Jazz high: a look into how Jazz transcends age

For over a century jazz music is one of the most evolved genres of music.

“It’s striving for something new and striving for individuality within the music while being a caring and listening and nurturing and loving individual,” said Richard Giddens III, director of jazz studies at Fresno State.

In Fresno, jazz events are funded by the city through Measure P. But at Fresno State, the jazz department has struggled to find funding for things like guest musicians.

“We’ve had a ton of guests artists over the years and unfortunately we had to cancel twenty this year because we weren’t fortunate enough to receive any IRA funding,” Giddens said.

IRA, or instructionally related activities, is a fund built to enhance student learning by providing opportunities to pull them closer to their field of study. Things like guest speakers or guest musicians are included in this fund.

For jazz studies the cut in funding is a problem, in a genre that already sees a growing age disparity.

Jamie Pierce and his friends started “Jamhouse,” a series of local jams working to present jazz in a way younger people can engage with.

“The whole idea is that people come out and they just enjoy making music together on the spot,” Pierce said.

And for him it’s an ongoing mission.

“I think jazz is really fleeting, especially right now it’s like,” Pierce said. “Something that I’ve noticed is that you really have to find a new way to invent jazz.“