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The '''California Jazz Conservatory''', formerly known as the '''Jazzschool''', is a privately owned non-profit [[music school]] for [[jazz]] students in [[Berkeley, California]]. Founded in 1997, the school won accreditation as a conservatory in early 2014.<ref name=ConservatoryAccreditation>{{cite news |url=http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_25239898/berkeleys-jazzschool-earns-conservatory-accreditation |title=Berkeley's Jazzschool earns conservatory accreditation |last=Young |first=Zoe |date=February 27, 2014 |work=Contra Costa Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/music/article/Berkeley-s-Jazzschool-now-the-California-Jazz-5270675.php |title=Berkeley's Jazzschool now the California Jazz Conservatory |last=Hamlin |first=Jesse |date=February 26, 2014 |work=SF Gate }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |work=Jazz education journal |volume=39 |number=1–3 |year=2006 |publisher=International Association for Jazz Education |pages=98, 105}}</ref> It is the only American school with a year-round jazz music program.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Berkeley-Latin-grooves-jazz-up-downtown-for-2648687.php |title=Berkeley: Latin grooves jazz up downtown for festival |last=Gilbert |first=Andrew |date=August 12, 2005 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=SFGate.com |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref> ==History== The California Jazz Conservatory was founded in 1997 as "Jazzschool" by Susan Muscarella, a jazz pianist who studied with [[Wilbert Baranco]] in the 1970s, joined a band, and released a solo album called ''Rainflowers'' in 1979. After being accepted and mentored by director Dr. [[David W. Tucker]], she played piano, taught at, and then succeeded Tucker upon his retirement as the director of the [[University of California Jazz Ensembles]] program at the [[University of California, Berkeley]]. In 1989 she left the Cal music department for private teaching and professional performance, playing at various times with [[Sonny Rollins]], [[Sheila E.]], [[Marian McPartland]], [[Marlena Shaw]] and [[Arturo Sandoval]].<ref name=Baedeker>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Giant-steps-A-jazz-musician-s-business-2479386.php |title=Giant steps: A jazz musician's business education, in 'real time' |last=Baedeker |first=Rob |date=July 20, 2009 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=SFGate.com |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref><ref name=Snapp2009>{{cite journal |url=http://alumni.berkeley.edu/news/california-magazine/may-june-2009-go-bare/touching-bass-susan-muscarella |title=Touching Bass with Susan Muscarella: A jazz degree with roots in Cal |last=Snapp |first=Martin |work=California Magazine |date=May–June 2009 |publisher=California Alumni Association}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/From-classical-to-cool-Berkeley-couple-Robert-2679793.php#page-2 |title=From classical to cool: Berkeley couple Robert Cole and Susan Muscarella share devotion to music—and each other |last=Hamlin |first=Jesse |date=October 24, 2004 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=SFGate.com |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref> In 1997 Muscarella bought an old 1880s residence at 2377 Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley to house the school and a connected cafe called La Note, the latter run by her neighbor, environment designer Dororthée Mitrani-Bell. The California Jazz Conservatory enrolled about 130–150 students in its first quarter, taught by some 25 local jazz musicians and educators.<ref name=Baedeker/><ref name=Snapp2009/> By 2001 the school enrolled 600 students each quarter.<ref name=Gilbert>{{cite journal |url=http://www.themonthly.com/feature-09-07.html |title=Muscarella Makes Her Mark: Berkeley's Jazzschool celebrates 10 years of music, magic and some rough waters |last=Gilbert |first=Andrew |date=September 2007 |work=The Monthly}}</ref> The street-level La Note space was used by the California Jazz Conservatory after hours as a classroom and performance space seating 60.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2000-07-08/article/643?headline=Jazzschool-presents-summer-music-series |title=Jazzschool presents summer music series |last=Greenman |first=Dan |date=July 8, 2000 |newspaper=The Berkeley Daily Planet |page=1}}</ref> [[File:Kressberkeley.jpg|thumb|upright|left|The California Jazz Conservatory is in the {{convert|7500|sqft|adj=on}} basement of Berkeley's historic [[S. H. Kress & Co.|Kress]] building]] In 2002 to suit its expansion the school moved to larger accommodations a few blocks away at 2087 Addison Street, leaving the cafe to operate separately.<ref name=Baedeker/> The new location—the basement of the historic [[S. H. Kress & Co.]] retail store in the middle of the Downtown Berkeley Arts District—was rebuilt to contain 12 rehearsal rooms, 14 classrooms, a 60-seat concert space and a snack shop called Jazzcaffé.<ref name=Snapp2009/><ref name=Gilbert/> The performance space was named Hardymon Hall to memorialize [[Berkeley High School (Berkeley, California)|Berkeley High School]]'s dynamic jazz educator Phil Hardymon who founded the Berkeley Jazz Project in 1975 for high school students. In January 2002 the inaugural performance in Hardymon Hall featured singer [[Madeline Eastman]] backed by pianist Frank Martin, bassist Peter Barshay and drummer [[Vince Lateano]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2002-01-21/article/9627?headline=Jazzschool-arrives-on-a-sweet-note |title=Jazzschool arrives on a sweet note |last=Geluardi |first=John |date=January 21, 2002 |newspaper=The Berkeley Daily Planet |page=1}}</ref> In 2009, the "Jazzschool Institute" began operating under the "Jazzschool" umbrella. The Jazzschool Institute was a four-year music conservatory offering a Bachelor of Music degree to vocalists and instrumentalists.