Bridging racial, cultural divide in music ed

One of the ironies of the Seattle jazz scene is that so few African-American kids play in our world-famous high-school jazz bands.

This is a complex issue that involves not only race, but economics, arts cuts in the schools and changes in musical taste, among other things. It's certainly not a phenomenon unique to Seattle.

But rather than argue about the reasons, Boston's Berklee College of Music, training ground for so many great musicians, and Seattle's Experience Music Project are facing the problem.

In March, EMP and Berklee launch City Music Network, an extension of Boston's 15-year-old Berklee City Music, which offers free instruction to disadvantaged kids. Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., have been selected as pilot locations for an expansion that aims to eventually reach all 50 states.

To ballyhoo the project, EMP's Jazz in January celebration, which kicked off Wednesday, presents the Berklee City Music All-Star Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Sunday in Sky Church. The concert is free.

The 10 All-Stars all went through the Boston program. They play jazz, but they also play hip-hop, reggae and blues, the whole spectrum of American popular music.

"We appeal to students by hooking them with the music they already are listening to," explains Berklee publicist Nicholas Balkin.

Students are taught tunes by, say, Gnarls Barkley or Green Day, and then required to transcribe, arrange, analyze and use them for ear-training, as they progress musically.

In Boston, City Music is offered to kids from sixth to 12th grade, on Saturdays, free, with Berklee mentors. The expansion program involves face-to-face mentors as well as an online learning system developed by Berklee. Graduates are eligible to apply for full scholarships to the Berklee College itself.

In Seattle, the program will start small, with 20-30 kids, says David Mash, Berklee vice president for technology and lead project director for the national network. The goal is to involve 100-200 kids.

Mash says Berklee alums (more than 200) who live in the Seattle region will be tapped as possible mentors.

"Even where you have school systems with good music programs, there still is a racial and cultural divide," says Mash. "The kids in those bands are taking private lessons. This program will hopefully provide an equal footing."

Though no formal means test will be administered, in Boston one criterion is whether kids qualify for federally funded school lunch programs.

EMP will announce application details in March.

Berklee has already pledged $1 million for the City Music Network and aims to raise $10 million more.

Meanwhile, you can enjoy the All-Stars, as well as an excellent run of programs at this year's Jazz in January, much-improved now that Earshot Jazz has been hired to help.

The festivities feature concerts, workshops, films and panel discussions (including — full disclosure — one about jazz radio cooked up by yours truly.)

The hottest show is by the Christian McBride Situation (Jan. 28), but there are plenty of good concerts: A local showcase featuring Industrial Revelation, Frieze of Life and Dawn Clement (Jan. 25); the Roosevelt High School Jazz Band with Mark Taylor and the Garfield High School Jazz Band with Anne Drummond (Jan. 26); Drummond in a Brazilian group with the great percussionist Duduka da Fonseca and pianist Jovino Santos Neto (Jan. 27); and the Earshot Jazz Golden Ear Awards, with Marc Seales (Jan. 29).

A film program includes an evening with Mark Cantor, the great Los Angeles jazz-film collector (Jan. 20).

Ticket prices vary, from free to $25. Check www.earshotjazz.org or www.emplive.org for more details.

Paul de Barros: 206-464-3247 or pdebarros@seattletimes.com