Austin Jazz Workshop
Encyclopedia
The Austin Jazz Workshop is a nonprofit group of professional musicians dedicated to jazz
performance
in central Texas
public schools. Founded in 1994, the group performs over one hundred shows for an estimated 35,000 children each season.
The Austin Jazz Workshop's mission is to perform for and mentor students in central Texas public schools in order to encourage their participation in band
, orchestra
, and choir
programs; to uphold and promote the American jazz tradition; and to enhance quality of life through live performances employing area musician
s and collaborations with nonprofit organizations in central Texas.
The group features many prominent central Texas musicians, including James Polk, Ernie Durawa, Michael Melinger, Glenn Rexach, Randy Zimmerman, Alex Coke
, and others. Featured vocalists have included Tina Marsh
, Mady Kaye, and Suzi Stern.
Each year's season is dedicated to a performer or style. Past seasons have featured the music of Duke Ellington
, George Gershwin
, Thelonious Monk
, Louis Armstrong
, Thomas 'Fats' Waller
, Cole Porter
, Antonio Carlos Jobim
, and others.
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
performance
Performance
A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which a performer or group of performers behave in a particular way for another group of people, the audience. Choral music and ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience...
in central Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
public schools. Founded in 1994, the group performs over one hundred shows for an estimated 35,000 children each season.
The Austin Jazz Workshop's mission is to perform for and mentor students in central Texas public schools in order to encourage their participation in band
Marching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, and choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
programs; to uphold and promote the American jazz tradition; and to enhance quality of life through live performances employing area musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
s and collaborations with nonprofit organizations in central Texas.
The group features many prominent central Texas musicians, including James Polk, Ernie Durawa, Michael Melinger, Glenn Rexach, Randy Zimmerman, Alex Coke
Alex Coke
Alex Coke is a jazz saxophonist and flutist. He graduated with his B.A. from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1976. Before moving to Amsterdam in 1992, he was the recipient of many local awards. In the 1990s, Coke toured with the Dutch jazz ensemble the Willem Breuker Kollektief...
, and others. Featured vocalists have included Tina Marsh
Tina Marsh
Tina Marsh was a jazz vocalist and composer based in Austin, Texas. Marsh was the creative director of the Creative Opportunity Orchestra , a large jazz ensemble which she founded in 1980. In 2000, the Austin Chronicle inducted Marsh into its Texas Music Hall of Fame...
, Mady Kaye, and Suzi Stern.
Each year's season is dedicated to a performer or style. Past seasons have featured the music of Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington
Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American composer, pianist, and big band leader. Ellington wrote over 1,000 compositions...
, George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
, Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Sphere Monk was an American jazz pianist and composer considered "one of the giants of American music". Monk had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including "Epistrophy", "'Round Midnight", "Blue Monk", "Straight, No Chaser"...
, Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Thomas 'Fats' Waller
Fats Waller
Fats Waller , born Thomas Wright Waller, was a jazz pianist, organist, composer, singer, and comedic entertainer...
, Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
, Antonio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
, and others.