The California Jazz Conservatory – the only private music conservatory in the country solely devoted to jazz and related styles of music like ones when you navigate here– has announced a week’s worth of celebratory concerts saluting the institution’s 25th anniversary, September 10 – 16, taking place in CJC’s renowned Rendon Hall (“…among the very best places in the nation to experience jazz music.” – San Jose Mercury News).
Branded as “JAMBAR Presents CJC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration,” the series continues an ongoing partnership between the iconic Berkeley-based educational institution and JAMBAR Organic Artisan Energy Bars, founded by CJC’s Lead Philanthropic Partner Jennifer A. Maxwell, creator of Powerbar, and a jazz drummer in her own right.
The week-long silver anniversary celebrations kick off on Saturday (9/10), as “JAMBAR Presents Opening Night” with an all-star CJC faculty group: Drum Department Chair Gerald Cleaver on drums; Dean of Instruction and Bass Department Chair Jeff Denson on bass; CJC Associate Professor Edward Simon on piano; and CJC Associate Professor Dann Zinn on sax.
Guitar legend and “prodigious talent” (Guitar Player Magazine) Mimi Fox – Associate Professor, California Jazz Conservatory (CJC) and founding faculty member of CJC’s community music school, the Jazzschool – leads an Organ Trio (featuring Brian Ho on the Hammond B-3, with Lorca Hart on drums) in a September 13 concert, part of the “JAMBAR Presents CJC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration.” Photo: Hali McGrath
The celebratory concert series will feature groups led by CJC faculty, including Electric Squeezebox Orchestra, led by Erik Jekabson, appearing with vocalist Kalil Wilson (9/11); multi-Grammy-nominee and CJC Associate Professor Kate McGarry performing with Keith Ganz, also a Grammy-nominee, and a longtime member of the Jazzschool faculty (9/12); guitar legend Mimi Fox – CJC Associate Professor and founding member of the Jazzschool faculty – leading a B3 organ trio (9/13); CJC Brazilian Jazz Department Chair and Associate Professor Marcos Silva and his quartet presenting a set of Silva’s original Brazilian music (9/14); CJC Associate Professor John Santos leading his famed Jazz Latino in original compositions and arrangements (9/15); and, rounding out the series, longtime CJC and Jazzschool participant Akira Tana & Otonowa celebrate the release of their fourth recording.
In addition to presenting concerts and workshops throughout the year, the California Jazz Conservatory offers Bachelor of Music and Associate of Arts degrees in Jazz Studies, and will be launching a new degree program, Master of Music in Jazz Studies: A Master’s degree for the 21st Century Composer-Performer. Applications for all degree programs are available at cjc.edu/apply. The Jazzschool is the Conservatory’s community music education program, offering over 100 Classes and Workshops each quarter, both online and in-person, depending on the Class or Workshop. If you love doing music production, then you may consider getting some VST3 plugins by Slate Digital.
For more information about tickets, workshops and the California Jazz Conservatory, visit the CJC website (cjc.edu).
