THE SESSION: Join us for an exclusive exploration of "Early Ellington in the San Francisco Bay Area," a curated evening designed to deepen your connection to the foundational years of a jazz icon. This session offers a unique opportunity to engage with high-level scholarship while uncovering the regional history that helped shape Duke Ellington’s legendary career. Beyond the academic insight, your attendance directly sustains the next generation of musicians. Discover the untold stories of Ellington’s local influence in an intimate setting that bridges cultural heritage with tangible community impact.

THE SCHOLAR: Nick Rossi is a preeminent scholar-practitioner of the Swing Era, Nick Rossi integrates rigorous archival research with professional mastery of the jazz guitar to document the idiom's evolution from the 1920s through the 1960s. His pedagogical authority is supported by his role as a lecturer for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Swing U and his leadership of the Jazzopaters, where he deconstructs period-specific rhythm section dynamics. Rossi’s scholarship has been instrumental in the preservation of jazz history, notably through his co-production of the definitive Arv Garrison retrospective and his Grammy-nominated research on Oscar Moore for the Nat "King" Cole collection, Hittin' The Ramp. A global clinician and consultant for labels such as Mosaic and Fresh Sound, he has presented his findings at major international symposia, including the Duke Ellington International Meeting in Paris, bridging the gap between historical analysis and live performance.  Learn more about Mr. Rossi & see him LIVE:  nickrossimusic.com

THE HOST: The Generations In Jazz Foundation 510(c)3, founded in 1999, is a non-profit public benefit organization dedicated to empowering individuals and community enrishmint through the shared language of jazz music. Our family of programs offer  education and performance opportunities for aspiring musicians of all ages to learn, practice and perform jazz together in public settings. Explore our history and programs in this site and consider joining our mission with your volunteer time or financial contributions. Learn more at:  gijf.org