The Austin Jazz Workshop is a nonprofit organization, the brainchild of saxophonist Michael Melinger, that takes professional jazz musicians into the public schools for performances and classroom workshops.
Their goal is to interest kids in music and they manage to do it while delighting, charming and involving their young audience 100% in the music.
There are three absolutely top notch jazz albums that have come out of this project. Over the years since the project began in 1994, Melinger has recruited Austin's best jazz players and vocalists to participate in the workshops, and the resulting albums are a reflection of the quality jazz available in Austin.
The first album, Take to the Sky, featured classic jazz tunes and these players: Suzi Stern?vocals, Brad Taylor?bass, James Polk?piano, Tina Marsh?vocals, Marty Allen?piano, Dan Hall?bass, Rich Harney?piano, Pat Murray?trumpet, Glenn Rexach?guitar, Ernie Durawa?drums, Freddie Mendoza?trombone, and Michael Melinger?saxophone.
The second album grew out of a season of teaching and performing about the New Orleans style, Basin Street Stomp. This album has the horns, the rhythms, and the irresistible pull of a night with the giants of Dixieland. On this album you can hear Pat Murray?trumpet, Michael Melinger?sax & clarinet, Randy Zimmerman?trombone, Bob Alexius?tuba, James Polk?piano, Marty Allen?piano, and Ernie Durawa?drums.
The third album, Anything Goes (2003), is a Cole Porter salute with classic songs from the legendary Porter. Performers during the Cole Porter season were: Mady Kaye, Dianne Donovan and Julie Slim?vocals, Marty Allen and James Polk?piano, Luis Guerra, Glenn Rexach?bass, Ernie Durawa, Mike Koenning?drums, Pat Murray?trumpet, and Michael Melinger?saxophone. Read Virginia's review of Anything Goes.
For more information and to buy these great albums, visit austinjazzworkhop.com.
