Hancock Institute of Jazz

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

Posted on May 15, 2023June 15, 2023 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 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

Date	Time	Event	Location
Mon, May 22	9:10 am	MEDIA DAY	Jamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
	9:10 am	Assembly Program/Concert	Jamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185
	11:00 am	Jazz Band and Vocal Workshops	Jamestown High School, 3751 John Tyler Hwy, Williamsburg, VA 23185

Tue, May 23	9:10 am	Assembly Program/Concert	Warhill High School, 4615 Opportunity Way, Williamsburg, VA 23188
	11:00 am	Jazz Band and Vocal Workshops	Warhill High School, 4615 Opportunity Way, Williamsburg, VA 23188

Wed, May 24	10:45 am	Assembly Program/Concert	Thomas Jefferson High School, 4100 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23230
	12:45 pm	Jazz Band and Vocal Workshops	Thomas Jefferson High School, 4100 W Grace St, Richmond, VA 23230

Thu, May 25	10:45 am	MEDIA DAY	Huguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
	10:45 am	Assembly Program/Concert	Huguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225
	12:45 pm	Jazz Band and Vocal Workshops	Huguenot High School, 7945 Forest Hill Ave, Richmond, VA 23225

Fri, May 26	9:30 am	MEDIA DAY	Charlottesville High School, 1400 Melbourne Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901
	9:30 am	Assembly Program/Concert	Charlottesville High School, 1400 Melbourne Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901
	11:00 am	Jazz Band and Vocal Workshops	Charlottesville High School, 1400 Melbourne Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901

Sat, May 27	7:00 pm	Concert Open to the Public	Blues Alley Jazz Club, 1073 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007
	9:00 pm	Concert Open to the Public	Blues 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 Announces Delaware Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Tour, May 16-22

Posted on May 5, 2022May 5, 2022 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.

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

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

Posted on December 5, 2019January 8, 2020 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 with ethnic diversity, 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.

Sean Jones, Lisa Henry lead 2019 Peer-to-Peer Tour in New England Public Schools

Posted on May 10, 2019June 14, 2019 by Will Ramsey

Weeklong series of events includes two performances open to the public at Blue in Portland, Maine on May 25

Washington, DC – With lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz will bring its Peer-to-Peer jazz education program to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine public schools May 20-25. Combining performance with educational information, these “informances” will be presented by five of the country’s most gifted high school music students along with 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 New England counterparts.

“We’ve found that young people often learn about certain things better from kids their same age, and one of those is jazz,” said jazz great Herbie Hancock, Chairman of the Institute, 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 New England peers about what jazz is, why it’s important to America, and how a jazz ensemble represents a perfect democracy. They also will discuss 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 New England tour include alto saxophonist Jalin Shiver from Newark; tenor saxophonist Sasha Ripley and pianist Tyler Henderson from Houston; bassist Dario Bizio from Los Angeles; and drummer Jeremiah Collier from Chicago. “It has been both a joy and a real challenge working on Mr. Jones’ compositions the past couple of months,” said Henderson, who recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC along with Hancock and other jazz greats. “He’s definitely one of today’s top modern jazz artists, but always with reverence to the swing and bebop traditions.”

Immediately following the informances, Jones, Henry, and Dyas will conduct jazz workshops for each host school’s jazz band and choir in which the visiting students will play side-by-side with their Vermont, New Hampshire, and Portland 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.

“I’m really looking forward to talking to and playing jazz with the students on the other side of the country,” added Bizio, who also recently performed at the Kennedy Center. “Whether it’s East Coast or West Coast, jazz is jazz.”

The weeklong tour will conclude with two performances open to the public on May 25 at Portland’s premier jazz club, Blue (650A Congress St.), where Portland residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Jones and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The septet will perform standards, jazz classics, and contemporary jazz, including compositions from Jones’ and Henry’s latest recordings. The shows begin at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. For further information call 207-774-4111 or visit https://portcityblue.com.

Read the full press release.

Learn more about the Institute’s Peer-to-Peer program.

Hancock Institute Brings All-Star High School Jazz Sextet to Oklahoma Public Schools, Feb. 25 – Mar. 1

Posted on February 1, 2019July 18, 2019 by Will Ramsey

Tour to feature internationally renowned recording artists Steve Wilson and Lisa Henry

Weeklong series of events includes a performance open to the public at the UCO Jazz Lab on March 1

Washington, DC – With lead funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz will bring its “Peer-to-Peer” jazz education program to Tulsa and Oklahoma City public schools February 25 – March 1. Combining performance with educational information, these “informances” will be presented by six of the country’s most gifted high school music students along with internationally acclaimed saxophone recording artist Steve Wilson, 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 musical performances for all students, followed by jazz workshops for each school’s jazz band and choir with the visiting student performers playing alongside and sharing ideas with their Oklahoma counterparts.

