Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
Kandace Springs Sings Billie Holiday
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
Students jam at The New School in New York.
(Photo: McKenna Lewis)The road we call jazz can take you anywhere — from your quiet hometown to the grandest stages of the world; from performing in bars on Saturdays to houses of worship on Sundays; from touring in a bus all night to jetting across the ocean to parts unknown.
But the road doesn’t stop there.
Learn to play the saxophone (or the trumpet, drums, piano …) and you might become an educator, an administrator, a festival director, a record producer, but don’t stop there — a doctor, a lawyer, an engineer, an entrepreneur, even the President of the United States. (Remember, President Bill Clinton played saxophone and even read this magazine religiously while in high school.)
If you’re reading this, you are probably a student who wants to go to music school (or the concerned parent of that student). You found the road of jazz through a great teacher, either in school or through private lessons. And you’re ready for the next leg of your journey. DownBeat is here to help. On the pages of the attached electronic edition, you’ll find more than 190 schools ready to meet your jazz-study needs. There is something for everyone here, but with so many options, good luck sorting it out. We’ve tried to help. Do you want a big school, or is a smaller institution better suit your style? What can you afford? (We know that’s a huge question and a fair one.) What kind environment do you want? And who would you like to learn from? Each school entry has these answers and more, like information on scholarships and financial aid opportunities.
We’ve also provided some food for thought within these pages. First, there’s an article by Jay Sweet on selecting a school and preparing for the audition (see page 118). We’ve also included a piece about what life is like in those first few days and weeks of school and how to get ready for the transition as an incoming freshman (see page 100). Finally, we show you the lives of four professionals in the jazz world who went to school to learn to play music, but are applying their expertise in other areas of the industry (see page 76).
We hope you find the guide useful, and we can’t wait to see where the road of jazz takes you. Enjoy the journey! DB
“There’s nothing quite like it,” Springs says of working with an orchestra. “It’s 60 people working in harmony in the moment. Singing with them is kind of empowering but also humbling at the same time.”
Jun 17, 2025 11:12 AM
When it came time to pose for the cover of her new album, Lady In Satin — a tribute to Billie Holiday’s 1958…
James Brandon Lewis earned honors for Artist of the Year and Tenor Saxophonist of the Year. Three of his recordings placed in the Albums of the Year category.
Jul 17, 2025 12:44 PM
You see before you what we believe is the largest and most comprehensive Critics Poll in the history of jazz. DownBeat…
Galper was often regarded as an underrated master of his craft.
Jul 22, 2025 10:58 AM
Hal Galper, a pianist, composer and arranger who enjoyed a substantial performing career but made perhaps a deeper…
Chuck Mangione on the cover of the May 8, 1975, edition of DownBeat.
Jul 29, 2025 1:00 PM
Chuck Mangione, one of the most popular trumpeters in jazz history, passed away on July 24 at home in Rochester, New…
“Hamiet was one of the most underrated musicians ever,” says Whitaker of baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett.
Jul 8, 2025 7:30 AM
At 56, Rodney Whitaker, professor of jazz bass and director of jazz studies at Michigan State University, is equally…
