Several other CJE education initiatives reach beyond formal
education environments to a variety of other venues in Chicago. In 2009, the CJE inaugurated a series of fun and informal lecture-demonstrations called
Listening Sessions. Hosted by CJE Artistic Director Dana Hall (pictured here with bassist Christian McBride) as well as band members, historians, guest
artists, and noted jazz critics, these informal discussions feature
recorded and live music demonstrations related to the thematic concerns of each
CJE concert. The discussion is very
interactive and the audience is encouraged to participate, including bringing
their own recordings related to the program topic. Past topics have included the seminal jazz
recordings of 1959, the influence of African percussion on jazz, and jazz in
post-Katrina New Orleans. The
discussions have attracted a wide cross-section of the Chicago audience and
provided lively interaction as well as valuable information.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago’s annual Straight Ahead and Other Directions Jazz Camp is designed in collaboration with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. MORE INFO
