On April 4, summer came early (for a day or two at least) to the DC area and on that day, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) hosted its tenth (or so) annual Jazz Informance (part performance, and part jazz lesson) in collaboration with the Herbie Hancock institute of Jazz (HHIJ). Along with the heat, came some hot jazz from four of the most gifted and talented high school jazz students from performing arts schools in DC, Baltimore, and NYC, playing with a gifted music teacher from Baltimore School for the Arts, and an off-the-charts, talented jazz trumpeter and educator Terrell Stafford.
The students were: Quinn Rehkemper, alto saxophone, junior—Baltimore School for the Arts; Seif Gharsellaoui, tenor saxophone, senior—LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts; José André Montano, piano, junior—Duke Ellington School of the Arts; and Julian Frazier, drums, junior—Baltimore School for the Arts. The teacher was Ed Hrybyk, bass, Director of Jazz Studies—Baltimore School for the Artts.
They played flawlessly the works of Hank Mobley. Joe Henderson, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis. And after a standing ovation from the audience, they played an encore with a special "One by One" tribute to the recently deceased, Wayne Shorter (a special friend of Herbie Hancock and jazz enthusiasts around the world).
Maureen Dowling of ED and Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona, introduced the program, and I had the honor of giving short remarks as well as introducing a master jazz instructor, Dr. J.B. Dyas from the HHIJ. Dr. Dyas (along with the performers) gave a lesson or two to the audience making the complexities of jazz simple and understandable, and showing what really makes jazz the magic that it is. .
In that packed Education Department auditorium of students and their teachers and ED colleagues (with on line audience watching as well), we became part of a joyful and soulful explosion of spontaneity, risk-taking, individuality, collaboration, teamwork, trust, and freedom that exemplify the American spirit and the principles of leadership at its finest. On this day, at ED. history was made and remade.
When responding to audience questions, the students were as articulate and thoughtful with words as they were with their music. If you ever doubted that students of all ages can learn, that good teachers can teach even the most difficult of subjects, and that people of all views can get engaged and come out of their comfort zones to collaborate for a greater good, your doubts were put to rest in ninety short and shining minutes. The power of music to influence thinking skills, the power of teaching and learning, the power of being open to new views and ideas, the power of taking risks and learning from the mistakes that might come, all came together through the sounds and the words of a diverse team of gifted. yet humble student musicians and teachers, playing with an experienced virtuoso. This was truly a lesson and an experience for the ages. You can experience it for yourself at:
