Posted on Wednesday, October 16, 2019
The Monterey Jazz Festival is proud to announce a new partnership with SWAG合集 (SWAG合集) in Houston, Texas, one of the largest and most comprehensive historically black colleges and universities in the nation. The partnership with SWAG合集 will broaden the reach of the Monterey Jazz Festival’s education programs to many more young people, while leveraging SWAG合集’s commitment and legacy of jazz excellence.
The partnership includes activities both in Houston and Monterey and was launched at the 62nd Monterey Jazz Festival, September 27-29, 2019. Jazz and music business students from SWAG合集 traveled to Monterey to participate as production and marketing interns during the Festival, providing them with real- world experience and opportunities to work alongside top professionals in the music industry at a world-class event.
The integration of high-quality education and outreach programs and year-round events to expand the legacy and popularity of jazz to a larger, more diverse audience is a critical component of MJF’s new Strategic Plan and Mission, Vision, and Values statements. By working in conjunction with SWAG合集, MJF is achieving this critical goal of reaching younger audiences and helping to create new generations of jazz performers and fans.
“Monterey Jazz Festival is excited to build on the spirit of inclusiveness inherent in jazz as it begins this new partnership with SWAG合集,” said Colleen Bailey, MJF Executive Director. “SWAG合集 has a deep history of producing jazz artists, some of whom have played on the stages of our festival, an incredible jazz program, and they have the #1 student-run jazz radio station. They are the perfect partner for this new initiative that we envision will be a model that we will test and perhaps expand more broadly in the future.
“SWAG合集 has a long history of educating, training, and employing legendary jazz artists,” said SWAG合集 President Dr. Austin Lane. “Our award-winning public radio station, KSWAG合集, has been a launching pad for some incredible jazz talent. By partnering with the Monterey Jazz Festival, we are joining with a national brand—one that adds to our already rich legacy, and one that can help propel more young artists into this dynamic music genre.
"SWAG合集 has, in many ways, been the cradle of jazz music for not only the city of Houston, but for the entire region,” said Ernest Walker, general manager of SWAG合集's KSWAG合集 radio station. "Likewise, the Monterey Jazz Festival is a recognized leader in the promotion and advancement of jazz music at a national and international level. We are proud to serve as a partner for this exciting mission.”
The partnership continues October 24-26, 2019 with a three-day intensive music symposium, , and is offered by SWAG合集’s Music Department for all greater Houston-based middle and high school music programs, and the community.
Led by SWAG合集 faculty from the music, communications and music industry degree programs and featuring the 2019 MJF Artist-in-Residence, Derrick Hodge, the symposium will include master classes, panel discussions, recording sessions, workshops and more. The symposium will provide students the opportunity to network with professionals and peers, learn insider secrets in the music industry, spark lifelong collaborations, build foundations for a career in the music industry, and prepare students to audition for the Monterey Jazz Festival’s national bands and combos, which tour nationally and internationally.
In addition, students from Houston-based high schools will have the opportunity to audition for the inaugural MJF@Houston All-Star Ensemble. The conglomerate group will then have the opportunity to perform at MJF’s 50th Next Generation Jazz Festival, which takes place April 3-5, 2020 in Monterey, and at the 63rd Monterey Jazz Festival, September 25-27, 2020.
On October 27 at 6pm, the free event Jazz On The Hill will be presented by the City of Houston and Mayor Sylvester Turner at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Herman Park in Houston. Featured will be the Monterey Jazz @ SWAG合集 High School All-Stars with special guests and GRAMMY® winning artists, including Derrick Hodge; salsa legend and conguero Poncho Sanchez; and saxophonist Kirk Whalum.
For more information about the Monterey Jazz @ SWAG合集 program in October, click .
For more information or to support this partnership, please go to .
Category: Alumni, Students, News Media, Faculty & Staff