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JAZZ EMPOWERS

@jazzempowers

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🎶 Nonprofit organization bringing jazz to underserved schools.
🎷 Serving 50,000 young jazz musicians in the U.S.

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“I started drums young, sort of as an alternative to sports. It was in the middle school years that I started to realize it was my thing, and I was feeling really serious about it and started to take pleasure in practicing, which I didn't think was ever going to happen to me when I first started playing an instrument. Kids are coming from all over the city here at Muchin. My main goal as a teacher, in any context, is that wherever we play music and the hour of the day where we play music is hospitable, that it feels like a good room to be in and a good place for them to be themselves. While we're learning fundamentals, and you're sixteen and learning the trumpet for the first time, we talk about style kind of right away. It's like respecting their intelligence, to say, ‘Yeah, it's going to be hard to get your first sound out for a little bit, but then we get to talk about how we sound as a band, and how to lay back on the beat. This band's going to be shaped by you. It's not going to be like last year's band.’ It's been a real joy watching them kind of slowly believe us. Even playing graduation last year, it's like the tunes that they ended up deciding, they felt like they had ownership over. It's an amazing place to start as a teacher. They know what we can sound like. They know what we can get to.”

Ethan Parcell, Jazz Empowers Instructor - Muchin College Prep, Chicago, IL
#PeopleofJazzEmpowers #jazzband #jazz #musiceducation #charterschool #nonprofit #newyorkcity #drummer by @jazzempowers

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3 days ago

Hear how former Jazz Empowers Student Advisory Council member Tyler reflects on the value of learning from experienced musicians, hearing about their journeys and mistakes, and gaining a better understanding of how to navigate the music world through his time on the Council!✨

#jazz #jazzband #musiceducation #nonprofit #charterschool #titleoneschool by @jazzempowers

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4 days ago

This past weekend, A Note Towards Tomorrow had its world premiere at the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival!

We’re so grateful to everyone who joined us for the film’s first public screening and to the festival for welcoming our story so warmly.

A huge thank you to the incredible team at @luminous_media_ and @davidmreppond for bringing this story to life and for the care they put into every step of the filmmaking process.

Here’s to the first of many opportunities to share Zoya and Ezequiel’s story with new audiences!

#documentary #jazz #musiceducation #nonprofit #charterschool #titleoneschool #filmfestival by @jazzempowers

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5 days ago

A look back at Mulholland Middle School bringing the energy at our first-ever LA Student Showcase this past spring! 🎷

Led by their awesome instructor, Alex Taylor, the band kicked things off with this cool intro before jumping into the classic funk tune “The Chicken.” We loved seeing these students show off all their hard work on stage!

#losangeles #jazz #musiceducation #charterschool #nonprofit #jazzband #themint by @jazzempowers

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9 days ago

"I first became interested in saxophone after seeing an older student play in our elementary school marching band. I loved how it looked and sounded, so my parents eventually rented me a horn. In sixth grade, I was introduced to jazz at a performing arts middle school. I was intimidated at first, but my teacher encouraged me to stick with it, and other musicians took me under their wing, shared recordings with me, and played with me. I fell in love with it and just caught the bug. What I love the most is watching students realize that it is possible to make music and sound good. When the light bulb turns on and they realize, “Oh, this sounds good,” or “Oh, this works over this,” those moments are what I live for. I know that I had teachers who did that for me. I always say that music really teaches you about life, so I’m always trying to instill core values like discipline, working together, playing together, and being on time. When they leave me and go to high school and beyond, hopefully they have some kind of foundation. Obviously, they get that from being raised by their parents, but they also get it from a different perspective in school. That’s really what it’s about, regardless of whether they go on to play music or not. Those are the things that make me excited."

Markus Howell, Jazz Empowers Instructor - Community Roots Charter School, Brooklyn, NY
#PeopleofJazzEmpowers #jazzband #jazz #musiceducation #charterschool #nonprofit #newyorkcity #saxophone #alto by @jazzempowers

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10 days ago

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with some live music!

Our teaching artist @thesofiagoodmangroup brought her septet to Explore! Community School for a special performance, sharing some amazing music and showing students how Latin and Afro-Cuban traditions are an essential part of jazz. 🥁🎺

Big thanks to the Nashville Musicians Union (@nashvillemusicians) for making this experience possible through their generous grant support! 💙

#nashville #jazz #musiceducation #nonprofit #charterschool by @jazzempowers

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13 days ago

This past spring, our elementary piano students at La Cima worked on their jazz vocabulary by learning to scat a Chet Baker solo! A fun way to get the language of the music in their ears and voices. 🎺👏

#nyc #nycjazz #jazz #charterschool #musiceducation #nonprofit #titleoneschool by @jazzempowers

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17 days ago

Throwing it back to our NYC Student Showcase!🗽 We’re still so proud of all the hard work our New York City students put in leading up to this special night of music. Seeing them take the stage, share what they had been working on diligently in every rehearsal, and celebrate another year of jazz band was an incredible way to close out the school year.

#nyc #jazz #jazzband #musiceducation #nonprofit #charterschool #titleone #nycjazz #saxophone by @jazzempowers

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19 days ago

"I wanted to join the jazz band because my grandparents and siblings also play instruments, so I wanted to try it and be involved in that. My sister plays saxophone, my brother plays piano, and my grandpa plays saxophone. They also have a group.
Being in jazz band makes me more confident because the people in the room are very friendly. I joined the band late, and the other people helped me when I was joining. Even though I joined late, I feel like I’m on the same level as them. I listen to classical music, like music from the ’90s. I feel like I used to only hear music in the band room, but now sometimes I hear it all around me because people play music. Being in jazz band has made me more disciplined. I practice at home every day because I don’t want to mess up at a concert."

Pedro, Central Queens Academy, Queens, New York
#PeopleofJazzEmpowers #jazzband #jazz #musiceducation #charterschool #saxophone #nonprofit #nyc by @jazzempowers

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24 days ago

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25 days ago

We’re excited to continue growing our Philly hub, reaching more schools, and creating even more opportunities for young musicians like those in our Barack Obama Green jazz band! 🎸

#philly #jazz #jazzband #musiceducation #nonprofit #charterschool #titleone by @jazzempowers

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a month ago

We love seeing students like Rocket from our Nashville jazz band step up and express themselves! As we kick off another school year, we’re excited to see all the hard work, growth, and great music our students will put in leading up to another unforgettable Nashville Gala next spring. Let the shed begin! 🎷🎶

#nashville #jazz #jazzband #nonprofit #musiceducation #charterschool #titleone by @jazzempowers

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a month ago