Celebrating Atlanta’s Local Black History and Jazz

Joe Jennings: A cultural ambassador for African American classical music — 

This week on the Empowerment Zone podcast, educator and musical extraordinaire Joe Jennings, joins me. The jazz musician, and former director of the Spelman Jazz Ensemble, contributions include being the founder and director of the Neighborhood Arts Ensemble, a 22-piece big Band in Atlanta, as well as the founder and director of the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Ensemble, a jazz workshop for metropolitan youth. 

In today’s episode, we discuss the role of jazz in the cultural evolution of African Americans, why we have to celebrate and position our own music in order for others to view it as important, and the opportunities that a career in music can bring. Joe also shares why you mustn’t doubt your innate abilities.

 

Highlights of our conversation include:

-Jazz and African-American history
-Which musician influenced Joe to become a musician 

-Jazz is part of the cultural evolution of African-Americans

-The influence of jazz

-Positioning our music

-The path of music education

-Joe talks about life as a performer

-Joe's Jazz Joint 

-The legacy Joe wants to create
-Where Joe learned about jazz music
-Believing in yourself

RESOURCES:
Website:  https://www.joesjazzjoint.org/
Facebook:  FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083639521300  

Connect with me!

Ramona Houston