Four years ago, when I attended the 2011 San Jose Jazz Summer Camp at Archbishop Mitty High School, I was one of the few guitarists at camp who knew the major and natural minor scales; accordingly, I was assigned to the New York Big Band and the best combo in the camp — a memory that never…

Progressions has been busy this past month! Our Intermediate Band recently had a double coming-out party, so to speak, and this past Saturday Progressions students got to watch renowned pianist Alexander Ghindin play a triple encore solo piano concert at Foothill College thanks to a partnership with the Steinway Society of the Bay Area. Saturday,…

You can catch Amy Anderson soaking up live music three or more nights a week–supporting local musicians and the scene is one of her main passions.  Amy has been actively working to enliven downtown San Jose for over a decade as events and promotions manager for the San Jose Downtown Association.  She currently sits on…

Born and raised in San Jose, Bar Owner/Operator Sam Ramirez is known for his entertainment expertise spanning over a decade and his work and efforts with some of the most successful nightlife and live music venues throughout the Bay Area. From DB Coopers, Paradise Beach Club, Studio 47, Club F/X, AJAX Lounge and Cactus Club,…

Though he’s a newcomer to SJZ’s Board, Ross McMahon has always been involved in the arts, first as an Irish step dancer and later as an ice skater, competing in both disciplines at the national level. He played guitar in bands throughout the bay area while getting his bachelor of arts in American Literature at Santa Clara…

A cultural connoisseur and proud San Jose native, Danny “Dandiggity” Le is a constant collaborator in the art scene here at home and abroad. He is a curator of ideas, a poet, and has been dubbed “The Mayor” by his contemporaries for his involvement in the many different scenes that make up the Bay Area’s…

Progressions students and staff been hard at work these past few months. The fall semester culminated with a full house Nucleo performance on Saturday, December 6 at Santee Elementary School featuring 125 proud Progressions students. The intermediate band played the entire version of The Sky and Jingle Bells, our beginning band gave their first ever…

Dr. Aaron Lington never set a life goal to win a Grammy® Award. The San Jose Jazz High School All Stars Director and Coordinator of Jazz Studies at San Jose State University simply focuses on immersing himself in his music as fully as possible. In a recent interview with Kamla Bhatt on The Kamla Show,…

At the close of the Progressions 2014 summer session, the band kids were asked to return their instruments for cleaning and repair. Most did so with a sense of reluctance. Some were mysteriously absent on that last day and had to be tracked down. I understand–by August these kids had become very good friends with…

Progressions Director Julie Rinard periodically shares her student interactions with us, as part of the San Jose Jazz blog. In this update, she summarizes the vision behind Progressions, and shares the newly-kindled musical interest of one of her new students, Francisco. Many of the kids we work with come from unspeakably grim home environments and…

Progressions Director Julie Rinard periodically shares her student interactions with us, as part of the San Jose Jazz blog. In this update, she recalls how introducing two students helped to finally resolve an ongoing conflict. A male student from Success Academy has a trumpet that his father gave him. He is proud of that instrument…

Progressions Director Julie Rinard periodically shares stories about interactions with her students, which we post on our blog. Below, Julie recounts the program finally getting through to a troublemaker. Jesus is a kid who knows how to get under your skin. He is intransigent, an odd mix of apparent apathy and a bully. Throughout the…