Venue Information

The organization was founded in 1998 as the Nashville Jazz Institute by Lori Mechem and Roger Spencer, and opened with a handful of students. The program was based on a workshop model developed by Mechem and Spencer growing out of their dissatisfaction with traditional academic jazz education. The workshop model is based on a journeyman/apprentice approach. Students have the chance to play with faculty and perform in different settings. The school attracted a loyal and growing following of students. It also became clear that besides helping the students and instructors, the workshop format was a unique approach to jazz education that could benefit the entire community.

We incorporated as a nonprofit in 2000, changed the name to the Nashville Jazz Workshop, and moved to our current location in the Neuhoff Complex in East Germantown. We started new projects: visual art exhibits, student/faculty performances, a twice-monthly performance series - Snap on 2 and 4, and many other ...