Strayhorn Jazz Ed recipient Ruby Farmer is an 18-year-old bassist from Brooklyn who started on classical guitar and later learned upright bass, studying under Or Bareket. Along with attending the prestigious Litchfield Jazz Camp, Ruby was accepted to the renowned Vail Jazz Workshop, and then to Carnegie Hall’s NYO Jazz, featuring Sean Jones and Dee Dee Bridgewater. They performed at venues across Europe, most notably Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms. Ruby is driven by her desire to empower younger musicians, so she also teaches guitar and bass to children privately. She reached out to us to share that she will be playing 2 shows at The Jazz Gallery in NYC on Tuesday, January 28th, 2025. Ruby, who is a freshman at Columbia University, let us know she still feels honored to have received the Strayhorn award at Litchfield and appreciates all that we do to keep the Billy Strayhorn legacy alive. “I was playing “A Flower is a Lovesome Thing” by him the other day, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how beautiful it is.” If you are in NYC, check out Ruby’s beautiful bass playing with her Shawartzman-Towse trio and a special guest. A flyer with more info is attached. We are glad and honored to know Ruby is continuing her musical journey. Ever Up and Onward!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xZvH1-J93GzYQIEQ3rwzu0uYVCBauD2V/view?usp=sharing
Now in its 16th year, the Jazz Education Network Conference (better know as JEN) held an outstanding conference January 8th thru the 11th in the city of Atlanta, a city with a rich musical legacy and a vibrant cultural heartbeat. Attended by over 3,ooo people in 4 days, the annual JEN conference offered over 100 research presentations and clinics and over 100 high school, college and professional performances. Each night was highlighted by an evening concert featuring some of the star names in jazz including: singer and pianist Laila Biali, pianist Tyrone Jackson, saxophonist Camille Thurman, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, saxophonist David Sanchez, trumpeter Sean Jones, saxophone titans Jeff Coffin, Kirk Whalum and Tia Fuller, vocalist Lori Williams and many more. Billy Strayhorn Songs Inc. and The Billy Strayhorn Foundation enjoyed a great presence at its exhibitor booth, hosting and sharing a consistent stream of educators, artists and students eager to learn, share stories or give high praise to the legacy of Billy Strayhorn. We look forward to seeing you and connecting at the JEN Conference in 2026 to be held in the city of New Orleans!
The Jazz Education Network is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences. JEN advocates for: the advancement of jazz as an art form; the inclusion of jazz pedagogy in all education settings, and in jazz artistry and business; the promotion of jazz performance on a local and global basis, and leading the development of new and expanded jazz audiences worldwide.
Photo: Galen Demus (center), jazz education coordinator for the Billy Strayhorn Foundation, poses with some of the talented high school band members from Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
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