Austin Jazz Workshop, Inc.
Keeping School Cool Since 1994
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Austin ISD student population is 73% minority, 53% economically disadvantaged, and 52% at-risk (Texas Education Agency, 2016-17 Texas Academic Performance Report). The situation is more severe in Manor, a smaller district to our east. For most of these children, access to the arts is limited to what comes to them. Their opportunities for exposure to the arts have decreased due to district budget cuts and an increase in state-mandated PE time, which has led some schools to put art and music students on a five-day rotation—that is, they receive music classes just ONCE every five days. Even when they do meet, the sizes are frequently so large that there is insufficient musical equipment to go around. The AJW primarily targets at-risk youth in elementary grades three to five because these are the crucial pre-elective years, when children make choices that will follow them into high school and beyond. Our mission is to encourage them to become active participants in music.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Thirty Years of Soul: AJW Presents Soul Jazz
Austin Jazz Workshop will visit a projected 111 elementary school campuses with a program dedicated to Soul Jazz greats like Jimmy Smith, Stanley Turrentine, Cannonball Adderley, and others. Each campus will receive a quintet assembly performance, preceded by a clinician who will prepare children for the concert with songs they will sing during the show.
AJW will present 13 public events between October 2023 and August 2024, including our rebooted EMJATA (Emerging Jazz Talent) Series once monthly, giving middle and high school age players the opportunity to sit in with professional musicians. AJW will perform in two festivals: ABIA Winter Fest and TX Community Music Festival.
The AJW visits almost every elementary school in the Austin, Round Rock, and Manor ISDs. This year will mark our 30th year of continuous service in central TX public schools.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Austin Federation of Musicians Local 433 2023
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Total number of free performances given
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Thirty Years of Soul: AJW Presents Soul Jazz
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
These numbers are for assembly performances. AJW also does classroom workshops each season, for grades 3 to 5. 2021: 253 2020: 240 2019: 188 The 2019-20 season was interrupted mid-March by COVID.
Total number of performances
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people, Non-adult children, Students, Teachers
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Assembly performances held on school campuses. During 2020, schools were closed due to COVID and all performances were livestreamed onto individual campuses.
Total number of audience members
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Children and youth, Ethnic and racial groups, Non-adult children, At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Estimated number of public school students served by the program. During 2020, students were reached online due to COVID restrictions; otherwise, all performances are live and brought to their campus.
Total dollars paid to artists
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Artists and performers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of professional artists employed
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Ethnic and racial groups, Artists and performers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
All musicians employed by AJW are members of Austin Local 433 of the Musicians Union. AJW is a signatory to American Federation of Musicians Pension Fund.
Total number of off-site performances held
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
At-risk youth, Economically disadvantaged people, People of African descent, People of European descent, People of Latin American descent
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
2023 saw the return of the AJW Youth Jam, funded by the City of Austin's Elevate Program after a 3-year hiatus due to COVID and program overhaul. Youth Jams are held twice monthly in public venues.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The AJW's primary goal is to inspire young people to participate in band, orchestra, and choir programs available from the sixth grade level. Our outreach to grades three to five is intended to remind and encourage them to join school musical organizations. By opting in, they are more likely to complete their educations through high school.
Our secondary goal is to uphold the American jazz tradition through mentoring and by living example. In 2012, we started the EMJATA (Emerging Jazz Talent) program, where middle and high school jazz students are given the opportunity to sit in with professional jazz musicians in a positive public environment.
EMJATA has been on hold due to COVID since March 2020. The program will be rebooted in October 2023.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The AJW began in 1994 with fourteen campuses in east and south Austin public schools. Since then, the program has expanded to make itself available to every public elementary school across four area districts: Austin, Round Rock, Manor, and Del Valle ISDs. This translates to 130+ performances annually, for a combined audience of 38,000 elementary school students. We focus primarily on grades three to five, the crucial pre-elective years when students are deciding which electives to take in middle and high school. Studies have shown that students who surround themselves with a positive peer group working to a common goal are more likely to excel academically and finish high school.
