From the Artistic Director
"To say we are living in the worst of times seems to be true, especially the amount of deaths we are witnessing and could personally be going through via a friend, oneself or a family member.
Jazz particularly suffers because the need for interaction cannot be replaced by ZOOM, etc. This is equally true for any of the performing arts. The best we can do in a time like this is to rely on the positive vibes and innate spirituality we all receive from jazz and in fact all meaningful music. This is as listeners and performers.
One of the important strengths of jazz music is in the incredible camaraderie present, sometimes taken for granted. For those who have been at the IASJ Jazz Meetings, you have heard me reiterate these points at my ending lectures over the years. As teachers, we have to hold these truths to be self-evident (as the American Declaration of Independence states so eloquently). Our students look up to us as mentors and pillars of strength. This responsibility cannot be overstated.
We are a community of like-minded people. We must remember this and hold ourselves to a high standard in our interactions. At times like this I personally go back to the music of late Coltrane as a resource. Whatever works, use it!!”
David Liebman
