annual Readers and Critics Polls. Beyond his work as a performer and composer, Hill is a passionate jazz educator, mentoring young musicians and presenting jazz workshops worldwide. His latest album, Composers Collective: Beyond the Jukebox (Core Port, 2024), has been praised by critics and jazz enthusiasts alike. www.marquishill.com

Lisa Henry is a dynamic vocalist with a combination of swingin’ cool and down-home class. A Kansas City native, she began by singing gospel music in the Baptist church, and by age 12 was singing the music of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis. Henry was a winner of the Herbie Hancock Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition and was later named an International Jazz Ambassador to Africa. She toured Chile, Argentina, and Peru with the Institute, performing for 34 Heads of State at the Summit of the Americas. She also participated in a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of India and performed for an esteemed presidential dinner at the White House, celebrating the Institute’s 20th Anniversary. Over the past 25 years, Henry has toured the globe, sharing the stage with such artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Kenny Barron, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Terell Stafford, Bobby Watson and Steve Wilson. Her Live from 18th and Vine recording has been lauded by jazz fans and critics alike. www.lisahenryjazz.com

Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Formerly the Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute, Dyas currently serves as Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He oversees the Institute’s education and outreach programs including Jazz In America: The National Jazz Curriculum (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. Throughout his career, he has performed across the country, taught students at every level, directed large and small ensembles, and developed and implemented new jazz curricula. He has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented numerous jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars and jazz “informances” around the globe with such renowned artists as Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock, and created a series of teacher-training jazz education videos. Dr. Dyas received his master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and PhD in Music Education from Indiana University, and is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education.

ABOUT THE HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ

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. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage. Jazz great Herbie Hancock serves as the Institute’s chairman. www.hancockinstitute.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ PROGRAM

The Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program facilitates the education of gifted music students who attend public performing arts high schools across the nation. The Program offers them opportunities to participate in pre-conservatory, highly specialized, performance-based jazz curricula; study with some of the world’s most eminent jazz artists and educators; perform in jazz ensembles comprising their peers; and prepare for entry into the country’s most distinguished conservatories and university schools of music. Included is instruction in Jazz Improvisation, Theory, Composition, History, and Styles and Analysis. The Institute works with each school in developing jazz curricula and instructional methodology; provides ongoing private and group instruction with Institute teaching staff, visiting artists and educators; offers special residences with jazz masters; arranges high-profile performance opportunities for the student ensembles; and helps graduating seniors  secure college scholarships.

ABOUT THE PEER-TO-PEER JAZZ EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Through the Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Initiative, which receives lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, outstanding music students from public performing arts high schools across the nation are invited to participate in weeklong peer-to-peer jazz informance tours. The young musicians gain invaluable performance experience playing alongside internationally acclaimed artists while they, in turn, help educate young audiences in public schools throughout the U.S. about jazz, America’s indigenous musical art form. In so doing, they not only help develop jazz audiences for the future, but also exemplify the deeply held American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity with ethnic diversity, democracy, persistence and perseverance, and the vital importance of really listening to one another.

* Media Days/VIP Concerts

  • Cedar Rapids – Monday, March 24 • 9:30 am  – Washington High School, 2205 Forest Dr SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403
  • Des Moines – Wednesday, March 26 • 10:00 am – Roosevelt High School, 4419 Center St, Des Moines, IA 50312

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.

Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Quintet presents Jazz Education Tour to Nevada Public Schools, March 10-14

Posted on by Kamil Walji

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists ANTONIO HART and LISA HENRY

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 Nevada public schools March 10-14, 2025. 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 Antonio Hart, 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 Nevada 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 Nevada 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, 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 Nevada tour include drummer Aiden Barrios (17) from Los Angeles; trumpeter Nathaniel Harrigan (18) from Chicago, tenor saxophonist Kiara Rouse (17) from Kissimmee, FL; pianist Isaac Serrato (17) from Houston; and bassist Jonathan Stiff (18) from Washington, DC. “We’re really looking forward to touring with Mr. Hart and Ms. Henry,” said Serrato. “I know we’re going to learn so much from them.”

