Jazz Informance A Historical Perspective   Jazz – “…the only music form that this country can lay claim to.”     Harold Blanchard, Juilliard trained composer, pianist, arranger, child prodigy, band leader, university music professor.   Informance – An educational, entertaining, musical performance designed to use a creative approach to address family issues that transcend ethnic, language and economic barriers.   Today: Growing degradation of family life ·       Parents battling competing priorities o      Their own career development and education o      Elder care o      Parenting o      Grandparenting ·       Standards of Learning (SOLs) take precedence over music instruction in structured school settings.    Many parents succumb to the challenge of carving out enough time to provide the various levels of support, encouragement and “chauffeuring” required to compensate for loss of in-school music instruction.      Then, there was the Mozart Effect intrigue:  that people who do well in music do well in math and the other sciences.

Observations: v   People are very visual. v   Culturally diverse communities must work harder at developing cohesion. v   Music is the international language. v   Both parents and youths need mentors & role models. v   Casual culture: among youths, black tie has taken on a new meaning. v   Extended family may stretch across the country, or across the world. v   The demise of the porch, the doorway to neighborhood interaction. v   Awareness and appreciation of a most precious resource, our elders, and the powerful lessons they teach - both overt and silent lessons - have dwindled.

Logical conclusion? Produce just one educational concert, designed to appeal across cultures, and to multigenerations. Encourage formal attire.   That was back in year 2000...                                            Click here to sponsor a youth                              Join us at Jazz Informance 2008!