Some history of JSOP's efforts for Jazz Education
I received a note from Betty Forrest. She’s longtime key person, executive director of the West Michigan Jazz Society. She and Crystal are long-time friends and she’s visited the Jazz Society of Pensacola on several occasions. Betty is also the widow of tenor sax great Jimmy Forrest.
Everybody knows his composition, “Night Train.” She’s editor of their newsletter and does great book reviews. (We’ve used some of her book reviews for our newsletters in the rare event that there was space for them.) They have adopted some of our ideas, such as Jazz Gumbo. They’ve also had some programs at their local zoo, to moderate success.
See her query about our efforts at jazz education, and my response below that.
I have given a longitudinal overview of our efforts. As I said in my reply to her, some of this may be new, or at least a partial review, for those have not observed the growth of the Jazz Society from the beginning.
BETTY WRITES:
I have never really heard much about it from the Pensacola society....do you guys have some type of education program, other than giving scholarships?
We had one going for several years, presenting programs about 40 min with a quartet at the middle schools, 6th - 8th graders , which I considered a total waste of time and money. They finally overbooked 2 yrs ago and spent our budget for the next two years,, so we have been in limbo. I want to get something started again, but don't know how we do it to benefit the organization and attract younger members....any ideas?
I know this is a problem for the the jazz societies that I hear from....we are an aging and dying breed, those of us from the swing era. The students playing in the HS and college jazz bands look at us as a bunch of old fogies, I think, and while we get good diversity at our summer jazz concerts at the zoo, we don't get it at our monthly gumbos....do you?
NORMAN REPLIES:
Dear Betty: Thanks for asking about JSOP’s efforts in jazz education of the youth
I’ll try to do this chronologically---
Early in the history of the Jazz Society, we gave some scholarships ourselves. Didn’t have an endowment so it came from the treasury.
It was a hassle because of: handling applications, determining criteria for scholarship, deciding how much money we could allocate for such a project, judging and follow up with the students. With the death of trumpeter Charlie Hardin, a key person in the Jazz Society and also an officer in the AFM Musicians local, we combined forces with the Union and, together, raised over $10,000 for an endowment at Pensacola Junior College.
That mercifully relieved us of the responsibilities enumerated above. Recently, there have been no additional contributions to that scholarship by the Jazz Society and the local AFM has dwindled into non-existence.
Some years back, Joe Occhipinti, another key player in the JSOP and AFM local, worked with the officials in the Escambia County school system. He would give programs, initially for the teachers so they would work material into their class-work, and then for the students themselves. As I recall, it was fifth-grade students. He would take a small group with him and they’d be paid a small amount for their efforts, funded by the JSOP and the national Musicians Trust-Fund. As you likely know, these were matching grants. That program also fizzled a few years ago, in part because of a change in the Escambia County school administrator in charge of music education. And, as above, would likely have died later due to the demise of the AFM local.
More recently—The University of West Florida has ramped up their Jazz program with hiring of Joe Spaniola. He was previously in charge of the band at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. He’s also a noted composer/arranger. He was a key person to bring in the Airmen of Note for a free concert tomorrow night at our recently refurbished Saenger Theater which seats approximately 1700. ( It’s also home to our Pensacola Symphony concerts) The Jazz Society is a sponsor of that concert. Although the “Note” are free, courtesy of the US Government and our tax dollars, there are expenses of opening the theater, advertising, ticket printing and all the incidentals that you are likely all-too-familiar.
Our able JSOP President, trumpeter Roger Villines has an appointment as adjunct music professor at PJC where he teaches some classes and directs the PJC Jazz Band. He and Spaniola at UWF work closely together on various issues. For the past couple of years, we have added a first-Monday Jazz Jam, in addition to our long-standing third-Monday Jazz Gumbo. Rhythm section is paid from receipts from the $5 admission/donation from each listener. Of course, performing musicians get in free. With the addition of the Jazz Jam, this has given the opportunity for young musicians to play alongside the more experienced musicians. We even get some high school students to participate in the Jazz Jam. Roger and others have been very encouraging of the young musicians to perform, and increasing attendance by that segment has been the result. This isn’t to say that there has been a large, significant increase in college-age listening audience. Sometimes the young musicians bring their friends as “cheering-section.” But, most college students are either home studying or working at their part-time jobs on weeknights.
I think I mentioned before, that there is a music appreciation course at PJC which requires, in addition to classwork, attendance at various live performances. Through Villines’ influence, the Jazz Society events have been on the list of approved musical events. For example, last Monday at our wonderful Jazz Gumbo featuring an outstanding New Orleans group, the PJC monitor was there with sign indicating that students needed to “sign up” to get credit for attending that event. Students play a reduced price for attending our events and JSOP student membership is only $5/year. Roger is working on a similar arrangement with UWF. That has not yet come to completion.
AS you likely already know, our JazzFest features educational jazz bands or combos from PJC, UWF, Northwest Florida State University at nearby Niceville. We also feature some of the best area high school and middle school jazz bands. We put them all on the main stage so the audience can appreciate their good work.
