Adult Music: SFJAZZ Discover Jazz

The Great Jazz Composers

For Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis and countless others, jazz went beyond music. It was a lifestyle. An identity. A culture. These innovators pushed music forward, delighting avid listeners, but also leaving them eager for context. How did Jimi Hendrix influence Miles Davis? What do Ellington and Monk have in common?

Discover Jazz dives into the colorful mythology and history of jazz, swinging right into the music’s key figures, recordings, forms and ideas. Each class hits upon essential concepts that, when taken as a complete series, give any fan the ability to hear between the lines of great jazz performances.

Presented at the Jewish Community Center in San Francisco by SFJAZZ’s Director of Education, Cory Combs, the Discover Jazz series is your bridge to a deeper understanding of jazz—its history, musicians and enduring culture.