CBS Mornings Profiles JAZZ HOUSE KiDS

Host Vladimir Duthiers Speaks with Founder Melissa Walker and Artistic Director Christian McBride About the Non-Profit Jazz Education Organization
CBS MORNINGS PROFILES JAZZ HOUSE KIDS - Melissa Walker + Christian McBride

Dear JAZZ HOUSE friends + supporters,

What an exciting day for the JAZZ HOUSE! On behalf of JAZZ HOUSE KiDS, Christian and I are over the moon to have been featured in a profile story on today’s broadcast of Daytime Emmy Award-winning national morning news show CBS Mornings. It was incredible to share with an audience of 3 million the heartfelt stories of our students and watch them soar — all that we have worked towards for the last 21 years.

The prep for this major story all started last March when Peabody- and Emmy Award-winning journalist Vladimir Duthiers and a full CBS Mornings crew spent the entire day at the JAZZ HOUSE in Montclair on a very busy Sunday Pre-College Academy. Vladimir was so personable and put everyone at ease, interviewing both me and Christian and two of our students, Mark and Sinclair. They gave us an intimate glimpse of their personal journeys and the impact that JAZZ HOUSE has made on their lives.

"JAZZ HOUSE has been that place where everyone gets to go and be themselves... it's made a difference in my life. Music has allowed me to have a voice...I am so sad that I am graduating. I wish I can stay here for the rest of my life. "

CBS MORNINGS PROFILES JAZZ HOUSE KIDS - JAZZ HOUSE students

I shared on the segment that I am most proud of all our students that have a safe and nurturing place to be their best selves. 52,000 students and counting!

JAZZ HOUSE is no solo effort. Every day of the week our talented faculty and dedicated staff rise to the occasion to make impact and transform lives. We are eternally grateful to the chorus of individuals and institutions that have helped us keep our promise to our students to be an Instrument for Change. Thank you Vlad and all of our friends at CBS Mornings!

Gratefully yours,

Melissa Walker signature

"JAZZ HOUSE has become my family...they watched me grow up and I've met friends (like Mark) who will be life-long friends. It means a lot to me."

CBS MORNINGS PROFILES JAZZ HOUSE KIDS - Melissa Walker + JAZZ HOUSE students

Our Grateful Thanks

The JAZZ HOUSE is truly grateful for all our donors whose generosity enables us to develop the next generation of artists, community leaders and global citizens through jazz.

Major support for our programs is provided by: The Dinan Family Foundation; Wendy Dolber; Emblem Health; Entertainment Cruise Productions; Gia Maione Prima Foundation; Dr. Verna Gibbs; Susan + Chris Gifford; Jayne + Hans Hufschmid; John J. & Rose Cali Family Foundation; JPMorgan Chase; J.T. Magen & Company; Kenneth Goldman Donor Fund; Kopf Family Foundation; Neal Lazar; Eden Lopez + Paula Steinberg; MacMillan Family Foundation; Manhattan Mechanical Contractors, Inc.; Montclair Center BID; National Endowment for the Arts; New Jersey Arts and Culture Renewal Fund; New Jersey State Council on the Arts; New Jersey Cultural Trust; Ralph Pucci International; Rao’s Homemade; Janet Shapiro + Phil Byrd; Sandra Smith; TD Charitable Foundation; Trinity Church Wall Street; The Turrell Fund; Victoria Foundation; We Are All Music Foundation; Rita + Terry Woodard; and our many other generous supporters.

as of 7/30/24