Second to the FREE Pensacola JazzFest, now in its 27th year, our library project is likely the second largest effort at jazz education for the entire community. Over 15 years ago, the Pensacola Library System approached us about helping them build a significant jazz collection. We were able to select the jazz materials—CDs, books, videotapes and, more recently DVDs—for the collection. The library system matched our contribution.
WE order the materials ourselves and sometimes are able to get significant discounts from suppliers for this educational project. The library matches our monetary contribution. This is housed primarily at our downtown library, but the other four libraries in the county system have access as well. It’s been a win-win situation for both groups as the Jazz Society members have access as well as the larger community.
We know, for example that 10-15% of the CDs are in circulation at any time and, surprisingly, almost 50% of the DVDs are in current circulation.
We also know that young people frequently use the jazz resources for their school papers and projects. The libraries, especially the downtown one, call on us from time-to-time for posters and other materials for display. We were called on a year or so ago to do a lecture-film series on jazz.
This was a series of six weekly events . The national library system had developed the video course and I was the lecturer for that event, It was well attended with a roomful, approx 70 attendees, each week. When we covered the Harlem Renaissance and the New York Scene, I arranged for Crystal Joy Albert to talk about her New York experience give a live performance – piano and vocals—much to the delight of the audience. Of course, the Jazz Society’s lecture and performance efforts were gratis.
Previously, I used to flagellate myself because we didn’t have a large contingent of younger persons in our audiences. However when I came to the conclusion about students having other priorities and part-time work, I stopped feeling so badly about. Also, parents with young and school age children, are either home caring for them or chauffeuring them to music lessons, soccer practice or other activities. In this age group, one has to have the children grown enough to be out of the house so that there is time, spare money, and energy to enjoy jazz and similar activities.
I did a “stretch,” some years back, of six years on the Pensacola Symphony Board and made similar observations about their audiences, too.
Betty, I hope this little overview of the Jazz Society of Pensacola’s efforts at jazz education will be helpful. I would be pleased to get your details about the efforts of the West Michigan Jazz Society in this regard. I am sending copy of this note to some on our JSOP Board and Key Committee chairs, as well as posting it my website "blog". Some who have not experienced the entire history of the local Jazz Society may not be aware of some of the events prior to their arrival on the scene.
One of the joys of the complimentary exchange of newsletters with your and other jazz societies is learning about the successes and failures of various efforts to promote jazz. Most of the editors are candid in their discussions. Sometimes we learn what-not-to-do from their experiences, thereby avoiding repeating failed efforts. I continually urge our key Jazz Society members to read the stack of newsletters, including yours with the wonderful book reviews you do, to learn how others do it.
Bless you. Good wishes. Keep those e-mails and newsletters coming.
Norman
Everybody knows his composition, “Night Train.” She’s editor of their newsletter and does great book reviews. (We’ve used some of her book reviews for our newsletters in the rare event that there was space for them.) They have adopted some of our ideas, such as Jazz Gumbo. They’ve also had some programs at their local zoo, to moderate success.
See her query about our efforts at jazz education, and my response below that.
I have given a longitudinal overview of our efforts. As I said in my reply to her, some of this may be new, or at least a partial review, for those have not observed the growth of the Jazz Society from the beginning.
BETTY WRITES:
I have never really heard much about it from the Pensacola society....do you guys have some type of education program, other than giving scholarships?
We had one going for several years, presenting programs about 40 min with a quartet at the middle schools, 6th - 8th graders , which I considered a total waste of time and money. They finally overbooked 2 yrs ago and spent our budget for the next two years,, so we have been in limbo. I want to get something started again, but don't know how we do it to benefit the organization and attract younger members....any ideas?
I know this is a problem for the the jazz societies that I hear from....we are an aging and dying breed, those of us from the swing era. The students playing in the HS and college jazz bands look at us as a bunch of old fogies, I think, and while we get good diversity at our summer jazz concerts at the zoo, we don't get it at our monthly gumbos....do you?
NORMAN REPLIES:
Dear Betty: Thanks for asking about JSOP’s efforts in jazz education of the youth
I’ll try to do this chronologically---
Early in the history of the Jazz Society, we gave some scholarships ourselves. Didn’t have an endowment so it came from the treasury.
It was a hassle because of: handling applications, determining criteria for scholarship, deciding how much money we could allocate for such a project, judging and follow up with the students. With the death of trumpeter Charlie Hardin, a key person in the Jazz Society and also an officer in the AFM Musicians local, we combined forces with the Union and, together, raised over $10,000 for an endowment at Pensacola Junior College.
That mercifully relieved us of the responsibilities enumerated above. Recently, there have been no additional contributions to that scholarship by the Jazz Society and the local AFM has dwindled into non-existence.
Some years back, Joe Occhipinti, another key player in the JSOP and AFM local, worked with the officials in the Escambia County school system. He would give programs, initially for the teachers so they would work material into their class-work, and then for the students themselves. As I recall, it was fifth-grade students. He would take a small group with him and they’d be paid a small amount for their efforts, funded by the JSOP and the national Musicians Trust-Fund. As you likely know, these were matching grants. That program also fizzled a few years ago, in part because of a change in the Escambia County school administrator in charge of music education. And, as above, would likely have died later due to the demise of the AFM local.
