Oaktown Jazz Workshops Celebrates 30th Anniversary

When Ravi Abcarian, the executive director of Oaktown Jazz Workshops, names artists who’ve honed their craft by participating in the program over the years, he unleashes an all-star roster of musicians.

“Ambrose Akinmusire was really the first generation, Dayna Stephens along with him,” Abcarian says, on a recent Zoom call. He adds acclaimed trumpeter Jonathan Finlayson and renowned drummer Savannah Harris. He mentions educator and sound effects specialist for Saturday Night Live, Geoffrey Countryman. There’s Josiah Woodson, who played trumpet on the song “Love on Top” by Beyoncé.

“And of course, Aneesa Strings,” says Abcarian, adding the superstar upright bassist to the mix.

On Saturday, Nov. 16, Oaktown Jazz Workshops will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a show at Yoshi’s in Oakland. In true Oaktown Jazz Workshops fashion, Abcarian says, the event will have a deep community presence, conversations about ensuring access to jazz music for future generations and guest appearances from artists who’ve come through the program over the past three decades.

Founded by the late trumpeter and educator Khalil Shaheed, Oaktown Jazz Workshops is a nonprofit originally created in response to the lack of music classes in public schools. An added layer to the organization’s mission: bringing jazz directly to the community.

In fact, they were so committed to that idea that at one point they booked artists like saxophone legend John Handy on a flatbed truck to hold live performances at neighborhood parks.

“That was the Groovemobile,” says Abcarian of the truck. He explains how artists like a young, soon-to-be Grammy award-winning singer Ledisi or renowned percussionist John Santos (performing at the Yoshi’s show), were conduits, bringing jazz to the community by playing on Saturday mornings at public parks and recreation centers.

“It brings a tear to my eyes as I think about the infancy of what Khalil was doing,” says tenor saxophonist and educator Richard Howell, also on the Zoom call.    

He and Shaheed were close friends who played in many horn sections together. Shaheed died in 2012 at age 63. 

When Shaheed first told Howell about the original idea for Oaktown Jazz Workshops, Howell says, “I told him ‘I don’t want to teach any kids.’” But Howell soon folded, and when he’d step in to teach a class, Shaheed would find a way to step out.

“He would disappear after he asked me to join him,” says Howell with a laugh, noting that it gave him a chance to share with the students the importance of improvisation. Now the program’s lead instructor, Howell says, “I love it with all my heart… This is one of the most rewarding things I’ve been doing for the last 15, 16 years.”

Abcarian says the learning goes both ways in Oaktown Jazz, between students and teachers. Howell adds that being able to bring legendary artists into classes is a bonus.

“The great bassist Reggie Workman invited us, and we had the entire class in this one particular room,” says Howell, recalling one lecture where the students were left in disbelief. “The surprise of the day was that Sonny Rollins was on the Zoom call.”

The program offers a variety of jazz lessons to students between the ages of 10 and 18, with new classes for young adults as well. Performances are held periodically, including some Sunday shows near their headquarters in Oakland’s Jack London Square.

“We get a lot of tourists coming through the area, and they see the kids playing, and the kids sound good,” exclaims Abcarian, “These people that are visiting the Bay Area, they hear it and they start tearing up, and they say ‘This reminds me of my neighborhood when I was growing up.’”

With jazz, community and education at the forefront, Oaktown Jazz Workshops looks to continue their work for years to come.

Oaktown Jazz Workshops’ 30th anniversary event is Saturday, Nov. 16, at Yoshi’s in Oakland. Hosted by KCSM’s Jesse “Chuy” Varela, the evening features live performances by Erika Oba, Jesse Levit, the John Santos Sextet, Richard Howell and more. Details here.