As executive director of Monterey Jazz, producer of the longest-running jazz festival in the nation, Colleen Bailey has an incredibly broad view of jazz education and performance. She’ll moderate a discussion with two-time Grammy Award winning bassist Derrick Hodge and cellist/vocalist Ameena Maria Khawaja, currently the director of programs and education of Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL).

We’ll discuss the ways mentorship has helped chart Derrick’s journey as a musician and how it remains a cornerstone of his work, as well as his recent efforts to build participation in the arts when access to arts education remains elusive to a tremendous number of students across the nation. Ameena will bring insights from her current role at YOSAL and her experience as a teacher and mentor of voice and cello students.

Colleen Bailey has been executive director of Monterey Jazz since 2015, working to produce Monterey Jazz Festival, the longest continuously running jazz festival in the world, as well as a year-round education program that serves thousands of students. Prior to MJF, Colleen served as executive director of the National Steinbeck Center, the largest literary museum in the country. Under her leadership, the Center developed a consortium of non-profit arts organizations that took over the operation of Sherwood Hall, forming the Steinbeck Institute of Arts and Culture, expanding access to the arts among the diverse communities of Monterey County. Colleen is a graduate of USC and holds a Masters Degree from Northwestern University.

Two-time Grammy Award winning bassist Derrick Hodge’s compositions and performances have always defied genres. He’s worked with a diverse roster of artists including Maxwell, Kanye West, Herbie Hancock, Q-Tip, Mos Def, Timbaland, Jill Scott, MusiqSoulchild, Gerald Levert, Common, Bilal, Lupe Fiasco, Andre 3000, Sade, Terence Blanchard, Ledisi, Terell Stafford, Donald Byrd, Stefon Harris, Bootsie Barnes, Kirk Franklin, Kenny Lattimore, Donnie McClurkin and many more. He’s released three acclaimed albums on Blue Note Records including his latest, 2020’s Color of Noize.

Ameena Maria Khawaja is a dedicated advocate for providing music education to underserved youth and currently serves as director of programs and education of YOSAL (Youth Orchestra Salinas). She has taught both cello and voice for two decades, for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, The Harmony Project and the Youth Orchestra Los Angeles at EXPO. As a cellist and mezzo-soprano, she is a versatile artist and has collaborated with diverse artists like Kamasi Washington, Sia, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay and many more. 

Colleen Bailey photo by Randy Tunnell