The 2018 National Peer-to-Peer All-Star Jazz Sextet, with teaching artists Lisa Henry (far right) and Don Braden (third from right), receive a standing ovation from students and faculty at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota during the Institute’s April 2018 Peer-to-Peer Jazz Education Tour. Photo: Bart Marantz / Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

The members of the all-star sextet selected nationwide to participate in the Oklahoma tour include trumpeter Stéphane Clément, 18, from Miami; trombonist Adan Montes, 17, and pianist Dalton Hayse, 18, from Los Angeles; guitarist Manny Michael, 17, from Sioux Falls; bassist Bakari Williams, 18, from Dallas; and drummer Nino Aiyer, 17, from Houston.“We’ve really enjoyed working on Mr. Wilson’s compositions the past couple of months,” said Clément, who recently performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC along with Hancock and other jazz greats. “His music covers the full gamut, from swing to contemporary.”

Teaching & Learning, Side by Side

Immediately following the informances, Wilson, Henry, and Dyas will conduct jazz workshops for each host school’s jazz band and choir in which the visiting students will play side-by-side with their Tulsa and Oklahoma City counterparts, providing tutelage peer to peer. In so doing, they will teach and learn from one another not unlike 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 culture.

Guitarist Manny Michael (right) from Sioux Falls, SD, will be one of six talented student jazz musicians visiting Oklahoma public schools as part of the Institute’s upcoming Peer-to-Peer Tour. Photo: Bart Marantz / Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz

“I’m really looking forward to talking and playing jazz with the Oklahoma students,” added Hayse. “So many great jazz players have come from that part of the country.” Indeed, such jazz icons as Chet Baker, Barney Kessel, Howard McGhee, Jay McShann, Oscar Pettiford, and Jimmy Rushing hail from the Sooner State.

The weeklong tour will conclude with two performances open to the public on March 1st at Oklahoma City’s premier jazz venue, the UCO Jazz Lab (at the University of Central Oklahoma School of Music, 100 E. 5th St. in Edmond), where Oklahoma residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Wilson and Henry alongside jazz’s future “young lions.” The octet will perform standards, jazz classics, and contemporary jazz, including compositions from Wilson’s and Henry’s latest recordings. The shows begin at 8:00 pm and 9:45 pm.

Read the full press release here.

National Performing Arts High Schools group, Wayne Escoffery to perform at the U.S. Department of Education, April 6

Posted on April 6, 2018April 6, 2018 by Will Ramsey

Students from the Institute’s National Performing Arts High Schools program will participate in an educational jazz “informance” on Friday, April 6 in Washington, D.C. as part of a partnership with the United States Department of Education. Accompanied by master saxophonist and Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance graduate Wayne Escoffery, the students will treat DC public school students and Department staff to a performative introduction to jazz music.

The presentation will be webcast live via the Department of Education Facebook page and via ed.gov beginning at noon Eastern.

Teaching artist Terell Stafford (center) leads the 2017 informance at the Department of Education. Photo: U.S. Department of Education

The informance, now an annual tradition that consistently draws a standing-room-only audience, will touch on a range of topics including music theory, the structure of jazz compositions, improvisational techniques, group dynamics and the history of jazz, giving attendees a front-row seat to the jazz performance process. Dr. JB Dyas, the Institute’s Vice-President of Education and Curriculum Development, will lead the session along with Escoffery.

The event also affords Institute students the opportunity to interact with and learn from a bonafide jazz master. Commented trumpeter Terell Stafford after the 2017 informance, “Each year, day, each minute, the family gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger. I love that about this music.”

“It’s about community, about love, about trust, about sharing.”

Join the April 6 webcast by clicking here.

Learn more about the Institute’s free high school education programs here.

All-Star High School Jazz Sextet to Tour Fargo and Sioux Falls Public Schools for April Peer-to-Peer Program

Posted on March 23, 2018March 26, 2018 by Will Ramsey

The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz announced today that its Peer-to-Peer jazz education program will visit Fargo and Sioux Falls public schools from April 16-20. Accompanied by renowned teaching artists Don Braden and Lisa Henry, six of the country’s most gifted high school music students will present educational “informances” (informational performances) and workshops for thousands of students.

Besides playing jazz at a level that belies their years, the touring students will talk with their Fargo and Sioux Falls 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 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 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 Dakotas tour include trumpeter Stéphane Clément, 17, and alto saxophonist Julian Gonzalez, 17, from Miami; guitarist Jordan Reifkind, 17, and bassist Dario Bizio, 16, from Los Angeles; pianist Tyler Henderson, 16, from Houston; and drummer Jeremiah Collier, 17, from Chicago. All of the students participate in the Institute’s National Performing Arts High School Jazz Program, receiving ongoing instruction from the Institute’s outstanding teaching artists and performing with world-renowned guest artists.

The weeklong tour, coinciding with Jazz Appreciation Month and the run-up to International Jazz Day, will conclude with a performance open to the public on April 20 at Sioux Falls’ premier listening venue, Fernson on 8th, where Sioux Falls residents and visitors are invited to enjoy an evening of music with Braden and Henry alongside jazz’s future young lions.

For more information on the April tour, check out the press release.