"Explosive, yet tactically precise…”
- Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans
ABOUT
Doctor of Education
Organizational Leadership
Northcentral University
Master of Public Administration
Metropolitan College of New York
Bachelor of Fine Arts
The New School University
Mentoring Supervisor Certificate
Big Brothers Big Sisters NY/Fordham University
Graduate School of Social Service
BIO
Dr. Jaz Sawyer (with one “Z”) began playing drums at age of 2 in the Haight Ashbury district of San Francisco, California. Several of Jaz's early mentors and teachers include Eddie Marshall, John Santos, Donald Bailey, Michael Sipro, Ed Kelly, Mondre Moffatt and Raymond Froehlich (SF Symphony). Jaz's musical studies have taken him through music programs at the Ruth Asawa School of The Arts, SF Conservatory of Music, Stanford Jazz Workshop, Michael Carvin School of Drumming and The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.
Dr. Sawyer possesses an eclectic and refined personal style of drumming that stems from his deep roots with musical training in Classical, Jazz, and West-African/Afro-Caribbean styles. Jaz has worked with many notable artists including Wynton Marsalis, Abbey Lincoln, George Benson, Bobby Hutcherson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Randy Weston, Phil Lesh & Friends, Herb Alpert and M'Lumbo in the world’s premier concert venues such as Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, Kennedy Center, Sydney Opera House, The Concertgebouw and Lincoln Center.
Dr. Sawyer is actively involved with music education in communities within New York, The Bay Area, New Orleans and Los Angeles.
EDUCATOR PROFILE
As an educator, Dr. Sawyer has designed and facilitated music education programs through Clinics, Master Classes, and Workshops. Below are some music institutions Jaz has worked with:
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California State University, Fresno | drum faculty
University of California Berkeley | guest clinician/lecturer
Stanford Jazz Workshop | drum faculty
Percussion Arts Society | guest clinician
Museum of African Diaspora | guest lecturer
California Jazz Conservatory | drum faculty
Oakland Public Conservatory of Music | music instructor
Jazz @ Lincoln Center, Essential Ellington program
Harmony Project | percussion instructor
Jazz Camp West | drum faculty
Sam Ash Music | guest clinician
Yale University | guest clinician
KIPP Charter Schools | percussion director
Oakland School For the Arts | percussion director
SF School of the Arts | guest clinician
Saint Ignatius High School | guest clinician
Jazz & Democracy | guest clinician
Long Island City College | guest clinician/lecturer
Stanford University | guest clinician/lecturer
SFJAZZ Education Programs | guest clinician
University of New Orleans | guest clinician/lecturer
Chandler Arizona Public Schools | guest clinician
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PUBLICATIONS
The Impact of Employee Participation in Employer Funded Education/Barriers to Career Growth - Proquest.com
Publisher/Writer, Pursuance Music/Broadcast Music, Inc.
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BOARD EXPERIENCE
Search Committee, California Jazz Conservatory
Advisory Board, Oakland Public Conservatory
Advisory Board, Dillard University Institute of Jazz
Board Member, Rocking Causes
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MEMBERSHIPS
Recording Academy, Voting Member (LA Chapter)
ResearchGate, Researcher/Contributor
Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)
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CONSULTANT/CONTRIBUTOR
The Flower of Inspiration Suite: Dedicated To Ruth Asawa, orchestral composition memorial
Volunteer Music Advisor, Soledad O'Brian/ Starfish Media Group annual fundraiser
Researcher/Consultant, Jazz In the Middle (JIM)
Education Program, Are You Listening PSA, SFJAZZ
New Orleans, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
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PUBLIC SERVICE
Chair, Education Committee/Guest Music Instructor -
Office of Former CA State Senator Holly J. Mitchell
Jazz Ambassador, U.S. Embassy/Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
​Public Public Arts Commissioner, City of South Pasadena
Advocate, New York Department of Homeless Services
VOLUNTEERISM
Grammy U Mentor, The Recording Academy
Community Outreach, Urban League of Los Angeles
Youth Events/Homeless Prevention, United Way of LA
Annual Holiday Youth Events, Boys & Girls Club of LA
Food Server, Glide
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PRESENTATIONS
Black History Month: “The Story of Jazz”
New Orleans: The Birthplace of Jazz
The Importance of Scholarly Writing, ResearchGate.com
Fundamental Research Methodology, ResearchGate.com
Approaches to Doctoral Research, ResearchGate.com