Our Story
How Jazz Angels came to be
In 2007 Barry Cogert and Albert Alva founded Jazz Angels. Both Barry and Albert are professional musicians and teachers and recognized a need for a unique type of music education for the youth. They wanted to make jazz accessible to the youth of Southern California – so they started the Jazz Angels non-profit with the goal of keeping jazz alive and strong for future generations.
Still today, the purpose is to create an opportunity for young people to hear and learn about jazz, encourage them to play an instrument, and provide opportunities for them to perform. Much more than music lessons in Long Beach, this is a program that provides a rich life experience for a young musician. A unique component to The Jazz Angels methodology is to engage professional musicians as mentors who play alongside the participants, providing inspiration and instilling pride and discipline.
Why Jazz Angels?
- We inspire young musicians to create music in group settings. The lessons learned during this process will stay with them throughout their lives
- Our young musicians come from Long Beach, and across the region in nearby Orange County, as well as from cities throughout Los Angeles County
- Jazz Angels is REAL musicians educating children in the appreciation of America’s true art form by giving them the tools, encouragement, and platform for live JAZZ performances with other children, accompanied by professional musicians
- Improving the quality of life through Jazz Education, Performance, and Community Awareness
- We strongly encourage our students to get comfortable improvising. We teach them to step outside of their comfort zone and free themselves.
The Jazz Angels is a non-profit public benefit corporation, registered under IRS code 501(c)(3). Programs include both in-school supplemental music instruction and ensemble-based jazz instruction at our studio in Signal Hill, CA. Federal Tax Exempt ID number: 84-1686341