FROM THE [home desk] OF OUR PRESiDENT & FOUNDER
Dear Friends and Families,
Welcome to On the Sunny Side of the Street! Here’s where we take an exciting look at what we’ve been doing to help our community stay connected, creative and uplifted.
We flip the calendar page to July, but the passage of time feels a bit surreal in a pandemic. Every July in recent past, JAZZ HOUSE KiDS students, families and faculty would mark the occasion by marching in our town’s 4th of July parade. The JAZZ HOUSE would be bustling with a new crop of eager interns, knee deep in spreadsheets with our team planning for the JAZZ HOUSE Summer Workshop and the highly anticipated MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL. We miss you and we miss it all.
While nothing is “business as usual” this year , so much is going on and music and learning are abound. JAZZ HOUSE KiDS continues to innovate, bringing music, education and hope to our students and to viewers worldwide. Now, more than ever, we are seeing how our jazz programming has the power to provide people of all ages with emotional support, social engagement, and a sense of well-being and the joy of music and continued learning. As one of our JAZZ HOUSE parents recently shared, “Thank you for brightening these dreary days with these wonderfully gifted teachers. You’re always delivering a message of optimism and encouragement. It’s making all the difference around here.”
Thanks to our education team led by Markus Gottschlich, director of music operations and Ted Chubb, director of the JAZZ HOUSE Summer Workshop, July and August are jam-packed with great programming —
- Wednesday Summer Sessions with the Masters, a coveted series of weekly masterclasses with Maria Schneider, Sean Jones, Dafnis Prieto, Regina Carter and our own Christian McBride from 7:00 – 8:30 pm
- Jazz in July, a robust 1/2 day 4-week intensive online camp experience starting July 13. Over 75 students from across the globe are registered! Our students will learn from the best jazz educators in the area as well as gain exclusive access to concerts and masterclasses with the jazz elite — Kenny Barron, Chris Potter, Billy Hart and Jazzmeia Horn to name a few.
- Friday Hang @ Home Listening Party will resume next week on July 10 at 8:00 pm ET on Zoom and Facebook Live. First up is a panel discussing Songs of Protest. Big passionate topic in today’s environment.
And, we can’t go a summer without the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL! Although it will have to look very different this year, we look forward to unveili ng this year’s Montclair Jazz Fest festivities mid-July with a host of activities slated for August or September. Stay tuned!
Enjoy the 4th of July weekend and stay safe!
P.S. – We are so grateful to all who have donated to the JAZZ HOUSE KiDS Relief Fund. As we start a new fiscal year, we thank you for helping us continue to serve as an instrument for change and share the spirit of jazz with everyone for so many. Every amount, no matter how small, helps this organization play through the changes. To donate, visit our website here.
NEW! WEDNESDAYS WITH THE MASTERS! JAZZ HOUSE KiDS MASTERCLASS SERIES
JOiN US!
SEAN JONES, one of the most heralded voices of the jazz trumpet, kicked off our exciting new new masterclass series last week with an engaging session for all brass players. He’ll be leading another session on July 22. Last night’s masterclass with NEA Jazz Master and 5-time GRAMMY Award-winning MARIA SCHNEIDER gave students from around the world a a rare inside look at several of her compositions. Don’t miss her second session on July 29!
Next up on July 8th is the Cuban-American GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, composer, bandleader and educator, DAFNIS PRIETO. He is also a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship recipient. This class is a MUST for all drummers, percussionists and musicians interested in exploring a world of rhythmic possibilities.
JAZZ MASTERS SERIES!
Open to all ages and levels from across the globe!
All classes held from 7:00 – 8:30 pm ET
JAZZ HOUSE SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK
JAZZ HOUSE KiDS ALUMNI SUPER BAND
JAZZ HOUSE KiDS ALUMNI BAND, “Playing Through the Changes Benefit Concert”.
We know we featured this video in our last newsletter, but we need it on automatic repeat.
We can’t get enough of the incredible instrumental and musical performance of our JAZZ HOUSE Alumni Super Band!
Premiering at our “Playing Through the Changes” Benefit Concert on June 19th, the band was directed by trumpeter, Nathan Eklund and arranged by Eklund, with veteran faculty members, Ed Palermo and Dylan Pramuk. Many thanks also our evening host, NBC’s LESTER HOLT, our curator, CHRISTIAN McBRIDE and Abel Mireles and Peter Lin from Yardbird Entertainment who were “instrumental” in production.
Our JAZZ HOUSE Alumni Super Band is an impressive bunch! While some of them are now professional musicians, some are pursuing their dreams in other fields — architecture, teaching, science and so much more. We are so proud of everyone, and love that they continue that connection with more alumni reunions planned to discuss big issues: Entrepreneurship. Virtual Collaborations. How to Stay Musically Active. What Music Inspires Them. Black Lives Matter.
Enjoy this stellar performance (and it’s okay if you put it on repeat!)
SUMMER PROGRAMMING UPDATE
JAZZ IN JUNE (June 1 – 25, 2020)
Production + recording! Composers workshop! The piano shed! Getting the gig! This is the last week of JAZZ IN JUNE, and students and instructors all gave the online learning experience high marks!
“I had in your piano jazz group class! It was unfortunate that yesterday was the last time. You did an amazing job organizing the class and you taught very well! I am so grateful to have been a part of it. Thank you very much for this WONDERFUL opportunity.”