Immediately following the informances, Hart, 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 Nevada 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 more than half a century ago. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“I’m really looking forward to going to Carson City and Reno,” added Harrigan.  “So, so different from where I live in Chicago, especially in March!”

The weeklong tour will conclude with a concert open to the public on March 15, beginning at 7:30 pm, at Laughing Planet in Reno (941 N Virginia St). There, Reno residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Hart and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The septet will perform standards, jazz classics and contemporary jazz. For further information, call 775-409-3410.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS & EDUCATORS

Antonio Hart is one of the top alto saxophonists on the scene today. A Baltimore native, he was classically trained at the Baltimore School for the Arts before studying jazz at Berklee College of Music. He later earned a master’s degree in Music Composition and Performance from Queens College, where he now serves as Professor of Jazz Studies. Hart gained early recognition touring and recording with trumpet great Roy Hargrove and has since performed around the world and appeared on over 100 albums, collaborating with such renowned jazz artists as Nat Adderley, Monty Alexander, Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ray Brown, Cyrus Chestnut, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmy Heath, Dave Holland, Christian McBride, Wallace Roney, the SF Jazz Collective, McCoy Tyner, and Nancy Wilson. His acclaimed album Here I Stand earned him a GRAMMY nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo. In addition to his prolific performance career, Hart is a dedicated educator and enjoys working with up-and-coming young artists. His latest album, Blessings (JLP Jazz Legacy), continues to resonate with audiences worldwide. https://antoniohartmusic.com

Lisa Henry is a dynamic vocalist with a combination of swingin’ cool and down-home class. A Kansas City native, she began by singing gospel music in the Baptist church, and by age 12 was singing the music of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis. Henry was a winner of the Herbie Hancock Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition and was later named an International Jazz Ambassador to Africa. She toured Chile, Argentina, and Peru with the Institute, performing for 34 Heads of State at the Summit of the Americas. She also participated in a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of India and performed for an esteemed presidential dinner at the White House, celebrating the Institute’s 20th Anniversary. Over the past 25 years, Henry has toured the globe, sharing the stage with such artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Kenny Barron, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Terell Stafford, Bobby Watson and Steve Wilson. Her Live from 18th and Vine recording has been lauded by jazz fans and critics alike. www.lisahenryjazz.com

Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Formerly the Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute, Dyas currently serves as Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He oversees the Institute’s education and outreach programs including Jazz In America: The National Jazz Curriculum (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. Throughout his career, he has performed across the country, taught students at every level, directed large and small ensembles, and developed and implemented new jazz curricula. He has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented numerous jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars and jazz “informances” around the globe with such renowned artists as Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock, and created a series of teacher-training jazz education videos. Dr. Dyas received his master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and PhD in Music Education from Indiana University, and is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education.

ABOUT THE HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ

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. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage. Jazz great Herbie Hancock serves as the Institute’s chairman. www.hancockinstitute.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ PROGRAM

The Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program facilitates the education of gifted music students who attend public performing arts high schools across the nation. The Program offers them opportunities to participate in pre-conservatory, highly specialized, performance-based jazz curricula; study with some of the world’s most eminent jazz artists and educators; perform in jazz ensembles comprising their peers; and prepare for entry into the country’s most distinguished conservatories and university schools of music. Included is instruction in Jazz Improvisation, Theory, Composition, History, and Styles and Analysis. The Institute works with each school in developing jazz curricula and instructional methodology; provides ongoing private and group instruction with Institute teaching staff, visiting artists and educators; offers special residences with jazz masters; arranges high-profile performance opportunities for the student ensembles; and helps graduating seniors  secure college scholarships.

