Jazz Artists 1965 -1980

What are the connections between jazz and hip hop?

Jazz and hip hop are two of America’s native art forms. Both have had immeasurable impact on the cultural fabric of American society and life expressing the plight of African Americans. While jazz came from the combination of African, Latin and European elements, hip ... more

Remembering Roy Hargrove (1969-2018) by CJ Shearn

The jazz world is mourning the all too soon loss of the great trumpeter Roy Hargrove (Oct 18, 1969-November 3, 2018) at the age of 49. It’s well known in the jazz that Hargrove had been on dialysis and suffered from health issues related to substance abuse. I saw a ... more

Where jazz is now in the present era?

Welcome to the latest edition of the New York Jazz Workshop podcast, I’m your host CJ Shearn. Today’s topic: where jazz is now in the present era? There are a lot of different opinions on where jazz is now, but it is in a healthier and more varied place than ... more

Is jazz dance able?

Is jazz dance able? That might be a question on the minds of those who may just have gotten into the music. The short answer is yes. There is a common narrative that once jazz ceased to be a popular music in the early 1940’s, that the music ceased to be dance able, ... more

Jazz career opportunities for students with a degree

Jazz career opportunities for students with degrees are exciting. Every year students spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on jazz education. They spend countless hours in the practice room, in a structured classroom environment, playing in small group combos, big band, ... more

A Bridge To The Present: A Conversation with Lenny White

Lenny White (b. December 19, 1949, Jamaica Queens, NY) is simply living history. The drummer has played and collaborated with a who’s who in music including Jackie McLean, Miles Davis, Stanley Clarke, Chick Corea,Tom Browne, Gato Barbieri, Marcus Miller, Freddie ... more

A Conversation with Vanderlei Pereira

Want to know about Brazilian jazz? New York Jazz Workshop faculty member Vanderlei Pereira is a mestre (Portuguese for master). The drummer has been an incredibly important part of the Brazilian, and New York music scenes for decades. Born in the city of Macae in Rio De ... more

Who are some women in jazz?

On this episode of the New York Jazz Workshop Podcast the topic is women in jazz. Who are some women in jazz? Today more than ever, women in jazz have integrated into the traditionally male dominated form on equal footing more than more so than ever before. In this episode ... more

What are the effects of jazz music on the brain?

Jazz music’s effects on the brain are vast. Studies conducted with general listeners in mind showed that listening to the music releases chemicals in the brain that regulate mood. For musicians the act of creation triggers different areas that enhance creativity by ... more

What are some accessible styles of jazz?

Jazz has gone through many developments over the past 100 years, and the music is still developing. In the period of 1945-1960 alone, a brief fifteen years saw the development of bop, cool jazz, hard bop and the avant garde. In those stylistic shifts, what are considered the ... more

What qualifies as a jazz festival?

Jazz is a fairly fluid term these days, characterizing music that centers around improvisation as a key element. Many people have different definitions of jazz, and for those who frequent jazz festivals who are casual music goers, it is confusing because the massive amounts ... more

A quick look at the the great bassist Jaco Pastorius

Thirty one years ago, Jaco Pastorius tragically left this planet. His innovations to the bass have been so ingrained into the fabric of music that it can be hard to imagine just how unbelievable he was when his self titled debut dropped on Epic in 1976, with a star studded ... more