MUSIC

Passing through the ranks of an established bandleader’s group used to be a rite of passage for young players on the way to leading their own bands. The best education was earned on the bandstand from leaders like Art Blakey, Miles Davis, or Horace Silver. As jazz has entered schools and universities a different form of education has emerged. Young musicians can now graduate from schools as extremely accomplished players, but too often they miss out on the wisdom gained by experience working with a veteran leader. Brainchild of saxophonist Andrew Speight and Dr. Jeffrey Babcock, Executive Director of the International Center for the Arts at San Francisco State University, the Generations Jazz Project aims to help revive the tradition of ensemble-based mentorship by giving young players total access to an all-star ensemble of established artists. The musicians of the Generations Band—Speight and Eric Alexander on saxophones, Terell Stafford on trumpet, pianist David Hazeltine, bassist Ray Drummond, and drummer Louis Hayes—all learned from the masters, and they are dedicated to passing their lessons on to the next generation.