The EMJATA program started in 2012 at Threadgill's Old #1 Restaurant, moving to Cherrywood Coffeehouse in central Austin in October 2018, and then to Opal Divine's in July 2019. In October 2016, the program expanded to Central Market Westgate. In March 2020, COVID precautions brought live public performances to a near-standstill, but we are reinstating the EMJATA program in October 2023.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Shawn Ellison (piano, Music Director) has been an in-demand Austin performer, arranger, and accompanist since 1982. Mr. Ellison has shared stages with Slide Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. He began performing with the AJW in 2002, assuming the role of AJW Music Director in September 2021.
Julie Slim Nassif (voice) has been performing in Austin since she arrived in 1996, first as an actress, earning an I. B. Payne Award nomination, and then as a world music vocalist with Bereket and her Arabic band, Layalina. After retiring from teaching elementary students, Julie founded the international jazz band RendezVous in 2013.
Glenda Davenport (voice) began her singing career in her home state of New York, performing at the Village Gate, Birdland, Iridium, and other venues. Since moving to Texas in 2018, she has become a ‘go-to’ vocalist on the local jazz scene, performing with Andre Hayward, Chris Jones, Jacob Wise, and many others.
Masumi Jones (drums) came to Austin from her native Tokyo in 2008. Locally, she works with The Jitterbug Vipers, Sarah Sharp, Alex Coke, and others. Ms. Jones was voted Best Drummer by the Austin Chronicle Music Awards of 2013, and has also performed with the award-winning Tapestry Dance Company since 2010.
Terrance McDaniel (drums) is an in-demand performer and educator in central Texas. He co-founded the Amarillo Jazz Society, and has worked with Women in Jazz, Andre Hayward, James Polk, and others. Terrance is Executive Director for Drums and Percussion at the 26-Music School in Austin.
Glenn Rexach (bass guitar) has played with Creative Opportunity Orchestra, Tomas Ramirez, Will Taylor, Elias Haslanger, and many others. He also fronts his own contemporary jazz group, Round Trip. Mr. Rexach teaches music at Austin Community College, and has appeared on numerous studio sessions.
Lee “Sparky” Thomason (trumpet) is a performer, composer, arranger, and educator from Rockdale, Texas. He is currently playing with the Temple Jazz Orchestra, the Tonic Big Band and Small Group, the N.O.W. (New Original Works) Jazz Orchestra, Duck Soup, and the Urban Achievers Brass Band, among others.
Eundo Park (trumpet) has shared the stage with many jazz greats including Wynton Marsalis, Clark Terry, and Bob Brookmeyer. He has been trumpet soloist with the Korean Broadcast Station Symphony Orchestra. Eundo is currently an Adjunct Professor of Music at Concordia University.
Paulo Santos (woodwinds) is a recent graduate of UT, where he studied under John Mills, John Fremgen, and Jeff Helmer. His jazz compositions have been recorded by Big Wy’s Brass Band and David Young’s Detroit City. Paulo has performed with Randy Brecker, Joe Lovano, Conrad Herwig, and others.
Gil Del Bosque (woodwinds) is a first-call saxophonist who has played with Boyz II Men, Huey Lewis, Aaron Neville, and many others. Gil is a graduate of the University of North Texas (BA) and UT Austin (MA).
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The AJW has built a 30-year history of outreach in central Texas, visiting an estimated 30,000 children annually with two separate contacts.
The AJW has diversified its funding base through state and local government, corporate, foundation, and individual support. There are about ten donors each season, and we continue to seek funding to ensure the program's viability.
At a time when many nonprofit arts organizations are cutting back service or shutting down altogether, the AJW continues its program of expansion, growing along with the needs of the three school districts served--Austin, Round Rock, and Manor.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Austin Jazz Workshop, Inc.
Board of directorsas of 02/17/2024
Ms. Debra Erck
no affiliation
Term: 2024 - 2024
Debra Erck
President
Todd Sloan
Treasurer
Susanna Sharpe
VP
Lana Harris
Secretary
Jimi Ballard
Mariann Bokako Moutoukou
John May
Maggie Walsh
Rosita Bradham
Emeritus
Pamela Zeigler
Emeritus
Molly Tower
Emeritus
Leroy Wormley
Emeritus
Alan Retamozo
Stephanie Houston
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 05/29/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.