Education is a key component to the mission of the SmallsLIVE Foundation. Our audio/video archive is a unique resource in the history of jazz, documenting the work of nearly 4000 musicians over twelve consecutive years. There are currently more than 15,000 shows from both Smalls and Mezzrow. The archive adds 35 new shows every week.
“The entire New School community is thrilled to be working with the SmallsLIVE Foundation on this project. The SmallsLIVE class is an important part of the rethinking of musicology at the School of Jazz & Contemporary Music, where students develop their skills in critical thinking, research, and placing art in an historical and social context through the lens of living musical cultures.”
-Keller Colker, Dean of the Jazz & Contemporary Music Dept. at The New School.
Under the direction of Keller Coker, The School of Jazz & Contemporary Music at The New School has given SmallsLIVE the unique opportunity to create and teach a course with the SmallsLIVE archive as the centerpiece.
In 2018, “SmallsLIVE: Profiles From The Contemporary Jazz Scene” was premiered at The New School and is now in its second year. Students use the archive to research SmallsLIVE artists and gain insights into their music and process. Student led research groups use the archive to create in-depth profiles of SmallsLIVE artists through archive transcriptions, concert reviews, and interviews. The course also helps familiarize students with various SmallsLIVE artists, the history of Smalls and Mezzrow, and the current scene at both clubs. In many cases, the artists themselves are brought to class to speak directly with the students and engage in dialogue. The SmallsLIVE Foundation subsidizes the expense of creating and operating this class.
“ Smalls and Mezzrow have been home to some of the most influential musicians in contemporary jazz music. The SmallsLIVE archive is a one-of-a-kind resource for the academic study of these musicians. Our course at the New School presents original research on SmallsLIVE musicians and engages students in research of their own. By using the archive as a tool for academic inquiry, students are given unique insights into the current New York jazz scene and the individual artists who have shaped it.”
–Jeff McGregor, Education Director SmallsLIVE
The SmallsLIVE Foundation is available to any school music program that is interested in our archive or educational initiative. We are available for school tours and private presentations as well as workshops and lessons. Please email us at education@smallslive.com