ABOUT THE PEER-TO-PEER JAZZ EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Through the Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Initiative, which receives lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, outstanding music students from public performing arts high schools across the nation are invited to participate in weeklong peer-to-peer jazz informance tours. The young musicians gain invaluable performance experience playing alongside internationally acclaimed artists while they, in turn, help educate young audiences in public schools throughout the U.S. about jazz, America’s indigenous musical art form. In so doing, they not only help develop jazz audiences for the future, but also exemplify the deeply held American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity with ethnic diversity, democracy, persistence and perseverance, and the vital importance of really listening to one another.

* Media Days/VIP Concerts

  • Carson City – Tuesday, March 11 • 10:15 am  – Carson City Community Center Boldrick Theater, 851 E William St, Carson City, NV 89701,
    • With opening remarks by special guest Lori Bagwell, Mayor, Carson City
  • Reno – Friday, March 14 • 12:00 pm – Damonte Ranch High School, 10500 Rio Wrangler Parkway, Reno, NV 89521

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.

Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Sextet presents Jazz Education Tour to Alabama Public Schools, February 24-28

Posted on by Kamil Walji

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists DON BRADEN and LISA HENRY

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 Alabama public schools February 24-28, 2025. 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 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 Alabama 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 Alabama 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, 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 Alabama tour include alto saxophonist Ben Leviathan (17) from New York; drummer Troy Liman (17) from Houston; bassist Sofi Longa (17) from Miami; pianist Tinashe McGowan (18) from Dallas; trumpeter Allie Molin (18) from Santa Ana, CA, and guitarist Nigel Valle (17) from New Orleans. “What an incredible opportunity to perform with Mr. Braden and my peers from around the country,” said Molin. “His music has been both challenging and fun to learn, and has made us better musicians.”

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 Alabama 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 more than half a century ago. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“I’m really looking forward to going to Montgomery and Birmingham,” added Leviathan. “They’re such important places in the history of the civil rights movement in which jazz musicians have played an integral role since the beginning.”

The weeklong tour will conclude with a concert open to the public on February 28, 7:00 pm, at The Sanctuary in Tuscaloosa (1710 25th Ave), just an hour from Birmingham, where the group will be performing at a high school earlier that day. At the Sanctuary, Alabama residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Braden and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The octet 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 – Vol. 2. For further information, call 205-535-9620 or visit https://www.thesanctuaryon25th.com.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS & EDUCATORS

Don Braden is one of the top tenor saxophonists and jazz flutists on the scene today. Appearing on more than 100 albums, including 20 as a leader, Braden has recorded and performed around the globe with such eminent jazz artists as Randy Brecker, Betty Carter, Gerald Clayton, Herbie Hancock, Tom Harrell, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Terell Stafford, Dave Stryker, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Tony Williams. He is also a prolific and versatile composer, writing for ensembles ranging from duo to full symphonic orchestra in all styles of jazz, pop and world music for recordings, film and television. Besides being an internationally acclaimed performer and composer, Braden is a renowned jazz educator and has served on the faculties of Harvard, Montclair State and William Paterson universities. Formerly the artistic director of New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Jazz for Teens program, Braden currently serves as music director for the Litchfield Jazz Camp and presents workshops and master classes around the world. His latest recording, Earth, Wind, and Wonder – Volume 2 – comprising his jazz arrangements of Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder tunes – has received critical acclaim. www.donbraden.com

Lisa Henry is a dynamic vocalist with a combination of swingin’ cool and down-home class. A Kansas City native, she began by singing gospel music in the Baptist church, and by age 12 was singing the music of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis. Henry was a winner of the Herbie Hancock Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition and was later named an International Jazz Ambassador to Africa. She toured Chile, Argentina, and Peru with the Institute, performing for 34 Heads of State at the Summit of the Americas. She also participated in a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of India and performed for an esteemed presidential dinner at the White House, celebrating the Institute’s 20th Anniversary. Over the past 25 years, Henry has toured the globe, sharing the stage with such artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Kenny Barron, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Terell Stafford, Bobby Watson and Steve Wilson. Her Live from 18th and Vine recording has been lauded by jazz fans and critics alike. www.lisahenryjazz.com

Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Formerly the Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute, Dyas currently serves as Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He oversees the Institute’s education and outreach programs including Jazz In America: The National Jazz Curriculum (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. Throughout his career, he has performed across the country, taught students at every level, directed large and small ensembles, and developed and implemented new jazz curricula. He has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented numerous jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars and jazz “informances” around the globe with such renowned artists as Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock, and created a series of teacher-training jazz education videos. Dr. Dyas received his master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and PhD in Music Education from Indiana University, and is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education.

ABOUT THE HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ

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. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage. Jazz great Herbie Hancock serves as the Institute’s chairman. www.hancockinstitute.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ PROGRAM

The Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program facilitates the education of gifted music students who attend public performing arts high schools across the nation. The Program offers them opportunities to participate in pre-conservatory, highly specialized, performance-based jazz curricula; study with some of the world’s most eminent jazz artists and educators; perform in jazz ensembles comprising their peers; and prepare for entry into the country’s most distinguished conservatories and university schools of music. Included is instruction in Jazz Improvisation, Theory, Composition, History, and Styles and Analysis. The Institute works with each school in developing jazz curricula and instructional methodology; provides ongoing private and group instruction with Institute teaching staff, visiting artists and educators; offers special residences with jazz masters; arranges high-profile performance opportunities for the student ensembles; and helps graduating seniors  secure college scholarships.

ABOUT THE PEER-TO-PEER JAZZ EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Through the Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Initiative, which receives lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, outstanding music students from public performing arts high schools across the nation are invited to participate in weeklong peer-to-peer jazz informance tours. The young musicians gain invaluable performance experience playing alongside internationally acclaimed artists while they, in turn, help educate young audiences in public schools throughout the U.S. about jazz, America’s indigenous musical art form. In so doing, they not only help develop jazz audiences for the future, but also exemplify the deeply held American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity with ethnic diversity, democracy, persistence and perseverance, and the vital importance of really listening to one another.

* Media Days/VIP Concerts

  • Montgomery – Monday, Feb 24 • 9:30 am  – Booker T. Washington Magnet High School, 4400 Bell Rd, Montgomery, AL 36116
    • With opening remarks by special guests: Steven Reed, Mayor, City of Montgomery • Dr. Eric Mackey, Superintendent, Alabama State Department of Education
  • Birmingham – Thursday, Feb 27 • 10:30 am – A.H. Parker High School, 400 Abraham Woods Jr Blvd, Birmingham, AL 35204
    • With opening remarks by special guest: Carol Clarke, Chair, Arts and Culture Committee, Birmingham City Council

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.

Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Sextet presents Jazz Education Tour to Rhode Island Public Schools, May 20-24

Posted on by Kamil Walji

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists DON BRADEN and LISA HENRY

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 Rhode Island public schools May 20-24, 2024. 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 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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, 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 Rhode Island tour include trumpeter Lucas Rivero (17) from Miami; trombonist Bishesh Paudel (18) from Houston; guitarist Nigel Valle (17) from New Orleans, pianist Nathan Tatsuta (17) from Santa Ana, CA;  bassist Læsio Littlejohn (17) from Dallas; and drummer Julian Frazier (18) from Baltimore. “This will actually be my second tour with Mr. Braden,” said Frazier, who toured with him last year for the Institute’s peer-to-peer tour in Arkansas, one of 44 states benefiting from this program since 2005. “That tour really inspired me to get serious and focused.”

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 Rhode Island 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 going to Rhode Island, home of the iconic Newport Jazz Festival,” added Paudel. “So many of my jazz heroes have performed there.”

