With many thousands of jazz concerts, festivals, and workshops worldwide, the passion for jazz has never been greater. That passion is shared by listeners and musicians in every age group and at every socioeconomic level. Consider how many strong jazz programs exist in the United States alone at both the secondary and college levels. And both serve one another by providing high school jazz students to the colleges and the colleges reciprocate by providing both band directors and workshops for the high schools. It works!
How long has this been going on? The interest has certainly been there for almost a hundred years; admittedly, there were few if any high schools with jazz programs then. In the early years of jazz in the last century, young people didn’t have the special opportunities offered today. Louis Armstrong quit school in New Orleans to support his family and did so by singing on street corners, selling newspapers, and delivering coal. When he shot a gun off on New Year’s Eve in 1912 (as is the local NOLA custom), he was incarcerated at the Waif’s Home where his interest in music was rewarded by his music teacher, Peter Davis. Davis recognized his raw talent and taught him to play a “bugle cornet” and to read music. After 18 months at the Home, he left, knowing he wanted to make music his career.
Ell
