Matt Wilson is a New York based drummer, GRAMMY nominee, father of four and one of today's most celebrated jazz artists. He is universally recognized for his musical and melodic drumming style as well as being a gifted composer, bandleader, producer, and teaching artist.

What was your favorite part about the WeBop recording sessions?
I’m proud of how jazz creates community of people all kinds, young and old alike. One special occasion on this recording represents this bonding of generations: a trio of percussionists — 13-year-old Max Storcevic-Castro, yours truly who is 47, and 90-year-old Maestro Candido Camero — performs Dizzy Gillespie’s "Manteca." The day we recorded the song, I said "Nothing occurring on earth right now is as happening as this experience.  All of us, from totally different generations, are coming together to play and create music together. WOW!”

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
I love how kids will utilize whatever is available to them and with their imaginations find ways to have fun playing. That's what we do as jazz musicians. We play with the sounds available and we use our imaginations to create new songs! 

Patrice E. Turner, Ed.D. hails from Reynoldsburg, Ohio and is accomplished in the classical, jazz, and gospel traditions as a pianist and a soprano vocalist. Patrice has been part of the WeBop team since 2005 as a curriculum developer, instructor, and accompanist.

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
Children’s bodies instantly move when they hear jazz. They instinctively know how to improvise, and they are the best scatters in the world! When I share jazz with children, I know that (to borrow from a Wynton Marsalis tune) "the blues [nor jazz] will never die."

Jeff Lederer is a New York based saxophonist/composer/educator whose work crosses the genres of jazz, Latin and creative improvised music. He has worked for many years in the Matt Wilson Quartet and the ensembles of Bobby Sanabria and salsa trombonist Jimmy Bosch.

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
I love the moment when children realize that the music is created on the spot by the performers. It becomes an empowering experience that can lead them to discover the music that lives inside of them.

Martin Wind, Bassist and composer born in Flensburg, Germany. Currently Martin is a member of the trios of Bill Mays, Dena DeRose, Don Friedman, Bill Cunliffe, Jim McNeely, as well as Matt Wilson’s band  Arts and Crafts. He also leads his own quartet and teaches at NYU and Hofstra University.

 What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
Teaching kids about jazz means teaching them about so many things: Rhythm, dance, movement, tolerance, improvisation, history, blues, endless possibilities, creativity and most of all.....how to have FUN!!!

Adam Platt began playing piano at the age of four. He has performed and recorded with Lionel Hampton, Ndugu Chancler, Lauryn Hill, Dana Leong, Brian Bromberg, and Reggie Watts amongst many others. He tours and performs regularly in New York City with his groups Dance Fight and The Prigs as well as jazz vocalist Kat Gang. Adam has been the resident accompanist at WeBop since 2007.

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
I love watching children discover all the new sounds and ways of expressing themselves and how they apply those in their everyday lives.

Doug Wamble Vocalist, guitarist and composer from Memphis, TN. Doug has performed as a bandleader at festivals and clubs, and opened for acts such as Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall, Madeleine Peyroux, Branford Marsalis, and the Indigo Girls. As a composer, Doug has been commissioned by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Chamber Music America and has recently composed portions of the original scores for renowned documentary filmmaker Ken Burns on his films "The Tenth Inning" and "Prohibition."                

Marcus Printup Trumpet player, born and raised in Conyers, Georgia. Mr. Printup has performed and/or recorded with Betty Carter, Dianne Reeves, Eric Reed, Cyrus Chestnut, Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Roberts among many others. He was inducted into the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in 1993. Mr. Printup is in high demand as an educator as well, performing master classes and workshops at middle schools, high schools and universities across the country. He is also a Steeplechase recording artist.  His latest release is "A Time for Love" and his newest release, "Homage" will be released in March of 2012."

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
"I LOVE sharing Jazz with children.  Their ears are so open to hearing new sounds and concepts.  Since our world is dominated with other styles of "popular" music, it is crucial to uphold this art form, the ORIGINAL AMERICAN ART FORM, of Jazz music by enriching the next generations."

