Statements
Mission
The mission of the Nashville Jazz Workshop is to enrich people's lives and build community through world class jazz education and performances. Nashville Jazz Workshop aims to be Nashville's "go-to" jazz education and performance institution; to nourish Nashville's jazz scene by serving as an epicenter for jazz; and to bridge social divides and strengthen Nashville by bringing people together to celebrate the uniquely American cultural expression that is jazz.
Background
The organization was founded in 1998 by two accomplished professional artists, Lori Mechem and Roger Spencer, who saw the need for a community music school in Nashville where jazz would be taught, performed and preserved. The NJW incorporated as a nonprofit in 2000 allowing the organization to receive donor and grant support. Within several years, community support funded the expansion of the Workshop's educational and performance programs and outreach. Roger and Lori created a unique workshop environment where jazz professionals pass on their knowledge and skills via the time-honored journeyman/apprentice approach, where novice jazz players learn from accomplished masters.
NJW classes are intended for both beginner and experienced students of all ages and instruments. The curriculum includes extensive coursework in improvisation, jazz theory, repertoire, and performance for instrumentalists and vocalists. The vocal curriculum includes what may be the most extensive set of courses anywhere on the Great American Songbook. Jazz appreciation classes are offered for non-musicians in learning about the Jazz canon and its history.
Programs for young musicians include an intensive summer program with scholarships and lessons available for students with financial need. A recent collaboration with the Nashville Youth Jazz Ensemble, a nonprofit organization with big band and small combos serving over 60 young students, provides rehearsal and performance space at our facility.
NJW's performances and community events promote an appreciation for jazz. Regular performances are held at the Workshop's facility and at venues around the city, including the Frist Art Museum, the Nashville Public Library, Parnassus Books, the Downtown Art Crawl, and more. Award-winning outreach programs include Jazz on the Move, an educational and performance series for all ages, and Jazz A.M., a monthly program for families with children ages 2-10. Other free programs include Jazz in the Park, a series of 5 free concerts in Hadley Park; monthly jam sessions; and special activities as part of a Juneteenth neighborhood festival.
In the spirit of jazz itself, the NJW embraces diversity among our faculty, staff, and students as a means of achieving excellence in education, as a stimulus for innovation and problem solving, and ensures a culture of inclusion. Quite simply, Nashville could not claim to truly be "Music City" without the presence of the Nashville Jazz Workshop.
Impact
By providing a focus for jazz performance and education and by serving diverse populations across the community, the NJW has served as a bridge between communities while establishing a vibrant and energetic jazz scene alongside Nashville's better known (and better funded) musical genres.
The NJW has helped countless musicians and fans improve their skills and deepen their appreciation for this uniquely American art form.
The NJW has been a vital contributor to the creative economy, specifically to our creative community of jazz artists. Over its more than 20 years the NJW has paid over $2.5 million to professional jazz artists to teach and perform. Over time these payments have comprised one quarter to one third of the NJW's overall budget.
Recent Major accomplishments:
(1) Completed a successful relocation from NJW's home of nearly 20 years in the Neuhoff complex to a newly-renovated facility in the Buchanan Street Arts District in North Nashville.
(2) Pivoted to online classes and virtual concerts and special events during the pandemic to continue arts programming for the community and beyond; continued and expanded to offer both in-person and online workshops post-pandemic restrictions.
(3) Developed programming for deeper engagement with the surrounding community through a new program (Jazz A.M.) for families with children ages 2-10 and through music and arts programming for an annual neighborhood Juneteenth festival.
(4) Maintained programming for young musicians through a partnership with the Nashville Youth Jazz Ensemble and a scholarship lessons program for high school students; continued a long-running Summer Youth Jazz Camp with much excitement and demand.
(5) Grown NJW's online presence, with over 5,800 email subscribers and active followings on Facebook (9,800), Instagram (3,000+), and YouTube (over 45,000 subscribers).
(6) Classes, performances, and special events reach well over 11,000 people a year through live and virtual offerings, and thousands more via online and social media engagement.
(7) Showcased talented local and national jazz artists through a performance series in its listening room, the Jazz Cave, that are presented in person and streamed live to an international audience.
