Savannah Music Festival Education

Check out this awesome SMF Jazz Academy demonstration on interpreting a standard with SMF Jazz Academy Music Director Fellow Erez Dessel & SMF Jazz Academy Community Liaison Aaron Jennings.

#throwbackthursday: Take an inside look at a practice session with SMF Jazz Academy student Jaden & his artist instructor Mr. Luther.

Last week students of SMF Jazz Academy learned about jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams and her contributions to the music. Like many jazz musicians in the early 20th century, Williams took popular show-tunes or songs from Broadway musicals and applied the sounds, rhythm, and swing feel of jazz to create what we call "Standards" in jazz. Check out Mary Lou William's recording of "Surrey With the Fringe on Top," a song originally from the hit musical "Oklahoma."

#FlashbackFriday: Check out this clip of SMF Jazz Academy student Christina performing her original blues lyrics and melodies from last week's Intermediate/Advanced Class! We are so proud of all of our students and the progress they're making each week!

Recently SMF Jazz Academy students have been working on the blues and what it means to sing the blues. They learned about the structure of the music and wrote their own original blues compositions with topics ranging from heartbreak to pancakes! There's no one better to learn from than Billie Holiday, so they worked with this song as a model and looked to her lyrics for inspiration.

Last week SMF Jazz Academy students learned about the father of jazz, Louis Armstrong! Considered one of the most influential musicians in jazz, Armstrong transformed the world with his playing, singing/scatting, compositions, and smile. Learn about the life and legacy of Louis Armstrong through this article. https://www.louisarmstronghouse.org/biography/

We heard from White Bluff Elementary School teacher, Elizabeth Rozanski, about the impact Musical Explorers has on her students and teachers. Check out what she had to say above.

We love to hear about the impact of Musical Explorers from teachers in the classroom! Read what Joan White from Port Wentworth Elementary School had to say about the program.

MEET SMF JAZZ ACADEMY ARTIST INSTRUCTOR MARISA WEBSTER. Marisa Webster, a native of Orange Park, Florida a suburb outside of Jacksonville, is a trumpeter, composer, arranger, entrepreneur, and music educator. Ever since beginning the trumpet in the seventh-grade, music has been a passion in her life. she is a graduate of the prestigious Douglas Anderson School of the Arts, as well as a graduate of The Florida State University. Webster is currently attending Temple Univers...ity in pursuit of her master’s degree in Jazz performance. And studying under the acclaimed trumpeter, Terell Stafford. In 2018 Webster joined the Mica Bethea Big Band, a phenomenal group based in Jacksonville, Fl. Along with that, she has had the great opportunity to perform at Carnegie Hall, the Savannah Heritage Future of Jazz Festival, the Lavilla Jazz Festival, The Northeast Florida Jazz Society reception, the Midwest Clinic, and the Jacksonville Festival. Webster is an alumnus of The 2019 Betty Carter Jazz Ahead program. An international jazz residency that features performances and compositions by the next generation of jazz greats. The performances take place at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Webster has had the opportunity to perform and study with various artist, including Teddy Adams, John Lumpkin, Marcus Printup, Mica Bethea, Alphonso Horne, Marcus Roberts, Ron Blake, Victor Provost, Ulysses Owens Jr., Dion Parson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Peter Martin, Jason Moran, Greg Hutchinson, Rodney Jordan, Leon Anderson, and Jason Hainsworth.

MEET SMF JAZZ ACADEMY ARTIST INSTRUCTOR AMINA SCOTT Amina Scott, born and raised in Oakland, CA, is an upright and electric bassist, composer, and arranger. Her interest in music began at an early age when her grandmother began giving her piano lessons. From then, her love and passion for music has yet to cease, playing electric bass at the age of twelve and was soon playing gigs with local bands in Oakland. In 2012, Scott relocated to New Orleans, LA where she studied a...t Loyola University New Orleans under Allen Nisbet, Roland Guerin, and Ed Wise. She graduated from Loyola in 2016 with a Bachelor of Music in Music Industry Studies. In 2017, Scott began her studies at Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) studying with Rodney Jordan, Leon Anderson, Marcus Roberts, and Bill Peterson. In 2019, she obtained her Masters in Music in jazz studies. While a student at FSU, Scott joined The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra- NOJO led by Adonis Rose where she not only plays bass but also arranges and writes for the big band and the small group, the NOJO 7. Now based in New Orleans, Scott has performed with various artists including Steve Turre, Wessell Warm Daddy Anderson, Nicholas Payton, David Murray, Jamison Ross, Joanne Brackeen, Herlin Riley, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, and more. She has also performed with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra (Tallahassee, FL) and the Albany Symphony Orchestra (Albany, GA). In 2017, Amina was a fellow in the Steans Institute of Music Jazz Program (Ravinia, IL) under the direction of Rufus Reid, Billy Childs, and Nathan Davis. She is also a bandleader in her own right leading her quartet, her six-piece fusion band PHYRA.

Today’s the final day to enroll your student in our SMF Jazz Academy! Students will learn how to play jazz on the melodica, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, piano, or drums. By signing your student up they’ll receive: Instrument Rental (if needed) Weekly Private Lessons (Intermediate & Advanced students)... Jazz History & Listening Class Jazz Composition & Music Technology Class Weekly Delivered Snack Packs Virtual Performance Opportunities Don’t wait until it’s too late. Sign-up today! https://bit.ly/3cqN9le

Get to know SMF Jazz Academy Artist Instructor, Ricardo Pascal! Born in Croydon, England, Pascal moved to America at the age of five and began playing the saxophone at the age of 12. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University and his Masters at the University of New Orleans. As a member of The Modern Jazz Generation, he has collaborated with Marcus Roberts in various settings, from performances at Jazz at the Lincoln Center and The Village Vanguar...d to an appearance on CBS’s 60 Minutes. Pascal has been featured as a soloist with The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra- NOJO and serves on the faculty of Swing Central Jazz for the Savannah Music Festival. His professional work as a jazz saxophonist has taken him all over the world, including England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Belgium, The Netherlands, Norway, Hungary, Sardinia, Italy, St. Lucia, Barbados, Canada, Australia, and China. His work as an educator has involved classes, clinics, and masterclasses at New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA), Florida State University, The New Orleans Jazz Institute, and Tulane University, among many others. Other artists he has collaborated with include Nicholas Payton, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Shanon Powell, Herlin Riley, Adonis Rose, Jason Marsalis, James Singleton, Wes Anderson, Ricky Sebastian, Jamison Ross, Ledisi, and Quiana Lynell.

Check out our intermediate group of SMF Jazz Academy students, along with some of our SMF Jazz Academy staff during their online session last week! Enroll your student to our FREE SMF Jazz Academy program, aimed to empower students by instilling life-long skills of academic, social, and musical achievement. Students will learn how to play jazz and will receive an instrument rental, weekly private lessons depending on level, jazz history & listening classes, jazz composition & music technology classes, weekly delivered snack packs, virtual performance opportunities, and so much more! Don't wait! Enrollment closes Tuesday, September 30! https://bit.ly/3cqN9le