Ask Me About Jazz program

An Interactive Musical Journey for Young Minds

Ask Me About Jazz! is a groundbreaking educational program designed to introduce elementary school-aged children to the rich, vibrant world of jazz music through hands-on learning and interactive performance. Created as part of the Northampton Jazz Festival's commitment to cultural education and accessibility, this innovative musical experience transforms young listeners into active participants in the jazz tradition.

Jazz music represents one of America's most significant cultural contributions to the world; it is a genre born from African-American creativity, resilience, and innovation. Ask Me About Jazz! serves as a bridge between this historic art form and the next generation, ensuring that the legacy of jazz continues to inspire, educate, and unite communities.

Our program embodies the festival's core philosophy: "We make jazz accessible for everyone." By creating an environment where children can experience jazz as more than just background music, we foster genuine appreciation and understanding of this complex, beautiful musical language.

The Experience

For a second year in a row the program is led by world-class musicians including 2025 Grammy Award-winning pianist Zaccai Curtis, master drummer and educator Richie Barshay, soulful clarinetist Evan Arntzen, and groove bassist Wes Brown, Ask Me About Jazz! offers children an intimate, engaging encounter with professional jazz artistry. These accomplished performers don't merely play for their young audience: they invite children to become part of the music itself.

During the interactive concert, children and their adult companions will:

• Discover Jazz Origins: Learn how jazz was born and evolved, exploring the legendary musicians who shaped its development

• Experience Active Participation: Clap along to syncopated rhythms, snap to the beat, and learn signature jazz movements

• Explore Musical Elements: Understand the different instruments, sounds, and techniques that make jazz unique

• Connect Across Generations: Share the joy of music-making in a family-friendly environment designed for ages 5 to 100!

Educational Impact

The program addresses a critical need in arts education by making sophisticated musical concepts accessible to young minds. Through board member Ricard Torres-Mateluna's vision—inspired by his own childhood experience watching world renowned, Chilean classical pianist Claudio Arrau—Ask Me About Jazz! demonstrates how early exposure to quality musical experiences can shape a lifetime of cultural appreciation.

Research consistently shows that jazz education develops:

• Enhanced listening skills and musical literacy

• Appreciation for cultural diversity and historical context

• Creative thinking through improvisation concepts

• Community connection through shared musical experiences

Community Connection

Ask Me About Jazz! extends beyond the concert hall through special features like the Jazz Parade, where participants march with the Expandable Brass Band from the Northampton Center for the Arts to Pulaski Park. This community procession embodies jazz music's fundamental spirit of bringing people together across cultural, generational, and social boundaries.

Accessibility and Inclusion

True to the Northampton Jazz Festival, Ask Me About Jazz! is offered free of charge to ensure that economic barriers don't prevent families from accessing high-quality arts education. Limited capacity ensures an intimate, personalized experience where every child can fully engage with the performance.

Looking Forward

As jazz continues to evolve as a global language of musical expression—incorporating influences from every corner of the world while maintaining its core identity—Ask Me About Jazz! prepares young people to appreciate both the tradition and innovation that define this remarkable art form.

By nurturing young jazz enthusiasts today, we ensure that tomorrow's audiences will understand jazz not merely as entertainment, but as a profound expression of human creativity, cultural heritage, and the power of music to unite diverse communities in shared joy and understanding.

Ask Me About Jazz! represents more than a children's concert—it's an investment in cultural continuity, educational excellence, and the fundamental belief that great music belongs to everyone, regardless of age or background.