Uncovering the Vibrant East Side Jazz Legacy: A Celebration of Unsung Trailblazers

The upcoming Music at the Intersection festival is set to shine a spotlight on the rich and diverse jazz heritage of the east side of the Mississippi River. While the legendary Miles Davis may be the most renowned jazz artist to emerge from this region, the story of east side jazz is far more expansive, encompassing a tapestry of influential musicians, educators, and community-driven initiatives that have shaped the genre's evolution.

Amplifying the Untold Narratives of East Side Jazz

Honoring the East Side's Unsung Jazz Heroes

The east side of the Mississippi River has long been a hotbed of jazz talent, producing a wealth of influential musicians who have left an indelible mark on the genre. While the name Miles Davis may be the most recognizable, the region's jazz legacy extends far beyond the iconic trumpeter. Musicians and educators such as the late Ronald Carter, longtime band director at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, Big Band leader George Hudson, saxophonist Roland Clark, and trumpeter Russell Gunn have all made significant contributions to the east side's jazz scene, inspiring generations of aspiring musicians and shaping the local music landscape.The Sunday set at the Music at the Intersection festival, dubbed "Jazz from the East Side," aims to celebrate these unsung heroes and the rich tapestry of east side jazz. Organized by Adaron Jackson, the director of education and community engagement at Jazz St. Louis, the performance will feature a lineup of Lincoln High School alumni, including saxophonist Carlos Brown, Jr., trumpeter Anthony Wiggins, drummer Terreon Gulley, and pianist Reggie Thomas, as well as bassist Zeb Briskovich, a graduate of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) jazz program.

The Tradition of Apprenticeship and Community Engagement

One of the defining characteristics of the east side jazz scene is its strong tradition of apprenticeship, where aspiring musicians have the opportunity to learn directly from seasoned veterans and community elders. As a student in Ronald Carter's band program at East St. Louis Lincoln High School, Reggie Thomas had the chance to gain invaluable experience playing in professional settings and learning from the greats who were active on the local scene."You have the experience of playing in the clubs and meeting the musicians who were on the scene back in the day, and they carry on the lineage and the history," Thomas explains. "So who we're learning from is not just the greats that are on recording, but we're learning from the greats that were within our own community. It's that type of connection to local history that we get to maintain that doesn't come through the textbooks."This deep-rooted tradition of community engagement and knowledge-sharing has been a crucial aspect of the east side jazz scene, ensuring that the legacy of the region's musical pioneers is passed down to successive generations of musicians.

The Importance of Music Education and Community Investment

The east side jazz scene has also been shaped by the influential jazz education programs offered at institutions like Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and the now-closed East St. Louis Lincoln High School. These programs have played a vital role in nurturing young talent and providing aspiring musicians with the skills and opportunities to thrive.Adaron Jackson, the organizer of the "Jazz from the East Side" set, hopes that the performance will not only showcase the region's rich jazz heritage but also underscore the importance of investing in music education and community-driven initiatives."We have all these wonderful people onstage who are doing great things, in town and away from here," Jackson says. "I want people to take away from this that there's a broader world that we need to invest in — all the communities in the St Louis region."The legacy of east side jazz is a testament to the power of community, education, and the enduring spirit of musical innovation. As the Music at the Intersection festival shines a light on this vibrant and often overlooked aspect of the jazz landscape, it serves as a reminder of the countless unsung heroes who have contributed to the genre's evolution and the importance of preserving and celebrating these rich cultural narratives.