The World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series’ (WFLJS) mission is to preserve the rich legacy of jazz culture by bringing awareness to its evolving relationship with hip hop music through education, scholarships, and music appreciation.
Rationale:
“Jazz in the Hip Hop Generation” Symposium
The World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series’ (WFLJS) mission is to preserve the rich legacy of jazz culture by bringing awareness to its evolving relationship with hip hop music through education, scholarships, and music appreciation. Despite the fact that many young hip hop artists and producers lack awareness of music theory and never had instrumental training; their reliance on the masterworks of soul and jazz music genres have bound them into a solid relationship with elite performing musicians. This relationship has fostered an exchange of music, style and information from veteran jazz and R&B artists to hip hop artists. Many veterans of jazz‐ fusion and R&B have found their careers reinvigorated as a result of this developing and ever‐growing jazz generation that sampling and jazz based hip hop has issued. This fact provides an opportunity for the jazz music genre to tap into the maturing hip hop audience. The “Jazz in the Hip hop Generation” Symposium is the perfect cross‐generational vehicle that will assist in the preservation of the jazz music culture. It creates an essential opportunity for both young and old to witness and participate in a dialog between generations in music.
About the Symposium As a pending non‐profit organization and the only organization of its kind, WFLJS is devoted to bridging the gap between the hip hop and jazz generations. In June 2006 the founding members of WFLJS launched the first of the “Jazz in the Hip Hop Generation” Symposium series on the historic campus of Hampton University. Since the first symposium, the demand and buzz for the “Jazz in the Hip Hop Generation” Symposium has grown tremendously. With panelist including Easy Mo Bee, Roy Ayers, Jean Carne, and intellectual properties attorney and expert Todd Pilot, and a host of others, the symposium reflects a solid roster of esteemed jazz musicians and hip hop producers coming together; a rare opportunity to see these two different worlds unite.
The symposium outline consists of the following topics:
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Mechanical Relationships ‐ discusses the tools and techniques of the trade. Ownership ‐ the legal ramifications of sampling. “A Conversation between the Generations” – an open discussion in which panelists and symposium participants speak freely about the current state and future of jazz & hip hop culture. Weldon Irvine, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award – In 2007 WFLJS launched the Weldon Irvine, Jr. Award a token of appreciation, awarded on an annual basis to a contributor in fostering the relationship between hip hop and jazz. The award is appropriately named after jazz composer, writer and musician Weldon Irvine, Jr., notable for his work with Nina Simone, Mos Def, and Talib Kweli. During this section panelists reflect on the influence and contributions of the honoree, a 3‐5 minute reflections video is shown, the honoree and/or the honoree’s family is awarded a plaque from WFLJS.
In addition, each symposium is recorded by the WFLJS/Johuri Film Works video team.
Please contact the following for any additional questions: Contact: Kevin “The Moose” Anderson moose@wfljs.org (757) 727-5408
Mia S. Sanks mia@wfljs.org (305) 761-1734
The World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series’ (WFLJS) mission is to preserve the rich legacy of jazz culture by bringing awareness to its evolving relationship with hip hop music through education, scholarships, and music appreciation.
Respect Your Elders Series Video Biographies
As a pending non‐profit organization and the only organization of its kind, the World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series (WFLJS) is devoted to bridging the gap between the hip hop and jazz generations and cultures. Its mission is to preserve the rich legacy of jazz culture by bringing awareness to its evolving relationship with hip hop music through education, scholarships, and music appreciation.
The Respect Your Elder Series (RYE) is a video biography series that highlights those who have contributed to the evolving relationship between hip hop and jazz. These video biographies will be used as an educational tool and will make the careers of those being highlighted current by relating them to the prominent music and culture of today’s hip hop generation.
The first video biography of the RYE Series will explore the life and legacy of the late jazz musician, composer, and all around genius Weldon Irvine, Jr. Weldon was the writer behind Nina Simone’s “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” and played a major role in nurturing the careers of jazz musicians Lenny White, Billy Cobham, Bennie Maupin, Marcus Miller, Don Blackman, Bernard Wright, rappers Mos Def, Q Tip from A Tribe Called Quest, Common and many more.
Thus far, for RYE: Weldon Irvine Jr., we have obtained interviews from: ♪ Talib Kweli ♪ Bob James ♪ Abiodun (Last Poets) ♪ Mos Def ♪ Roy Ayers ♪ Easy Mo Bee ♪ Lenny White ♪ Lonnie “Liston” Smith ♪ Jean Carne ♪ Bink ♪ Najee ♪ Norman Connors ♪ And a host of Weldon’s family and close friends.
The Respect Your Elders: Weldon Irvine, Jr., video biography will be launched in the spring of 2008 and in conjunction with our on‐going “Jazz in the Hip Hop Generation” Symposium series. Future RYES video biographies will highlight the careers of some of the most respected, well‐known, and/or overlooked jazz musicians that have made valuable contributions to developing and sustaining the jazz and hip hop relationship.
