Artist Stories

Jazz has been entwined with Latin music since its very beginning—in fact, jazz scholar Christopher Washburne argues that the birth of jazz happened synchronously with the birth of Latin jazz.

While the resonances of Cuban rhythms can be heard from the beginning of jazz history, most historians recognize the relationships among trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, percussionist Chano Pozo and trumpeter and bandleader Mario Bauzá as what introduced mainstream jazz players and audiences to Afro-Cuban jazz.

In the 1920s, the saxophone gained prominence in jazz through touring military and brass bands, and jazz never looked back. The saxophone family includes up to 9 members showcases its versatility. Learn more about the role of sax in jazz history.

As we waited for students to arrive for the Jeff “Tain” Watts Workshop, our Education Director, Patrick Brown, sat down with the jazz legend for a brief reflection on jazz education.

We swing into the heat of summer this June with the swing of hot house jazz, “jazz manouche”, today known better as gypsy jazz. Learn how the style evolved and why it is relevant today.