In a master class Monday, two jazz musicians said the genre of music was often misunderstood, but carried a deep history and flexible meaning. 

 As classic jazz melodies filled the Community Folk Art Center Monday night during a master class led by saxophonist Jazmin Ghent and bassist Gerald Veasley, attendees bobbed their heads and smiled along with the music. Musicians of all ages and skill levels — the youngest being a saxophonist in the sixth grade — were invited to the stage to share a moment that conveyed what jazz is about: community engagement and cultural impact, said Tanisha Jackson, executive director of the Community Folk Art Center. 

 “Whenever I’m on stage, I’m conscious that this is a moment here. This is a moment that won’t be repeated,” Veasley said during a panel discussion at Bird Library, preceding the master class. 

 At the panel, Veasley and Ghent both shared their perspectives on jazz, the genre of music they have come to know so well, and how it has evolved to connect with audiences today. 

 The discussion, sponsored by the Community Folk Art Center in honor of Black History Month, was part of an event series engaging the campus community with dialogue about jazz and its roots in African American culture. 

 As a jazz artist in her 20s, Ghent said a common misconception with jazz is that, because it originated so long ago, many people think it can only be enjoyed by older generations. In light of this, she said she has taken the responsibility as a member of the younger generation to fuse jazz with other styles of music, such as hip-hop and R&B, to grasp audiences of today. 

 “Jazz has a great future, and I think it’s all in how it’s presented,” Ghent said. 

 Veasley said that jazz is an art form that has embraced other elements of music since the very beginning, whether that be blues or Brazilian music. The more people try to narrow the qualities of the music genre, “the more jazz wants to say no,” he said. 

 Veasley works with jazz through multiple mediums not only as a world-renowned bassist, but he also is a curator for Philadelphia’s “Unscripted” Jazz Series, founder of the international Bass Boot Camp program and host of the Berks Jazz Fest.  

 He added that the word jazz has a meaning baked into it. That meaning is positive for people who love it, but less defined for people who are “suspicious” of it.  

Saxophonist Jazmin Ghent (right) speaks during the master class that she led alongside Gerald Veasley. Veasley and Ghent compared playing jazz to learning a foreign language. Emily Steinberger | Design Editor

 “It’s such a broad term and such a broad art form that most folks with a little patience could find something that resonates with them,” he said. 

 That’s why jazz musicians of today have the important role of communicating the meaning of the increasingly progressive genre of music to audiences that have a limited view or connection, Veasley said. 

 When it comes to jazz students, both musicians agreed that understanding the core of the musical genre remains integral to the process. Developing an appreciation for the work of historically renowned jazz artists including Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker helps to build a foundation upon which aspiring artists can build in their own music. 

 Veasley and Ghent compared playing jazz to learning a foreign language. If you didn’t grow up speaking French, you can’t be expected to suddenly converse in French, Veasley said. 

 Ghent attributes her own roots in the music to her parents, who exposed her to a number of contemporary jazz artists as a child. Her mother, Deborah Ghent, said that she wanted her children to have an appreciation for music, so when her daughter was five, she signed her up for piano lessons. 

 “I always wanted to play, but we had no room in the house for a piano, so I thought I could pass that on to them,” Deborah said. 

 Then, one day she brought home a saxophone. 

 “I told her you can play this in a band … and maybe when you go to college, you can get a scholarship and it will help us pay for college,” she said. 

 Now, the two work as a team, traveling to performances together. Ghent said she is thankful for her mom and wouldn’t be where she is without her.  

 The early introduction to jazz has paid off for Ghent as she won the 2019 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album. While performing at major festivals and venues around the world, she also produced three Billboard #1 singles: “Work Wit It,” “Heat” and “Compared to What.” 

 Family support is something Veasley said he has taken for granted. He said his family always understood the musician in him and regarded being a professional musician as a very serious thing, even though they weren’t musicians themselves. 

 Throughout his career in being a music educator, Veasley said he tries to be a figure of support for those who don’t have one. 

 “In my own small way, I try to do that for young people today to let them know that it’s a really honorable and great thing,” he said. 

Published on February 25, 2020 at 12:12 am