ABOUT THE ARTISTS & EDUCATORS

Don Braden is one of the top tenor saxophonists and jazz flutists on the scene today. Appearing on more than 100 albums, including 20 as leader, Braden has recorded and performed around the globe with such eminent jazz artists as Randy Brecker, Betty Carter, Gerald Clayton, Herbie Hancock, Tom Harrell, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Dave Liebman, Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, Terell Stafford, Dave Stryker, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Tony Williams. He is also a prolific and versatile composer, writing for ensembles ranging from duo to full symphonic orchestra in all styles of jazz, pop and world music for recordings, film and television. Besides being an internationally acclaimed performer and composer, Braden is a renowned jazz educator and has served on the faculties of Harvard, Montclair State and William Paterson universities. Formerly the artistic director of New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Jazz for Teens program, Braden currently serves as music director for the Litchfield Jazz Camp and presents workshops and master classes around the world. His latest recording, Earth, Wind, and Wonder – Volume 2 – comprising his jazz arrangements of Earth, Wind & Fire and Stevie Wonder tunes – has received critical acclaim. www.donbraden.com

Lisa Henry is a dynamic vocalist with a combination of swingin’ cool and down home class. A Kansas City native, she began by singing gospel music in the Baptist church, and by age 12 was singing the music of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis. Henry was a winner of the Herbie Hancock Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition and was later named an International Jazz Ambassador to Africa. She toured Chile, Argentina, and Peru with the Institute in the 1990s, performing for 34 Heads of State at the Summit of the Americas. In 2006 she participated in a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of India and performed for an esteemed presidential dinner at the White House, celebrating the Institute’s 20th Anniversary. Over the past 25 years, Henry has toured the globe, sharing the stage with such artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Kenny Barron, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Terell Stafford, Bobby Watson and Steve Wilson. Her Live from 18th and Vine recording has been lauded by jazz fans and critics alike. www.lisahenryjazz.com

Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Formerly the Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute, Dyas currently serves as Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He oversees the Institute’s education and outreach programs including Jazz In America: The National Jazz Curriculum (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. Throughout his career, he has performed across the country, taught students at every level, directed large and small ensembles, and developed and implemented new jazz curricula. He has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented numerous jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars and jazz “informances” around the globe with such renowned artists as Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock, and created a series of teacher-training jazz education videos. Dr. Dyas received his master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and PhD in Music Education from Indiana University, and is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education.

ABOUT THE HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE OF JAZZ

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. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage. Jazz great Herbie Hancock serves as the Institute’s chairman. www.hancockinstitute.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ PROGRAM

The Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program facilitates the education of gifted music students who attend public performing arts high schools across the nation. The Program offers them opportunities to participate in pre-conservatory, highly specialized, performance-based jazz curricula; study with some of the world’s most eminent jazz artists and educators; perform in jazz ensembles comprising their peers; and prepare for entry into the country’s most distinguished conservatories and university schools of music. Included is instruction in Jazz Improvisation, Theory, Composition, History, and Styles and Analysis. The Institute works with each school in developing jazz curricula and instructional methodology; provides ongoing private and group instruction with Institute teaching staff, visiting artists and educators; offers special residences with jazz masters; arranges high-profile performance opportunities for the student ensembles; and assists graduating seniors with securing college scholarships.

ABOUT THE PEER-TO-PEER JAZZ EDUCATION INITIATIVE

Through the Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Initiative, which receives lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, outstanding music students from public performing arts high schools across the nation are invited to participate in weeklong peer-to-peer jazz informance tours. The young musicians gain invaluable performance experience playing alongside internationally acclaimed artists while they, in turn, help educate young audiences in public schools throughout the U.S. about jazz, America’s indigenous musical art form. In so doing, they not only help develop jazz audiences for the future, but also exemplify the deeply held American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity, democracy, persistence and perseverance, and the vital importance of really listening to one another.

