Jazz With Friends
In the past two weeks, this blog has covered introducing your young kids and your teens to jazz. What if the people you want to enjoy jazz with — who don’t yet know that they love jazz — are your adult children, your partner, or your friends?
- Take a short class or workshop together. If your friend enjoys expanding their horizons and learning new things, but has been hesitant to go to a concert with you, it may be because they think they won’t understand jazz. A short class at a local community education center will introduce them to some music principles while showing them that there’s no need to be intimidated by jazz!
- Just like with teens, enjoying a movie with jazz in it can be a great way to increase a friend’s exposure to jazz. Stay tuned for more news on the independent film Midlife, which Yoko Miwa herself composed the score for!
- Think about their tastes and choose a venue where your friend will be sure to have a good time. Think about their tastes. You can see the Yoko Miwa Trio at the upscale Les Zygomates and relax with fine French cuisine and wine, or at a laidback American-style brunch at Ryles Jazz Club, or in a funky Asian fusion environment for some sushi or tempura at Thelonious Monkfish.
Introducing a friend to jazz isn’t about evangelism, it’s just about sharing joy, so you don’t want anyone to feel pushed. For more thoughts on sharing joy through music, see our earlier blog post “When “Listen to This!” is a Gift.”