For more information or additional questions, please contact the following: Contact: Kevin “The Moose” Anderson Mia S. Sanks moose@wfljs.org mia@wfljs.org (757) 727-5408 (305) 761-1734
The World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series’ (WFLJS) mission is to preserve the rich legacy of jazz culture by bringing awareness to its evolving relationship with hip hop music through education, scholarships, and music appreciation.
LESSONS IN JAZZ M/D ILLEGAL RAP RADIO
It’s very rare to find a jazz radio show that accomplishes what Lessons in Jazz (LIJ) does. Forming in 2001, talented and musically knowledgeable co‐host Kevin “The Moose” Anderson and Montez “The Whiz” Martin have carried the show to a plateau like no other. Lessons in Jazz is a fitting name for this radio show whose format celebrates the hip hop, R&B, and jazz musical traditions to educate and illustrate each form’s influences on one another. The relationship revealed and exploited here, is the interconnectedness of musical expressions that have historically been separated by mainstream radio. The show’s central theme discusses at length the evolution of the relationship between hip hop and jazz music. The mixture of jazz and hip hop flowing over the airwaves and in‐depth interviews with some of the most recognizable jazz musicians and hip hop producers put LIJ in a league of its own. Interviews with jazz musicians such as Ahmad Jamal, Bob James, George Benson, Roy Ayers and more, have enabled LIJ listeners to get in the minds of these greats and hear their views on sampling, music’s generation gap, musicianship, and their thoughts on music’s current state. They are also able to tap into the record collections of some of the most respected hip hop producers such as Pete Rock, Guru, Easy Mo Bee, and more to get a better understanding of the art of sampling, the importance of being knowledgeable of music history, and the influence of jazz on their musical creations. Currently in its 6th released season, LIJ has received countless recognition in Radio & Records (R&R) and Virginia’s Portfolio Weekly to name a few. LIJ has also been chosen to be archived by Indiana University’s African American Archives of Music & Culture. LIJ currently airs on Hampton University’s highly ranked radio station WHOV‐FM and was also on Charleston, SC’s WPAL‐FM from 2005‐2007 until the station went off the air. Continuing to be a staple in connecting the hip hop and jazz influenced generations, this meeting ground (LIJ) plays a major role in keeping jazz music alive. As a result of the formation of the LIJ radio show, the World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series as an organization thrives in its developmental stages with the Respect Your Elders Series, “Jazz in the Hip Hop Generation” Symposium, and 4th Stream of Jazz Newsletter, residing as one of the most powerful black cultural music education preservation organizations to date. For a complete biography of LIJ hosts please see the attached For information on how to add LIJ Radio to your station for syndication, please contact: Contact: Kevin “The Moose” Anderson Mia S. Sanks moose@wfljs.org mia@wfljs.org (757) 727-5408 (305) 761-1734
The World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series’ (WFLJS) mission is to preserve the rich legacy of jazz culture by bringing awareness to its evolving relationship with hip hop music through education, scholarships, and music appreciation.
ABOUT THE LESSONS IN JAZZ HOSTS
Montez “The Whiz” Martin: Born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, Montez “The Whiz” Martin is accomplished as the youngest Program Director at WPAL‐ FM “Mega Hits,” where he served as PD from 2005‐2007. With roots in jazz music and an upbringing of hip hop, Montez “The Whiz” Martin began his radio career at the age of 13 when he began training to become a DJ at WPAL Power 730 AM. His love for music and radio led him to Hampton University, which holds the title of being the #12 ranked college radio station in the nation. Whiz’s work at WHOV‐FM as a Music, Production Director and On‐Air Jock led to him receiving a Station Manager’s Award (among a host of other awards, a solid fan base with his show on WHOV‐FM’s HU Underground, and most importantly sparked a relationship with the stations Assistant Station Manager, Kevin “the Moose’ Anderson.
Kevin “The Moose” Anderson: The brainchild of The World Famous Lessons in Jazz Series, Kevin “The Moose” Anderson started his professional career as a radio host for WHOV‐FM. Born in Richmond, VA his training at the radio station sparked an interest in jazz music and led to him becoming the youngest Jazz Music Programmer in the Country. Anderson spent time working for Warner Music Group and held various positions in music retail. Currently, Kevin “The Moose” Anderson is a SmoothJazz.com Reporter and Indicator Panelist for Radio & Records (R&R), the Assistant Station Manager at WHOV‐FM, a sample coach to many hip hop producers! His experience and knowledge on the unexposed jazz and hip hop relation has led to a host of speaking engagements. In February 2007, Anderson was the guest speaker for the official unveiling, by the United States Postal Service, of the Ella Fitzgerald Stamp. Both Kevin “The Moose” Anderson and Montez “The Whiz” Martin are currently available for lectures. For booking information please contact: Contact: Kevin “The Moose” Anderson moose@wfljs.org (757) 727-5408
Mia S. Sanks mia@wfljs.org (305) 761-1734