Why Jazz? A History of Innovation

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about. Is it "elevator music"? Is it for pretentious cocktail parties? After learning its history, you decide.

Jazz sits at the center of Portraits of Change. What evolved between a confrontation in culture led to a syncretism of art. As technology continues to develop in both the music world and in other fields, there arises a need to continue Jazz's cultural heritage in new, dynamic ways.

Portraits of Change initially started as a recital focused on music innovation. I wanted to highlight past innovative works within jazz, and try to paint a "portrait" of the composer through their own music. A portrait can be defined as a painting, drawing, photo, or visual representation of a person usually depicting only the face or head and shoulders. A more abstract definition is a representation or impression of someone. That is exactly what we set out with our audiovisual environments, to paint with sound and light an impression of the mood and likeness of the composer.

"If a Jazz musician plays someone else's song, he has a responsibility to make a distinct & original statement."

I hope that by adding a visual component to the music, it makes it more accessible to untrained ears and more enjoyable and immersive for everyone. I hope to spark joy and interest in these wonderful musicians throughout time that have inspired me and to foster more listeners to their music through this medium of mixed reality and music.