In 2007, Jazz Forward was founded to provide educational and performance services that would continue the rich legacy of jazz as an African American cultural contribution to our society. In many communities of our country, young people have had limited access to jazz music and no knowledge of its historical roots. We will overcome that by providing a mobile educational and performing package that is flexible in its approach and suitable in presentation for both musically trained and untrained students.
We chose to approach high school and college youth because as a musical medium, jazz provides an engaging connection for students who have a cultural disconnect to traditional classical music, it is closer to the popular genre of music and therefore more likely to be readily received by young people. Although not technically complex, jazz provides an easier transition for both formally trained as well as untrained students operating at an introductory level. While the country is experiencing a "renaissance" in this art form on either coasts, the area of greatest growth in jazz education nationally is specifically in the area of specialty "music and art" high schools, universities and colleges.
We seek to become a valuable resource that encourages and promotes the professional preservation of jazz music through the use of jazz education by creating a teaching environment that honors the traditional culture that created jazz as a medium. We do this by invoking the desire to deliver jazz music with the understanding that to do so, you must be a part of the "life experience". We recognize that the delivery of jazz is not diminished by the secondary cultural expression as long as homage is given to the originators and truth is disseminated in the telling of the history of this art form.
The management team of our presentation is lead by Ena Nearon Menefield. She is our Managing Director as well as the President and CEO of the Ten Talents Network, the producer of the Jazz Forward concept. Ms. Nearon Menefield brings a business background that consists of more than 30 years of relevant hands-on sales, team management and product marketing experience. Our highly skilled and talented presenters, Bruce Menefield and Erwin Stuckey, have a combined total of more than 70 years of extensive jazz performance, public speaking, education and producing experience.
Jazz Forward is the complete jazz education package, consisting of customized curriculum for professional teaching staff, long term consulting options, parent training and teaching methods, follow up presentations and additional materials made available in a wide variety of formats.
Contact JAZZ FORWARD INC
tentalentsnetwork.org/