Jazz in June – The Piano Shed directed by Markus Gottschlich
JAZZ IN JULY (July 13 – August 7, 2020)
MONDAYS – THURSDAYS + SPECIAL PROGRAMS ON FRIDAYS
Morning Sessions
There’s just a few slots left, so if you’ve been dragging your feet, please register now!
For more information on our summer programming, reach out to our student services manager, Daniela Gonzalez.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
JULY
Friday, July 10 @ 8:00 pm ET
Hang @ Home Listening Party
Songs of Protest
JULY + AUGUST
JUNE 24 – AUGUST 12
NEW MASTERCLASS SERIES! WEDNESDAYS WITH THE MASTERS!
A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR EARLY SUPPORTERS OF THE JAZZ HOUSE KiDS RELIEF FUND!
(as of June 19, 2020)
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IMPRESARIO
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JAZZ MASTER
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JAZZ ORCHESTRA
- HOLLY ENGLISH + FRED SMAGORINSKY
- SUSAN + CHRIS GIFFORD
- SOFIA + MIKE SEGAL
- JANET SHAPIRO + PHIL BYRD
- RITA + TERRY WOODARD
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BIG BAND
- LESLIE + JIM BOLIN
- THALLA-MARIE + HEETEN CHOXI
- LAURE + DAVID PARK
- TAMI + CHARLIE SAMPLE
- CHRISTINA + DON SAVOY
- SANDY SMITH
- KATHERINE FRANKE
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VIRTUOSO
- DUNPHY FAMILY FOUNDATION
- FAITH + GARY TAYLOR, IN MEMORY OF MICHIKO GORE
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SOLOIST
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- BENZEL-BUSCH MOTOR CAR
- VALERIE BLOCK + ALEXIS ROMAY
- JAMES C. BROWN
- FRANK DOKA
- MARY JEAN POTENZONE, IN MEMORY OF SERGEANT CHARLES “ROB” ROBERTS
- ROSEANN + ALAN SHAIMAN
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- DR. JIM GALLAGHER
- JRD ELECTRIC + JIMMY CALDERONE
- MARGARETHE + MARK LAURENZI
- SUSAN LEON + MICHAEL O’CONNOR
- LUCAS CONSULTING GROUP
- LISA LORELLI
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- DAVID NEIBART
- MICHAEL RAGAN
- PAULA STEINBERG
- CECILE SUTHERLAND
- TECHNO ACOUSTICS HOLDINGS, LLC
- MYRON WALDON + AMY KNAPP
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DONORS
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- ANTHONY CURRIE
- SUZZANNE DOUGLAS + JON COBB, IN MEMORY OF CLAUDIO RODITI
- DEBRA DEMARTINI
- BRUCE + BARBARA EKLUND
- PATRICK FASUSI, MD
- LYNN + BRUCE HECKMAN, MD
- RENEE + MICHAEL AL-SARRAF BROWN
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- JOHN WESLEY HOUSE, JPTG PROPERTIES LLC
- KEA ENGINEERS
- MARCIA MARLEY + PETER RAPPOPORT
- LORNA MCDONALD
- ANDREA MONTALBANO + DIRON JEBEJIAN
- JOHN PIZZARELLI
- MARTIN SHERLOCK
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- NICK SALEEM
- STANLEY SPALDING
- TED STEPHENS
- LINDA + BRIAN STERLING
- MARIA L. VECCHIONE, WEST OF HUDSON REAL ESTATE
- RADIKA + STEVEN WEDDLER
- HILARY APICELLA
- SABRINA ERNSTS
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- IVOR ALLEYNE
- ANONYMOUS
- KELLY BAILEY
- JEAN CAMPBELL + PATRICK MORRISSY
- MONTY CERF + JULIE MICOU CERF
- JOSEPHINE CRESPO, IN HONOR OF NEAL LAZAR
- KAREN POINTER
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- ALICE ANDRE-CLARK + BRIAN SILIKOVITZ
- DEE BAILY + JON HEINER
- GRACE-ANN BLAKE
- HEATHER CARTER
- DARLENE CHAN
- THE LILLIAN + LEONARD JACOBER FAMILY FOUNDATION
- STEVEN MOUNT
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- LIZ RIDAY + YVES OBADIA, IN MEMORY OF ELLIS MARSALIS
- ELLEN + KEN COLTON
- WENDY + JACK FINN
- THE KUO FAMILY
- THE LOONEYS
- CONOR BELL
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- DAN MACKTA
- MARILYN + SEGUNDO PADILLA
- ANN RASMUSSEN + CHRIS CERF
- LYN ROSENSWEIG + BRUCE SCHNELWAR
- DEBORAH ROSS
- DR. SHIRLEY LEWIS
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- BETH SIEGEL + SCOTT WEINER
- MICHAEL J. WACKS
- HOWARD WALKER
- HON. SAM D. WALKER
- MICHAEL COUGHLAN
- JOE MORRIS
- MICHAEL J> WACKS + PHYLLIS GREENBERG
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“When I was working with David Bowie and I was worried he wouldn’t like the big band sound after spending all this money and time recording it, he laughed and told me that the greatest thing about music is that if the plane goes down, we all walk away. That single statement has helped me when I turnaround and face the piano and write and write and write and I just say, oh — let’s try this!”
~ Maria Schneider
NEA Jazz Master Tribute, 2019