* Media Day/VIP Concerts

  • Warwick – Tuesday, May 21 • 10:00 am  – Pilgrim High School, 11 Pilgrim Pkwy, Warwick, RI 02888

With opening remarks by special guests: Frank Picozzi, Mayor, City of Warwick • Lynn Dambruch, Superintendent, Warwick Public Schools

  • Newport – Wednesday, May 22 • 9:15 am – Rogers High School, 15 Wickham Rd, Newport, RI 02840

With opening remarks by special guests: Xay Khamsyvoravong, Mayor, City of Newport • Dr. Colleen Jermain, Superintendent, Newport Public Schools

  • Providence – Friday, May 24 • 1:00 pm – Hope High School, 324 Hope St, Providence, RI 02906

With opening remarks by special guests: Brett Smiley, Mayor, City of Providence •  Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner, Rhode Island Department of Education • Dr. Javier Montañez, Superintendent, Providence Public Schools

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.

Institute’s Peer-to-Peer Sextet presents Jazz Education Tour to Wyoming Public Schools, May 13-17

Posted on by Kamil Walji

DOWNLOAD THE PRESS RELEASE HERE.

Featuring Internationally Renowned Recording Artists TERELL STAFFORD and LISA HENRY

Weeklong series of events includes a free performance open to the public at Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium at Laramie County Community College on May 16

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 Albany and Laramie County public schools May 13-17, 2024. 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 trumpet recording artist Terell Stafford, 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 Wyoming 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 Wyoming 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, 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 high school all-star quintet selected nationwide to participate in the Wyoming tour include saxophonist Quinn Rehkemper from Baltimore; vibraphonist Wanye Williams from Chicago; pianist Taylor Lee from Los Angeles; bassist Mia Desalos from Houston; and drummer Enzo Pulley from Miami. “I had the opportunity to perform with Mr. Stafford last year at the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, DC, where we presented a jazz informance with Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona to highlight the importance of music education in our public schools,” said Rehkemper. “And now actually getting to tour with Mr. Stafford is a dream come true.”

Immediately following the informances, Stafford, 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 Wyoming 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 for over half a century. They’ll also learn about each other’s cities and cultures.

“I’m really looking forward to going to Wyoming,” added Taylor Lee, the student from Los Angeles. “Wide open spaces, clean air, no traffic – I might just stay!”

The weeklong tour will include a free concert open to the public on May 16 at 7:00 pm at Laramie County Community College’s Surbrugg/Prentice Auditorium (1400 E College Dr) where Cheyenne residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Stafford and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The septet will perform standards, jazz classics and contemporary jazz, including tunes from Stafford’s and Henry’s latest recordings. For further information, call 307-778-1120.

About The Artists & Educators

Terell Stafford is one of the top jazz trumpeters on the scene today. Born in Miami and raised in Chicago and Silver Spring, Maryland, Stafford attended the University of Maryland and Rutgers University, where he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, respectively. While at Rutgers, he was invited to join Bobby Watson’s group, Horizon, with whom he performed and recorded for five years. He has since gone on to appear on more than 140 albums and perform around the globe with such eminent jazz artists as Kenny Barron, Benny Golson, Antonio Hart, Jimmy Heath, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, Mulgrew Miller, Billy Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Cedar Walton, Tim Warfield, and Frank Wess. Stafford is currently a member of the iconic Grammy Award-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and the Grammy-nominated Clayton Brothers Quintet, in addition to his own quintet. He has recorded ten albums as leader, including his critically acclaimed latest release, Between Two Worlds (Le Coq Records, 2023). He also serves as artistic director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia. Besides being an internationally acclaimed performer and prolific composer, Stafford is a renowned educator and enjoys working with up-and-coming young jazz artists. He currently serves as director of jazz studies and chair of instrumental studies at Temple University in Philadelphia. www.terellstafford.com

