Jazz Education Inc. (JEI) recently hosted its 39th Summer Jazz Workshop in Houston. Designed to inspire young aspiring jazz musicians, the five-week program was founded by Bubbah Thomas.
Thomas was seeking a way to reach the aspiring aficionados and create a place for them to learn various areas of the industry not taught in traditional school settings, such as business in music, musical resume writing and copyright laws.
“We have a long history and tradition of turning out quality musicians,“ he said, “because that’s what we do here.”
Participants gather from Houston and range from elementary school age through college. The reputation of the workshop has preceded itself, as some students graduate from and ultimately teach at Juilliard.
The instructors are grade school teachers, college professors and professional musicians.
“I’ve been fortunate to hire great people. Our organization is like a band and we all work well together,” Thomas said, adding that the workshop’s professional musician staff includes Jason Moran, Brandon Lee and Kyle Turner. Thomas allows the students to evaluate the instructors to test their productivity with the children. “I want to know if they’re learning something or feel comfortable with this person in the classroom.”
Students leave the workshop feeling inspired to work on their music leisurely.
“Every year, the new children exceed our expectations,” he said. “Children are sponges; all you have to do is soak knowledge up in a sponge and it will absorb it.”
One of the most rewarding aspects is the workshop’s aftereffect, Thomas said. Students also benefit in their traditional areas of study, such as math, due to music being rich in mathematical content.
This year’s workshop concluded with a celebration at the Houston International Jazz Festival and McDonald’s was present as a sponsor.
“We’re interested in having the whole family come and join the Houston International Jazz Festival, just as you would go with the whole family and eat at McDonald’s,” Thomas said.
JEI has earned recognition at every level, including internationally. It has been the recipient of several honors, including the American Can, Centering the Arts, the Barbara Jordan Award and a Certificate of Congressional Recognition. Thomas’ quest to house a place of growth and knowledge in the community for the youth will continue to flourish with each workshop held. –callye peyrovi