<ref name=Snapp2009/> The Jazzschool Institute was superseded by the California Jazz Conservatory in late February 2014.<ref name=ConservatoryAccreditation/> {{clear}} ==Faculty== [[San Francisco Bay Area]] musicians who have taught at the California Jazz Conservatory include pianist [[Taylor Eigsti]], vocalist [[Kim Nalley]], violinist and violist [[Mads Tolling]], singer Madeline Eastman, violinist and arranger Jeremy Cohen of [[Quartet San Francisco]], percussionist John Santos of the [[Machete Ensemble]], singer Joe Bagale of [[Jazz Mafia]], percussionist and vocalist Edgardo Cambón of [[Candela (band)|Candela]], flugelhornist [[Dmitri Matheny]], saxophonist [[Anton Schwartz]], singer [[Kellye Gray]], saxophonist [[Michael Zilber]], pianist [[Mark Levine (musician)|Mark Levine]], horn player Ellen Seeling of [[Isis (horn-rock band)|Isis]], and guitarist [[Mimi Fox]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Jazzschool-a-straight-ahead-success-in-Berkeley-3171606.php |title=Jazzschool a straight-ahead success in Berkeley |last=Wiegand |first=David |date=October 10, 2010 |newspaper=San Francisco Chronicle |publisher=SFGate.com |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://jazzschool.org/about-the-jazzschool/faculty/ |title=Faculty |publisher=Jazzschool |accessdate=September 11, 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://archive.is/20130503063838/http://jazzschool.org/about-the-jazzschool/faculty/ |archivedate=May 3, 2013 |df= }}</ref> ==Scholarship== California Jazz Conservatory students may be awarded scholarships such as the Mark Murphy Vocal Jazz Scholarship first given in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jazztimes.com/articles/25267-singer-receives-first-mark-murphy-vocal-jazz-scholarship |title=Singer Receives First Mark Murphy Vocal Jazz Scholarship |last=Mergner |first=Lee |work=JazzTimes |date=November 4, 2009 |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref> Other established endowments include the Jamey Aebersold Scholarship and the William E. Robinson Scholarship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jazzschool.org/baccalaureate-program/general-information/scholarships/ |title=Jazzschool Institute Scholarships |publisher=Jazzschool |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref> About 15% of the students are assisted financially with a scholarship.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jazzschool.org/support-the-jazzschool/scholarships/ |title=Scholarships |publisher=Jazzschool |accessdate=September 11, 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629030205/http://jazzschool.org/support-the-jazzschool/scholarships/ |archivedate=June 29, 2013 |df= }}</ref> In 2012 the Eddie Marshall Scholarship Fund was initiated to memorialize longtime faculty member Eddie Marshall, a drummer who worked at the [[Keystone Korner]] jazz club in San Francisco's [[North Beach, San Francisco|North Beach]] where he played behind jazz greats such as [[Dexter Gordon]], [[Stan Getz]] and [[Bobby Hutcherson]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.berkeleyside.com/2012/02/09/the-bay-areas-trap-set-poet-1st-annual-eddie-marshall-tribute/ |title=At Berkeley Jazzschool: first Annual Eddie Marshall Tribute |last=Gilbert |first=Andrew |date=February 9, 2012 |work=Berkeleyside |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref> ===Notable students=== Jazz poet laureate [[Ishmael Reed]] enrolled in 1998 at the age of 60 to learn jazz piano.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1SH_1PT785gC&pg=PA132 |page=132 |editor=Vibe Street Lit |title=The Vibe Q |chapter=Sonny Rollins: The Colossus |last=Reed |first=Ishmael |authorlink=Ishmael Reed |publisher=Kensington |year=2007 |isbn=1601830025}}</ref> He studied under Muscarella through 2004,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/hes-the-ish/Content?oid=1075826 |title=He's the Ish |first=Eric K. |last=Arnold |newspaper=East Bay Express |date=November 10, 2004 |accessdate=September 11, 2012}}</ref> and inspired a class for teaching poetry composition intended for music. After his "Jazzschool" term, Reed continued to work with pianist [[Mary Watkins (pianist)|Mary Watkins]], and in 2007 as the Ishmael Reed Quintet he produced his debut album called ''For All We Know'' on which he leads the band and plays piano.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgVs-HKW4QMC&pg=PA36 |page=36 |title=Mixing It Up: Taking On the Media Bullies and Other Reflections |last=Reed |first=Ishmael |authorlink=Ishmael Reed |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=2008 |isbn=1568583397}}</ref> ==In the media== Susan Muscarella and other musicians from the [[University of California Jazz Ensembles]] who were affiliated with the Conservatory appear in the novel [[Never Split Tens]] by [[Les Golden]] of Oak Park, Illinois, who was one of the founders of the Jazz Ensembles. ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://cjc.edu/ California Jazz Conservatory official website] {{Coord|37.8712|-122.2689|region:US-CA_type:landmark|display=title}} [[Category:Education in Berkeley, California]] [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1997]] [[Category:Music schools in California]] [[Category:Schools in Alameda County, California]] [[Category:Jazz music education]]

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