For the past several years I’ve had the privilege of being a faculty member of Jazz Education Abroad. JEA was founded by legendary jazz educator Gene Aitken. It supports jazz education in five continents, and hosts regular workshops in Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Cyprus, Lebanon, and in many other locations. JEA presents week-long workshops and festivals, where students study jazz improvisation and theory, perform in small and large ensembles, and attend master classes and performances with a stellar international faculty and guest artists.
Highlights for me have included serving as a US State Department Cultural Envoy to Thailand as part of the Allison Miller Quartet, performing at the US Embassy in Bangkok with alto great Antonio Hart, and performing at the Spanish Embassy in Cyprus. But I’d have to say that my #1 takeaway from these trips abroad is the experience of sharing the music I love with so many dedicated students from around the world. In the US, we have access to so much–most schools have at least one jazz band, and many also have combos–and there are festivals to attend and workshops to participate in. It’s definitely not that way everywhere! I’ve had students from all of the host countries, but also from Vietnam, Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Japan, Taiwan, Austria, Italy, Spain, France, and more. I’ve learned so much from these students (hopefully they learned some things from me too!) and have developed a much deeper understanding of other cultures as well as the incredible power of music to bridge those inevitable gaps. At a recent workshop in Beirut, we welcomed 20+ Syrian refugee students. I can only imagine what they have experienced in their young lives, and I marvel at how their love for jazz connects us. JEA also partners with the Bangkok School for the Blind…how can you not be affected by that?
JEA would absolutely welcome your support. If you are able to make a tax-deductible donation, everyone involved would be most grateful. You’d be supporting students who love the music we all love, and who are working so hard to become better musicians. Thank you in advance! Oh…and here’s a brief message from Peter Erskine!