four days in january!
Our annual conference brings together jazz beginners and experts for a once-in-a lifetime experience.
Part music festival, part networking, part education and all inspiration. The annual conference hosts thousands of people from around the globe.
what can i expect at the conference?
The annual JEN conference offers a variety of events, including sessions and clinics to fit every attendee’s jazz interest. If you want to learn more about jazz education, research, technology, jazz industry and music business, improvisation, composition, panel discussions, and more, we have a session for you!
You can attend the JENerations Jazz Festival, where you’ll see and hear schools and community ensembles and groups perform and receive instruction and feedback from some of the most well-known educators and artists in the business.
For more about JJF, CLICK HERE.
Here are the other program performances you can attend:
- Young Composer Showcase
- Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Combo
- JENerations Jazz Festival
Finally, if you’re looking for some killer jazz performances, the annual JEN conference is the place to be! We have performances going on all day every day. Our evening concerts are second to none and worth the registration price alone!
photo by Frances Scanlon
photo by Frances Scanlon
future conferences
PLAN AHEAD
Check out our future conference dates and sites below:
- 2026 – Jan. 7 – 10 New Orleans, LA – Hyatt Regency New Orleans
- 2027 – Jan. 6 – 9 Louisville, KY – Galt House Hotel Trademark Collection by Wyndham
- 2028 – Jan. 5 – 8 New Orleans, LA – Hyatt Regency New Orleans
- 2029 – Jan. 3 – 6 Dallas, TX – Hyatt Regency Dallas
- 2030 – Jan. 9 – 12 New Orleans, LA – Hyatt Regency New Orleans
- 2031 – Jan. 8 – 11 New Orleans, LA – Hyatt Regency New Orleans
- 2032 – Jan. 7 – 10 New Orleans, LA – Hyatt Regency New Orleans
The Jazz Education Network Board has established a philosophical, practical and fiscally sound approach as we pursue conference locations.
Prior to 2013, we utilized a site review committee to make recommendations to the Board. Since 2013, JEN has utilized the Hospitality Performance Network (HPN), Casey Kruer, VP of Accounts, [email protected] or (502) 819-8671 as our agent in locating comparable sites based on certain criteria. HPN has proven beneficial for us as they bring significantly more clout due to the number of clients in their collective portfolio and established relationships with all major hotels around the world.
JEN employs the following criteria when determining conference sites:
- All activity under one roof. This limits JEN to 8-10 U.S. hotels with ample space to host our conference
- Affordability of room rates to our membership (note pricing since inception):
2010: $75 • Hilton Airport Hotel, St. Louis/Site: University of MO St. Louis • May 23-2
2011: $150 • Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, LA • Jan 5-8
2012: $115/$135 • The Galt House, Louisville, KY • Jan 4-7
2013: $119 • Hyatt Regency Peachtree, Atlanta, GA • Jan 2-5
2014: $139 • Hyatt Regency at Reunion, Dallas, TX • Jan 8-11
2015: $169 • Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, CA • Jan 7-10
2016: $115/$139 • The Galt House, Louisville, KY • Jan 6-9
2017: $169 • Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, LA • Jan 4-7
2018: $149 • Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TX • Jan 3-6
2019: $89/$109 • Grand Sierra Resort, Reno, NV • Jan 9-12
2020: $179 • Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, LA • Jan 8-11
2021: $127/$147 • The Galt House, Louisville, KY • Jan 6-9
2022: $179 • Hyatt Regency, Dallas, TX • Jan 5-8
2023: price TBD • Omni Orlando Resort, Orlando FL • Jan 4-7
2024: $212 • Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, LA • Jan 3-6
2025: Price TBA • Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, GA • Jan 8-11
- Accessibility to our regional membership by air/drivability by car/bus
- Mass Transit options from airports to hotel
- Family friendly atmosphere & a location that is known to cater to student groups
- Low attrition obligation (Hotels mandate that JEN sell a percentage of the room block in order to receive complimentary event space. Otherwise the event space is very expensive)
- Low food & beverage obligation (Hotels mandate that JEN purchase a minimum of food and beverage that can be very expensive)
- Generous Concessions to the organization which assist the organization with keeping the costs associated with producing the conference LOW!
- Ability to bring the conference in at or under the established budget
- Established 3-4 year rotation of conference sites to create familiarity with the venues for maintaining production and membership costs
past conferences
2025 Conference Sponsors & Partners
PRODUCING SPONSOR
DownBeat Magazine (Maher Publications) produces the annual conference program and show guide as well as ongoing JEN member benefits year-round.
ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
Jazz Road, a program of the Atlanta non-profit South Arts, supports the Inspirations Stage and the Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Combo.
Yamaha Corporation of America provides invaluable concert piano, digital keyboard, and drumset resources for the performing and clinic venues of the Conference.
The Preservation Hall Foundation serves as a fundamental pillar of the New Orleans music community.
Conn-Selmer, Ludwig, & Musser facilitate drumset and keyboard percussion resources for the performing and clinic venues of the conference and provides support for the Inspirations Stage.
The Eastman School of Music supports the New Voices Stage in celebration of its new Jazz Voice degree led by Sara Gazarek within its Jazz and Contemporary Media program.
A JEN Founding Institution partner, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation is a fiscal sponsor of the ongoing JEN Research Fellowship.
The KHS America family of instrument brands led by Jupiter facilitate drumset and keyboard percussion resources for the performing and clinic venues of the Conference.
A JEN Charter Member organization, Berklee College of Music is a cooperative partner and fiscal sponsor of the annual John LaPorta Educator of the Year Award.
The John Stites Jazz Awards funds personal development projects to enhance the career opportunities of professional jazz musicians and provides financial assistance to JEN members to offset conference attendance.
Jazz WCLK (91.9 FM) Clark Atlanta University provides marketing & community support for the 16th Annual Conference
ADDITIONAL sponsors
The dynamic jazz education and premier presenting organization of the Queen City celebrates the individual contributors that power JEN through their gifts each year.
Join JazzWire in celebration of our exhibitors and look out for sessions marked “JazzWire Recommended Adult Learners” in the program show guide.
Encore Tours celebrates the work of the Jazz Education by sponsoring the 2025 Founders Toast.
The University of New Orleans proudly sponsors the 2025 Donor Appreciation Reception.
Additional partners
• The AAJC is the official presenting partner of the Donald Meade Legacy Jazz Griot Award.
• The JENerations Jazz Festival is presented in partnership with Music for All.
acknowledgements & thanks
The Jazz Education Network is grateful to all who help make our annual conference possible: JEN’s staff, the many dozens of volunteers, and Board of Directors, Casey Kruer Perez of the Hospitality Performance Network.
THANK YOU!