Jazz Is Our Music
uses the principles found in jazz to teach life lessons through an interactive and dynamic jazz performance.
“Keith Hall’s passion and excitement for music motivates students to adventure out of their comfort zones and explore an artistic side that may be very new to them. His talent in combination with his inviting personality make him an instructor for all ages.”
We present the art of jazz, improvisation, and American History through live performances, visual media, and hands-on experience. A live jazz group interacts with students as they demonstrate instruments, and their role in the ensemble. The students interact as they clap and sing along, and through the discovery of important jazz personalities in American history, the students are motivated to celebrate their own individuality, self-expression and life purpose.
The musicians include seasoned professionals and area university jazz students. The group consists of racially diverse musicians from two different generations, offering a model for leadership, community cooperation, shared goals, while promoting acceptance, and a celebration of diversity. Keith Hall, an internationally recognized performer and educator, leads the group. Keith is the jazz drum set professor at Western Michigan University. (www.KeithHallMusic.com).
Jazz Is Our Music seeks:
To develop future artists, advocates and audiences through an exposure and appreciation for jazz, improvisation, how they relate to American history, and the connection to our daily lives.
To instill a desire for students to pursue their dreams and encourage the development of each unique voice, individual expression, and a greater sense of purpose.
To inspire the celebration of diversity and foster a stronger sense of community, thereby cultivating the understanding and acceptance of others from different generational, social, racial, philosophical, cultural and religious backgrounds.
To inspire students to become involved in their school choir, band and orchestra programs and collaborate with the teachers to help build momentum for their school music programs. Involvement in these programs will enrich the students' lives, enhance their cognitive abilities in other school subjects, and impact their academic success.
We believe that reaching these students at a younger age will set them on a course for success.
Jazz Is Our Music has presented at the following:
West Michigan Academy of Arts and Academics
Paramount Charter School
Portage Central Elementary School
Starr Commonwealth School
Maple Street Magnet Middle School
Maple Street Elementary School
Milwood Middle School
Milwood Elementary School
Barclay Hills High School
Comstock Compass High School
Woods Edge
Valley Center
Washington Writer’s Academy
Edison Environmental Science Academy
Spring Valley Center for Exploration
Lincoln International Studies School
Woodward School for Technology and Research
Woods Lake Elementary School
Greenwood Elementary School
Winchell Elementary School
Northglade Elementary School
Prarie Ridge Elementary School
More PRAISE FOR JAZZ IS OUR MUSIC:
“One of the best programs I’ve been to, and… I’ve been to quite a few in thirty-one years.”
“I saw all of the teachers nodding their heads and snapping their fingers so, we all really enjoyed it and I think it’s a bright spot of an experience throughout a day for all different ages of kids and adults.”
“I loved how they reached the students through speaking, they reached them through listening, and then they also had it projected, so those students were able to see. But then the students were also able to do. So they reached all four of the learning modalities, which is what’s important for us when we’re educating.”
“I really want to thank you for coming out and doing this…they don’t get to hear a together program about jazz by jazz musicians right there in front of them. And hearing excellent music played in front of them and seeing musicians doing that is not something they get to do very often.”