Vincent Gardner Trombonist and composer born in Chicago, Illinois. As a bandleader, Gardner has released four albums under the SteepleChase record label. He performs with his own groups frequently, in addition to being the lead trombonist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Tim Sullivan Baritone saxophonist and educator who has performed and/or recorded nationally with a wide array of artists including Aretha Franklin, Fred Wesley, Roy Hargrove, Ellis Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jason Marsalis, Toshiko Akyoshi Big Band, Cab Calloway Orchestra, Curtis Fuller, Clark Terry, Treme Brass Band, and Dave Liebman Big Band among many others. Tim joined WeBop as a teacher in 2009.

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
Jazz is the ideal music for children, a musical playground full of motion and discovery. The rhythms speak to the physical being, the individual expression of the inner soul and outer self, the collective process and our society's most valued democratic ideals. There could be no better music to share with kids!

Candido Camero Credited with being the first percussionist to bring conga drumming to jazz. Born in Havana, Cuba in 1921, Camero first began making music as a young child, beating rhythms on empty condensed milk cans in place of bongos. He has recorded and performed with seemingly everyone in  jazz, including such luminaries as Tony Bennett, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Slide Hampton, Charles Mingus, Wes Montgomery, Gerry Mulligan, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, and Clark Terry. Camero, now 90 years young, continues to perform throughout the world.

Miles Griffith New York vocalist at the forefront of some of modern jazz’s most inventive working bands. Griffith has performed and collaborated with such revered ensembles as Jon Hendricks' Explosion, Jimmy Heath's Big Band, Roy Hargrove Big Band, Stanley Cowell Quintet and the Bill Saxton Quartet. As a bandleader, he performs with his groups The Miles Griffith & Trio and The New Ting. In 1994, he played the lead role of "Jesse" in Wynton Marsalis' celebrated Blood On The Fields.

Xenia Rubinos Cuba-Rican vocalist, composer and educator has worked with JALC’s WeBop program since 2007 in various capacities. She has collaborated on the curriculum development, general administration of classes, as well as teaching. In 2012, Rubinos released her debut full length album Magic Trix and performs her original music live throughout the United States and Europe.

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
Children constantly surprise me. I find their way of exploring the world to be very inspiring. When I share music with children I always feel that I come away having learned something new that I then put into practice in my own life and creative work.

Charenee Wade is a notable singer, composer, arranger and educator. Charenee is currently a professor at the Aaron Copland School of Music and with the Jazzmobile Workshop program. She performs internationally and graces the stages of the Jazz Gallery, JALC’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, and Smalls in NYC. Her debut CD, Love Walked In was released in July 2010.

Bob Stewart is an innovative tuba player and equally creative jazz educator. As a band leader, recording artist and featured soloist, Mr. Stewart's playing has been featured on over 80 recordings.  He has performed and recorded with such luminaries as Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Charlie Haden, Gil Evans, Charles Mingus, Carla Bley and Wynton Marsalis. Mr. Stewart is on the faculty of Lehman College and is a professor of Jazz History at The Juilliard School.

Gary Versace Jazz organist, pianist and accordionist Gary Versace has quickly become one of the busiest and most versatile musicians on the NYC scene. He is often featured in bands led by musicians such as John Scofield, John Abercrombie, Maria Schneider, Matt Wilson, Lee Konitz, Eliot Zigmund, Scott Wendholt, Joe Magnarelli, Danny Gottlieb, Seamus Blake, John Hollenbeck, Andy LaVerne, Adam Nussbaum, Brad Shepik, Ingrid Jensen, Tim Ries and many others.

Dr. Lori Custodero is Associate Professor of Music and Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and WeBop's lead curriculum consultant and co-creator. She has developed music programs with many local institutions in New York City, including the New York Philharmonic, the Midori Foundation, and Columbia Head Start.

Samantha Samuels co-produced WeBop: A Family Jazz Party, writes and produces family concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center and the August Wilson Center. She helped oversee the development of the WeBop curriculum as well as the Jazz for Young People and NEA Jazz in the Schools curriculums.

What do you love about sharing jazz with children?
I love sharing jazz with my child because it brings us both together in the moment, in a world of playful invention and imagination. Jazz invites us to delight and surprise each other with movement, word-play, rhythm and sound and it beautifies our home with an endless variety of colors and feelings.