Jazz as a musical genre goes so far and beyond Miles Davis and the legends. But you do not need to convince a jazz enthusiast of that. They are already aware of the writhing culture of independent jazz musicians and established acts of great magnitude that breathe life, beauty, cohesiveness, and sense into an entire integral musical landscape part of the greater lexicon of art.
Jazz has always existed as an independent culture, created from the birth of alternative musical thinking and withheld as a statement of uniqueness, black culture, and non conformity thinking. But the genre has evolved while still maintaining that maximum quantity of acceptance and skill. Even the most inward and obtuse thinkers can see that no genre, perhaps even art form, has more credibility than jazz.
intotheShed celebrates the culture of jazz by wrapping it all up in a brilliant little bow. The website, intotheShed.com, attempts to bridge that seemingly momentous gap between established prolific artist and contributing fresh musician. It works quite simple: jazz greats create profiles and open lessons times anyone can purchase, very quickly and easily having a live online video lesson with a jazz giant. These teaching artists set a price and teach scheduled classes through a brilliantly simple to use website. All money transfers are backed up and accredited by the resource, so finances will move briskly and reliably.
Imagine getting a one-on-one music lesson from the best jazz musicians in the world. intotheShed is a link between established musician and newcomer. This resource merges these two by allowing an aspiring musician to learn from an accomplished musician. But intotheShed takes this further. By allowing seamless integration of any type of jazz musician, anyone can buy a lesson. They have not only traversed the gap but have destroyed it entirely. A piano player can learn from bassist Robert Hurst or a trumpeter can learn about rhythms from drummer Nate Smith or a vocalist can learn about chords and harmony from pianist Eldar Djangirov.
A web cam is required to make this work, but it is perhaps the only overhead required to enter the shed. Artists create availability schedules, live lessons, and dynamic rates to make a full-fledged teaching experience. At the bottom of all of this is a respect and adoration for the culture. It is a way to exude life and wideness into the jazz idiom by allowing musicians to connect, gather, share, and struggle or succeed together. It is the perfect embodiment of a culture rife with independence and alternative thinking from the very beginning. Miles Davis would be proud. Perhaps he would have an account and teach himself. Imagine that kind of world.
So we walk into the shed. The shed where famous musicians, established acts, and up and coming students collaborate to create a better future for all worlds. The shed is small, hard to see from afar, and certainly not refined. But it is what is inside that is magical, the music taking all visitors to another world of respect, success, notoriety, and acceptance.
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