A small choir shuffled through a throng of guests to take the “stage,” a corner in an office, performing for its grand opening. They honed in on their director Demetrius Robinson and launched into a gospel song. I don’t remember the song, but I remember the silence that fell over the crowd as these young people sent their voices to the heavens within the genre of gospel. The word “transcendent” comes to mind.
A recent article may have suggested that jazz and its incorporation in classroom instruction is a key marker of quality in high school music programs. Though I’m a lifelong student of jazz music, I still believe the following statement to be true: An educator’s lack of background in jazz should never be considered a hindrance to realizing the dreams of students or predicting student success in music.
Memphis undoubtedly left its mark on jazz history, but honing in on jazz as the sole predictor of teacher and student efficacy ignores the multitude of educators with no background in jazz who have helped students realize their dreams. The best educators of Memphis come from a variety of backgrounds, as diverse as the musical legacy of the city in which we live and treasure.
I’ve seen popular music, music production, and show-style marching band programs grow and expand in high schools. Are we in the educational field really committed to saying that jazz is the only way and any lack of it is a detriment to the level of quality a music program can reach? I firmly cannot nor will not. My jazz background is invaluable, but so are my experiences playing the blues, classical music, and with rock bands.
In high school I joined the Ridgeway High School choir. There I felt connected to music in a way I’d never felt. Literally resonating with classmates as we sang together was a revelation — a turning point that further convinced me music would be my path.
My choral teacher Jeff Brewer never professed to be a jazz musician, yet he is one of the finest educators to ever lead young people to musical excellence. Jazz is not the only path to success and to suggest otherwise discredits the efforts of music educators and students who choose a different path. So what indicates potential future success? A fierce commitment to young people and the pursuit of musical excellence regardless of genre. — Victor Sawyer
I am an advocate for music education and the teaching of improvisation in our school systems. I wanted to make sure that my statements were clear, as I am a product of school band programs. I truly enjoyed all of my junior high and high school band experiences. Additionally, I played in marching bands, orchestras, jazz bands, and wind ensembles throughout my collegiate career.
Improvisation and understanding music in relation to history and culture are skills that are one of the first tenets recommended by the National Standards for Music Education and were developed by the National Association for Music Education. With that said, Memphis is widely regarded as one of the most culturally rich cities in the world, and its music legacy has been verified by gospel, blues, jazz, rock-and-roll, R&B, and hip hop legends.
Memphis’ legendary musical status is connected with American Root Music, and it is a language worth continuing in our schools today. I am a fan of the current band directors/music teachers in the greater Memphis area because a lot of them are friends of mine and they have an incredibly difficult job.
Locally, there are several professional jazz bands that provide opportunities to play America’s original art form. There are even two New Orleans-style brass bands that use improvisation to extend their arrangements.
There are music support programs in Memphis like the Stax Music Academy (where I teach), which is an after school music program that offers classes to middle and high school students on how to improvise and play Memphis’ legacy music of both R&B and jazz. Additionally, Stephen Lee is founder/executive director of the Memphis Jazz Workshop and has one of the best youth jazz programs in the country.
Learning about improvisation through jazz offers the opportunity to deepen your musicianship in the area of self-expression. You have the chance to be spontaneous and create new ideas in the moment. Jazz encourages musicians to work together, and I have found that there is great joy that comes with emotional musical expression.
In conclusion, it is imperative that we support our music and fine arts programs, and it is my sincere hope that we continue teaching Memphis’ legacy music to all of our students of music.
— Paul McKinney
Victor Sawyer is a trombonist who works with Stax Music Academy and oversees music educators for the Memphis Music Initiative; Paul McKinney is a trumpet player and director of student success/alumni relations at the Stax Music Academy.