Jazz Power Initiative, formerly The Jazz Drama Program, has involved hundreds of young people in productions around United States, Poland, UK, Montenegro and Russia.
We often have students return as college students and recent graduates to intern and train as teaching artists with us.
We invite all alumni to send a good quality photo and update of what you are doing now in the arts or elsewhere and how your experience with JPI/JDP made a difference. Send your photo and update to email hidden; JavaScript is required. Feel free to include links to your music or other artistic work. We are happy to share it with the Jazz Power Initiative community.
Isabella Pinto:
After leaving the jazz power initiative I finished my bachelors degree in history and began working full time for the state of Connecticut in higher education as an admissions counselor/recruitment and outreach specialist. I am also pursuing my masters degree in political science and am set to graduate in spring 2027. I am recently engaged and am hoping this year I can dedicate more time to music!
The program impacted me in so many ways. It taught me to be myself, to think outside the box, and to be authentic. I think it also taught me that making mistakes is okay, whether it be a wrong note in a song or something not working the way I wanted it to, I learned to quickly adapt and figure out the situation. That has benefited me greatly in my career and my personal life. I also learned the importance and value of being a team player and a team member, this has been crucial for my professional development and for my everyday interpersonal relationships. I would highly recommend the program to anyone who is thinking of joining.
Jonathan Hernandez Jimenez:
I have recently finished my masters in event management in May and have been working as an Associate Producer at a company called Worldwide Business Research. Where I help plan conferences for audiences spanning between 150 to 3000+ attendees. This has given me opportunities to travel more and converse with different individuals. I am still playing music and using the skills Jazz Power has taught me to come up with creative melodies and bringing showmanship to all performances I do.
Jazz Power has been instrumental in my personal growth. As a kid, I was a bit more timid, but through Jazz Power, I grew more confident in myself and now thrive in any environment I am in. I also use improvisation to think on my feet when a problem requires a creative solution. Overall, my time with Jazz Power is one I still cherish to this day.
Marquise Neal:
Since leaving Jazz Power initiative I found myself booking jobs every other week and doing readings for a new play or musical or being able to sit down and create or discuss music. Currently, I am on the National Tour of Dog Man: The Musical, based on the kid’s book by Dav Pilkey. Having the experience to tour the country and see many cities and cultures reminds me of when I would perform in Washington Heights with the program and seeing the Latin/Hispanic culture and how happy they are and how music or arts, in general, brings people together.
The program still runs through my mind anytime I’m performing or I’m chilling in my room. I went to school and major in musical theatre but I also do tv/film and in the process of starting my music career, and with being in the program since I was 14 years old, the knowledge of knowing great Jazz legends like Cab Calloway, Bessie Smith, and Dizzy Gillespie and the sacrifices they made to be where they are always inspire me, especially being a black man myself. I liked Jazz before the program but growing up with Jazz Power and performing at the many events we had made me LOVE it. I don’t know where I’d be or what I’d have learned not only performance wise but as a man and a human being if I didn’t meet Dr. Eli Yamin. His talent and dedication of Jazz always shine when he’s on the piano or teaching kids the information his mentors and others taught him.