Lisa Henry is a dynamic vocalist with a combination of swingin’ cool and down home class. A Kansas City native, she began by singing gospel music in the Baptist church, and by age 12 was singing the music of Billie Holiday and Miles Davis. Henry was a winner of the Herbie Hancock Institute’s International Jazz Vocals Competition and was later named an International Jazz Ambassador to Africa. She toured Chile, Argentina, and Peru with the Institute in the 1990s, performing for 34 Heads of State at the Summit of the Americas. In 2006 she participated in a U.S. State Department-sponsored tour of India and performed for an esteemed presidential dinner at the White House, celebrating the Institute’s 20th Anniversary. Over the past 25 years, Henry has toured the globe, sharing the stage with such artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Kenny Barron, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, Roy Hargrove, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Kevin Mahogany, Delfeayo Marsalis, Wayne Shorter, Terell Stafford, Bobby Watson and Steve Wilson. Her Live from 18th and Vine recording has been lauded by jazz fans and critics alike. www.lisahenryjazz.com

Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Formerly the Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute, Dyas currently serves as Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz. He oversees the Institute’s education and outreach programs including Jazz In America: The National Jazz Curriculum (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. Throughout his career, he has performed across the country, taught students at every level, directed large and small ensembles, and developed and implemented new jazz curricula. He has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented numerous jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars and jazz “informances” around the globe with such renowned artists as Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock, and created a series of teacher-training jazz education videos. Dr. Dyas received his master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and PhD in Music Education from Indiana University, and is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education.

About the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

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. The Institute preserves, perpetuates and expands jazz as a global art form, and utilizes jazz as a means to unite people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. All of the Institute’s programs are provided free of charge to students, schools and communities worldwide. The Institute’s programs use jazz as the medium to encourage imaginative thinking, creativity, a positive self-image, and respect for one’s own and others’ cultural heritage. Jazz great Herbie Hancock serves as the Institute’s Chairman. www.hancockinstitute.org.

About the National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program

The Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program facilitates the education of gifted music students who attend public performing arts high schools across the nation. The Program offers them opportunities to participate in pre-conservatory, highly specialized, performance-based jazz curricula; study with some of the world’s most eminent jazz artists and educators; perform in jazz ensembles comprising their peers; and prepare for entry into the country’s most distinguished conservatories and university schools of music. Included is instruction in Jazz Improvisation, Theory, Composition, History, and Styles and Analysis. The Institute works with each school in developing jazz curricula and instructional methodology; provides ongoing private and group instruction with Institute teaching staff, visiting artists and educators; offers special residences with jazz masters; arranges high-profile performance opportunities for the student ensembles; and assists graduating seniors with securing college scholarships.

About the Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Initiative

Through the Herbie Hancock Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Initiative, which receives lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and United Airlines, outstanding music students from public performing arts high schools across the nation are invited to participate in weeklong peer-to-peer jazz informance tours. The young musicians gain invaluable performance experience playing alongside internationally acclaimed artists while they, in turn, help educate young audiences in public schools throughout the U.S. about jazz, America’s indigenous musical art form. In so doing, they not only help develop jazz audiences for the future, but also exemplify the deeply held American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity, democracy, persistence and perseverance, and the vital importance of really listening to one another.

* Media Day/VIP Concerts

  • Laramie – Tuesday, May 14 • 11:55 am  – Laramie High School, 1710 Boulder Dr, Laramie, WY 82070

With special guests Mayor Patrick Harrington, City of Laramie; Vice Mayor Sharon Cumbie, City of Laramie; Superintendent John Goldhardt, Albany County School District

  • Cheyenne – Friday, May 17 • 10:15 am – East High School, 2800 E Pershing Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82001

With special guests Governor Mark Gordon, State of Wyoming; Mayor Patrick Collins, City of Cheyenne; Chief of Staff Dicky Shanor, Wyoming Department of Education; Cheyenne Field Representative Karmen Rossi, Office of U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis; Superintendent Stephen Newton, Laramie County School District

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.

