As a non-profit public benefit corporation, Generation in Jazz Foundation’s mission is to:

• Support, create and sponsor youth and adult bands
• Supplement and complement existing school programs
• Encourage participation and create opportunities for musicians to play and perform
• Promote local community concerts and festivals including, but not limited to, senior centers, under-served communities, local fundraising events, musical instrument donation program
• Assist our local Community Theatre and other performance venues within our community
• Support and teach middle and high school honor jazz band musicians to achieve higher musical standards and to experience professional performance acumen in the local community

History

In 1999, the Generations in Jazz program formed the Lafayette Summer Music Workshop—a summer jazz camp for middle-school- through high-school-aged children. Student musicians traveled to Lafayette from as far as Japan and France to learn from some of the finest musicians who are dedicated to preserving the traditions of jazz as an American art form.

From that point, Generations in Jazz 2000, a recording arts project, was launched. Professional musicians led and prepared the band members for a recording session, which produced a community CD highlighting the performances of student musicians from the County’s middle and high schools. The performing arts students from Los Medanos College (a local community college) assisted us with this successful recording endeavor.

By Spring of 2001, the Generations in Jazz Festival was produced in Lafayette, California, borne from an idea by jazz enthusiast, Larry Pines. Students diligently rehearsed for their live performances, which featured music from swing to funk. These musicians performed in the historic Town Hall Theatre of Lafayette. Among the featured musicians were an Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame artist, Concord Jazz and Epic Recording artists, and one of the finest big band arrangers from Lionel Hampton’s band.

Today

With the Jazz Camp and Lafayette Festival running strong...the Foundation is now focused on outreach classes to teach jazz to deserving music students and to provide access to instruments through our instrument donation drive.  Our newest project is developing a recording arts program begining in middle school and going through high school.