(8) Awards: NJW has been named as one of the Downbeat Magazine top 150 jazz venues in the world for eight straight years; the Jazz Journalists Association's "Jazz Heroes'' award went to Directors Lori Mechem and Roger Spencer; Nashville Music Pros named Lori Mechem as "Best Educator;" Nashville Scene "Best of Nashville" awards have gone to the NJW's Jazz Cave as Best Jazz Performance Venue, and the Jazz on the Move and Jazz A.M. programs have also received "Best of Nashville" awards; NJW has been a finalist for Center for Nonprofit Management's SunTrust "Business Acumen in the Arts" award.
Priorities for the coming years:
(1) Continue to offer outstanding in-person and on-line classes, in-person performances and community outreach programs to the public.
(2) Continue to establish and maintain productive partnerships throughout the community.
(3) Continue to diversify offerings within the jazz genre in performance, programming, and educational workshops to expand our connection to audiences of all types, ages, and backgrounds, as well as to the deep-rooted history of the genre of jazz and cultural impacts and outcomes.
(4) Expand our free community programs like our monthly Jazz A.M. and Jazz in the Park at Hadley Park May through September.
Needs
To thrive and grow, Nashville Jazz Workshop seeks to engage and increase individual donors, corporate sponsors, and grantors all year long. We seek to expand and bolster our network of active volunteers to assist us with our activities and events all year long. Nashville Jazz Workshop aims for the public to be aware of our programs and to understand the role NJW and jazz plays in maintaining a diverse musical culture in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.
CEO Statement
The NJW is unique in its approach to jazz education. Classes range from beginner to pro level, taught by working, professional musicians. This apprenticeship style of education allows the students to not only hone their craft, but to learn the intricacies of a successful career in music. Classes also serve the non-musician, with courses about jazz appreciation and history.
The three and six-week session formats allow NJW to offer highly focused topics that universities with a semester format cannot. Just describing the classes does not capture the passion students have about the Workshop experience. University students and pros get a "finishing school" education that helps them move to the ranks of professional jazz musicians. Adult amateurs are thrilled to be able to learn and perform this music they have always loved. Students routinely report that the Workshop experience has "changed their life."
The Workshop's performance venue, the Jazz Cave, regularly features performances from local, national, and international artists and is recognized locally and nationally as a top listening room for jazz in Nashville and the surrounding region. Students and audience members love the Workshop and support it through volunteer work, financial contributions, and bringing friends to classes and performances. We realize that we are not only training jazz students and entertaining jazz fans, but are helping to build a community of jazz musicians and fans that cuts across economic, neighborhood, and ethnic lines and helps preserve jazz as a vibrant, growing art
Our Community Programs are focused on bringing Jazz opportunities to a variety of different people in different places at no charge. We want to create a chance for Jazz lovers to engage with some of the best musicians in Nashville and for those who aren't familiar with Jazz, a chance to fall in love with the music.
Board Chair Statement
The Nashville Jazz Workshop is grateful for the community support we continue to receive. As we continue to build larger, more diverse audiences and students, we are well positioned to realize even more ambitious achievements and to expand our influence in jazz in Middle Tennessee - as well as in the greater musical community. As our journey as an organization continues, the Board has a critically important role to play. The Board has grown in size and diversity of talents, resources and backgrounds. We take care to ensure that as new Board members are added, they understand and support the mission of the NJW.
The programs of the NJW have developed in a progressive sequence to reflect and implement the mission of the organization. Class tuition and admission fees provide partial support, but we also depend on individual and corporate contributions and grant funding to support the full range of NJW programs. Community support is a critical component of our revenue stream. We have increased the number and experience of our Board to further our development efforts and to build awareness for the Workshop - allowing us to serve an even greater number of Middle Tennessee residents.
The NJW offers unique educational opportunities in a creative and supportive environment for jazz musicians at all levels. The performances in the intimacy of our Jazz Cave are remarkable. Our faculty and performers are truly world-class. In a city rich in music history, culture and opportunities, we are proud to be Nashville's community center for jazz. We will continue to expand and enrich peoples' lives through jazz education, training, and performances.
Service Categories |
|
| Primary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Music |
| Secondary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Arts Education |
| Tertiary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - |
Areas Served
The Nashville Jazz Workshop is located in Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County. The Workshop serves students in Davidson as well as the following surrounding counties: Cannon, Cheatham, Dixon, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson.
| TN - Cannon |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Wilson |