More recently—The University of West Florida has ramped up their Jazz program with hiring of Joe Spaniola. He was previously in charge of the band at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. He’s also a noted composer/arranger. He was a key person to bring in the Airmen of Note for a free concert tomorrow night at our recently refurbished Saenger Theater which seats approximately 1700. ( It’s also home to our Pensacola Symphony concerts) The Jazz Society is a sponsor of that concert. Although the “Note” are free, courtesy of the US Government and our tax dollars, there are expenses of opening the theater, advertising, ticket printing and all the incidentals that you are likely all-too-familiar.
Our able JSOP President, trumpeter Roger Villines has an appointment as adjunct music professor at PJC where he teaches some classes and directs the PJC Jazz Band. He and Spaniola at UWF work closely together on various issues. For the past couple of years, we have added a first-Monday Jazz Jam, in addition to our long-standing third-Monday Jazz Gumbo. Rhythm section is paid from receipts from the $5 admission/donation from each listener. Of course, performing musicians get in free. With the addition of the Jazz Jam, this has given the opportunity for young musicians to play alongside the more experienced musicians. We even get some high school students to participate in the Jazz Jam. Roger and others have been very encouraging of the young musicians to perform, and increasing attendance by that segment has been the result. This isn’t to say that there has been a large, significant increase in college-age listening audience. Sometimes the young musicians bring their friends as “cheering-section.” But, most college students are either home studying or working at their part-time jobs on weeknights.
I think I mentioned before, that there is a music appreciation course at PJC which requires, in addition to classwork, attendance at various live performances. Through Villines’ influence, the Jazz Society events have been on the list of approved musical events. For example, last Monday at our wonderful Jazz Gumbo featuring an outstanding New Orleans group, the PJC monitor was there with sign indicating that students needed to “sign up” to get credit for attending that event. Students play a reduced price for attending our events and JSOP student membership is only $5/year. Roger is working on a similar arrangement with UWF. That has not yet come to completion.
AS you likely already know, our JazzFest features educational jazz bands or combos from PJC, UWF, Northwest Florida State University at nearby Niceville. We also feature some of the best area high school and middle school jazz bands. We put them all on the main stage so the audience can appreciate their good work.
Second to the FREE Pensacola JazzFest, now in its 27th year, our library project is likely the second largest effort at jazz education for the entire community. Over 15 years ago, the Pensacola Library System approached us about helping them build a significant jazz collection. We were able to select the jazz materials—CDs, books, videotapes and, more recently DVDs—for the collection. The library system matched our contribution.
WE order the materials ourselves and sometimes are able to get significant discounts from suppliers for this educational project. The library matches our monetary contribution. This is housed primarily at our downtown library, but the other four libraries in the county system have access as well. It’s been a win-win situation for both groups as the Jazz Society members have access as well as the larger community.
We know, for example that 10-15% of the CDs are in circulation at any time and, surprisingly, almost 50% of the DVDs are in current circulation.
We also know that young people frequently use the jazz resources for their school papers and projects. The libraries, especially the downtown one, call on us from time-to-time for posters and other materials for display. We were called on a year or so ago to do a lecture-film series on jazz.
This was a series of six weekly events . The national library system had developed the video course and I was the lecturer for that event, It was well attended with a roomful, approx 70 attendees, each week. When we covered the Harlem Renaissance and the New York Scene, I arranged for Crystal Joy Albert to talk about her New York experience give a live performance – piano and vocals—much to the delight of the audience. Of course, the Jazz Society’s lecture and performance efforts were gratis.
Previously, I used to flagellate myself because we didn’t have a large contingent of younger persons in our audiences. However when I came to the conclusion about students having other priorities and part-time work, I stopped feeling so badly about. Also, parents with young and school age children, are either home caring for them or chauffeuring them to music lessons, soccer practice or other activities. In this age group, one has to have the children grown enough to be out of the house so that there is time, spare money, and energy to enjoy jazz and similar activities.
I did a “stretch,” some years back, of six years on the Pensacola Symphony Board and made similar observations about their audiences, too.
Betty, I hope this little overview of the Jazz Society of Pensacola’s efforts at jazz education will be helpful. I would be pleased to get your details about the efforts of the West Michigan Jazz Society in this regard. I am sending copy of this note to some on our JSOP Board and Key Committee chairs, as well as posting it my website "blog". Some who have not experienced the entire history of the local Jazz Society may not be aware of some of the events prior to their arrival on the scene.
One of the joys of the complimentary exchange of newsletters with your and other jazz societies is learning about the successes and failures of various efforts to promote jazz. Most of the editors are candid in their discussions. Sometimes we learn what-not-to-do from their experiences, thereby avoiding repeating failed efforts. I continually urge our key Jazz Society members to read the stack of newsletters, including yours with the wonderful book reviews you do, to learn how others do it.
Bless you. Good wishes. Keep those e-mails and newsletters coming.
Norman
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