It is no secret that the way jazz has been taught has made a significant shift. There has been a distinct “formalization” of the discipline that has naturally developed with jazz’s established legitimacy as an artistic form. The origin of jazz dates back to the late 1800s, where the core of the art form was mostly defined by relationships and making music together and the feelings and inspiration musicians felt in each others’ presence, and less about established chords and rigid musical patterns. With this intensely oral tradition, it is easy to understand how apprenticeship grew in this field in particular, because interpersonal and human connection fosters the spirit on which jazz was created.

With any development of a new art form, it takes a while to define the genre and garner support, in order to ultimately reach legitimacy. After about 70 years of spreading jazz to different cities, educating upcoming musicians in one-on-one mentorship, and gaining popularity as an art form, the first university jazz programs began to be offered. By moving jazz from informal apprenticeship relationships to formal academic programs, the very nature of jazz education changed. Taken jointly with the overall decline in jazz popularity, it is reasonable to argue that this formalization did something that altered jazz as a genre. Yet, this correlation did not go unnoticed.

Recently, there have been many programs that attempt to return to the origins of jazz apprenticeship, realizing the value of one-on-one relationships. The Jazz Education Network (JEN) is one of the spearheads in this pursuit of substantial mentor-mentee relationships. Their goal as a program is to “provide the student with additional tools towards fostering a productive, well-rounded career as a professional musician.” Students can either be nominated or apply to the program, and most enter with a prior knowledge of jazz music. Thus, when they enter the program, they are not looking to just sharpen their skills, but more for support from a someone who also navigates the world of jazz. Another program, sponsored by Local 802 in New York City, hosts “Jazz Mentorship” events, free and open to the public, as a “setting allows for relaxed communication and a free-flowing exchange of ideas between the audience and the artists, encouraging full participation and interaction.” They bring veteran jazz musicians to help guide young performers, both in playing music together and talking about pursuing jazz as a career.

These programs show that people are aware of the shift jazz education has made since its beginnings. By offering opportunities that symbolize the return to the roots of jazz, with one-to-one relationships, rather than large classroom environments, they indicate the value of mentorship as integral for the future of jazz.