UpFront: Jazz / EarTraining / Jazz Education

How do we, as teachers, prepare kids these days to be better musicians, to appreciate music more, to understand and be able to play jazz music, even at a beginner level? Of course there are many philosophies and approaches. “Back in the day…,” as we say, you learned by listening to records and by playing with other (hopefully better) musicians who would keep you in line. Eventually you might have the opportunity to play with some master, who would take you under his or her wing. The learning was done on the job; your homework was to listen.