April is Jazz Appreciation month....

April is Jazz Appreciation month as declared by the US Congress and supported and promoted by the Smithsonian Institute. While we here at the Jazz Arts Project feel that it’s important to appreciate jazz year round, we will be holding a series of talks by jazz luminaries this spring that serve as a great introduction to jazz for novices or as a wonderful extension of knowledge for connoisseurs. The lectures will take place this year at the Count Basie Theatre every Monday in April at 7:00 pm.

Ms. Kirk is the widower of the late saxophonist Rahsaan Roland Kirk and since his death in 1977 manages his images, music and administers his publishing company, Rokir Music Corporation. She was one of the founders of WBGO Jazz 88.3 in the late 70's and continues her work there in various administrative capacities.

Sheila Anderson's path to jazz radio has been long and circuitous. Along the way she has worked as a member of the NAACP board of directors, at publishing companies Random House, Grove House and several others, and as the president of the Bookbinder's Guild of New York. She has hosted a variety of jazz radio programs since 1995 on WBGO Newark, and is also the one-woman producer of "The Art of Jazz," a weekly television program for Time Warner Cable. Ms. Anderson has written two books, "The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac," and "How to Grow as a Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed." 

Join these two extremely accomplished figures in jazz as they discuss the state of the music today, and what we can do to ensure its continued growth and development.