Artists In The Schools

Artists in the Schools is an educational program designed to bring professional jazz artists into Santa Cruz County schools in an effort to support and enrich local music programs. Throughout the county, school music programs have either faced cutbacks or have been eliminated. Kuumbwa Jazz launched the Artists in the Schools program in 2009 with the goal of helping to fulfill the need for music education in schools.

We believe that an understanding of jazz as an American musical idiom will help students in their broader understanding of core curriculum. It is vitally important to assist students in realizing their potential as creative thinkers at a young age. Studies show students who are exposed to jazz improvisation learn to solve problems as they occur.

Participating schools include: Shoreline Middle School, Hall Elementary, Pajaro Valley Middle School, Pacific Collegiate School, Cesar Chavez Middle School, Santa Cruz High, Aptos High, Aptos Junior High, Gault Elementary.

This program is currently under the guidance of Kuumbwa Jazz Educator in Residence, Dr. Renata Bratt with support from Terrel Eaton, Brian Fitzgerald and Zack Olsen.