Category: Newsletters

Remembering Ellis Marsalis by Todd Stoll Reprint by Wynton Marsalis This has been a tough couple of months for our jazz community.  Between extreme economic

Dave Brubeck: 20th Century American by Darius Brubeck December 6, 2020 is the 100th anniversary of Dave Brubeck’s birth in Concord, California. He died at

TEACHING IMPROVISATION by Todd Stoll As I meet with jazz educators around the country, my go to question is, “what is the one thing that

Are We Doing This All Wrong? by Todd Stoll For those of us who work in jazz, whether it’s performing, teaching, advocating, or retail sales,

Jazz Conducting by Todd Stoll  As the new school year begins and aspiring musicians head back to the classroom, the air is full of the

WHY DON’T WE TEACH LOUIS ARMSTRONG? by Todd Stoll Why don’t we teach Louis Armstrong? Nearly 20 years ago, after attending a lecture commemorating the

DIVERSITY by Todd Stoll A year ago, my second President’s letter addressed a topic I feel is vital to the future of our music and

SOME THOUGHTS ON JAZZ COMPETITIONS by Todd Stoll It feels a little odd to be discussing competitions in the days right before I host one