San Francisco Jazz Organization

Programs: Main events: as one of the largest performing arts organization in the san francisco bay area, sfjazz is committed to presenting performances that inspire music lovers. All sfjazz programs reflect a spirit of artistic exploration, embracing the full breadth of jazz and its related music; emphasize thematic programming, with tributes to jazz masters and celebrations of particular musical instruments, trends or styles; and strive to instill enthusiasm for jazz among wider audiences. Hailed by the london observer as "the best jazz festival in the world," the san francisco jazz festival is a celebration of today's best music. Every summer the festival presents a phenomenal array of jazz concerts, from the classic to the avant-garde, gathering the legends of today and the rising stars of tomorrow. Originally the san francisco jazz festival was a small-scale event known mostly in the local community, the organization has risen to national and international prominence. Following on the heels of a successful expansion in the fall festival and spring seasons, sfjazz launched in 2008, the world is listening: campaign for the sfjazz center. Inspired by an anonymous gift of $20 million, the largest ever given to a jazz organization, sfjazz center opened in san francisco on january 21, 2013. As the first concert hall of its type in the western u. S. Built both for jazz performance and education, the new sfjazz center represents a milestone for this authentic american art form.

education: the organization also sponsors year-round education programs for youth and adults aimed at building the audience for jazz and deepening their understanding of jazz music. Sfjazz education programs for youth are the following:jazz in the middle - throughout the academic year, sfjazz provides curriculum-based residencies, linking jazz and academic subjects in the classroom. Offered free of charge to sfusd middle schools, the program fosters the connections between classroom curricula and the arts. The goal of jazz in the middle is to build literacy skills through understanding of the historical context and cultural dimensions of music, with students responding creatively to elements of music and applying what they learn to writing and other subjects. Sfjazz high school all-stars - throughout the academic year, sfjazz provides advanced jazz training and performance opportunities for talented young musicians in both big band and small ensemble formats, selected annually by competitive audition (free to participants). Meet the masters - a series of workshops, school assemblies, open rehearsals, salons, master classes, mentoring sessions, community events and interactive performances by jazz masters, bring world-class jazz artists. Discover jazz history and appreciation classes:discover jazz dives into the colorful mythology and history of jazz, swinging right into the music's key figures, recordings, forms, and ideas. Each class hits upon essential concepts that, when taken as a complete series, give any fan the ability to hear between the lines of great jazz performances. In addition to the class content, there will be interactive live jazz performances, giving participants immediate access to the process and practice of the jazz musician. Sfjazz adult and family education programs are the following:discover jazz - weekly evening music appreciation classes for adults, offering entertaining and informative insights into jazz music, history and culture; presented in association with the jewish community center of san francisco. Pre-concert talks - enlightening free pre-show discussions from the stage in which jazz artists, scholars, and industry professionals offer insights to enhance audience appreciation of selected concerts and films. Jazz listening parties - free to sfjazz members, these popular events hosted by leading jazz artists feature relaxed discussion and guided listening to recorded works. Family matinee concerts - created with families in mind, this series showcases leading musicians in reduced-price, hour-long, afternoon concerts, combining world-class artistry with interactive discussion and audience participation.

sf jazz collective: the sfjazz collective is an all-star jazz ensemble comprising eight of the finest performer/composers at work in jazz today. Launched in 2004 by sfjazz with invaluable start-up funding from the james irvine foundation, the collective has quickly become one of the most exciting and acclaimed groups on the american and international jazz scenes. As the new york times hailed the collective upon its debut: "a serious jazz band rises in san francisco. "in addition to its outstanding line-up, the sfjazz collective has been praised for its innovative approach to repertoire. Each year, the ensemble performs an entirely new list of works, consisting of compositions by a modern jazz master and new pieces by the collective members (commissioned by sfjazz). Through this pioneering approach, simultaneously honoring jazz's recent history while championing the music's up-to-the-minute directions, the collective embodies sfjazz's organizational commitment to jazz as a living, ever-changing, and ever-relevant art form. To cultivate its distinctive sound, the sfjazz collective convenes in san francisco each year for a multi-week residency. Throughout this extended rehearsal period-a rarity in today's jazz-the octet workshops the season's new repertoire and interacts with the bay area community through sfjazz's education programs for youth and adults. The collective then takes to the performance stage, including home season concerts under the auspices of the sfjazz spring season and a national and international tour, with stops in a number of the world's most prominent concert halls.

sfjazz summerfest is the organization's annual series of free outdoor concerts, featuring events from july through september. Locations include levi's plaza, stanford shopping center. Sfjazz free outdoors showcases local musicians in noon-time or late afternoon concerts all free and open to the public, displaying a wide array of styles, from straight-ahead jazz, to latin rhythms, swing, blues, and vocals.