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

Posted on by Kamil Walji

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, 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

Posted on by Kamil Walji

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, 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.

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

Posted on by Will Ramsey

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, 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

Virtual Informance with U.S. Dept. of Education shows the uplifting power of jazz

Posted on by Will Ramsey

U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona joined Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock to co-host a special virtual peer-to-peer jazz informance for students and educators across the United States and around the world, highlighting the extraordinary history and legacy of jazz as a healing, uplifting art form.

The session, organized in honor of Jazz Appreciation Month 2021 and the 10th Anniversary Celebration of International Jazz Day, included virtual performances by the Institute’s National Peer-to-Peer All-Star Jazz Septet along with an educational presentation by Institute Vice President of Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas. Hancock and Secretary Cardona participated in a memorable 15-minute discussion on the importance of jazz as a tool for self-affirmation and self-expression.

“It takes a lot of courage to play jazz,” noted Hancock. “To not know exactly where you’re going to go, and then when that moment comes, to…jump off that cliff–that takes courage to do that. After a while, you kind of get used to that feeling of ‘it’s going to be ok,’ so it develops this spirit of being fearless. Everybody needs that.”

The April informance was offered as a free webinar in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Education and with lead funding from United Airlines and the National Endowment for the Arts. The program attracted attendees from more than 30 countries, including the United States, Brazil, Finland, Indonesia, Japan and South Africa.

The full informance is available to watch below:

Getting the Band Back Together: National Peer-to-Peer Quintet performs at 2019 Competition

Posted on by Will Ramsey

The 2019 edition of the Herbie Hancock Institute National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet, comprising five of the most impressive high school jazz musicians in the country, recently reunited to perform at the Institute’s International Jazz Guitar Competition Finals & All-Star Gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on December 3rd. On the same bill as such jazz luminaries as Herbie Hancock, Terence Blanchard, and Bobby Watson, the group opened the show with acclaimed saxophonist Antonio Hart, performing Hart’s arrangement of Seven Steps to Heaven, one of the first compositions Hancock recorded with fellow jazz icon, Miles Davis.

(From left) Institute Teaching Artist Antonio Hart performs with National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet members Jalin Shiver, Sasha Ripley, and Jeremiah Collier during the 2019 Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz International Guitar Competition at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater on December 3, 2019 in Washington, DC. Photo by Shannon Finney/Getty Images for Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

The power of peer-to-peer

Under the direction of Dr. JB Dyas, the Institute’s VP for Education and Curriculum Development, the peer-to-peer students annually participate in weeklong national peer-to-peer jazz informance tours in which they gain invaluable performance experience playing alongside internationally acclaimed artists while they, in turn, educate young audiences in public schools across the U.S. about America’s indigenous musical art form, jazz. In so doing, they not only help develop jazz audiences for the future, but also exemplify the deeply held American values that jazz represents: teamwork, unity, democracy, persistence, and the vital importance of really listening to one another.

The 2019 National Peer-to-Peer Jazz Quintet rehearses with Teaching Artist Antonio Hart and Institute Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development Dr. JB Dyas prior to the 2019 Competition on December 3, 2019. Photo by Steve Mundinger/Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

The 2019 group was composed of alto saxophonist Jalin Shiver(Newark), tenor saxophonist Sasha Ripley (Houston), pianist Dalton Hayse (Los Angeles), bassist Dario Bizio (Los Angeles), and drummer Jeremiah Collier (Chicago). The Quintet toured New England in spring 2019 with esteemed trumpeter/educator Sean Jones, performing in high schools in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. They also performed at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission headquarters in Washington, DC, where they presented a workshop for the FTC’s highest level employees on leadership lessons that can be gleaned from the jazz paradigm.

The Institute congratulates these talented young artists on their achievements, and thanks them for their dedication to sharing the positive lessons of jazz with audiences of all ages.