Next Jazz Legacy Announces 2024 Cohort of Emerging Women and Nonbinary Awardees 

Pairs Emerging Artists with Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly known as Christian Scott), Ambrose Akinmusire, Kenny Barron, Terri Lyne Carrington, Gerald Clayton, Sara Serpa, and Nate Smith for Apprenticeships 

Genevieve Artadi, Cindy Blackman, Caroline Davis, Sheila E., Lisa Fischer, Stefon Harris, and Tomeka Reid Participate as Creative Mentors

Today, Next Jazz Legacy is excited to announce the seven emerging women and non-binary jazz musicians who make up its 2024 cohort of awardees. The trailblazing program, created by New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, aims to tackle gender and racial inequities by offering intergenerational apprenticeship, mentorship and professional development opportunities to individuals who have been historically underrepresented in jazz. The program receives major funding from the Mellon Foundation and support from Joe and Nancy Walker. 

With gender and racial justice as guiding principles, this group of Next Jazz Legacy awardees was chosen through an open application call followed by a meticulous, months-long review process by a distinguished and diverse panel of jazz luminaries, chaired by NEA Jazz Master and Next Jazz Legacy's Artistic Director, Terri Lyne Carrington. Once the awardees were selected, Carrington and the Next Jazz Legacy team worked closely with each of the musicians to match them with a master bandleader for a year-long performance apprenticeship, as well as a creative mentor, both of whom are aligned with the awardees' unique interests.

In addition to Terri Lyne Carrington, the selection committee for the 2024 Next Jazz Legacy cohort included Brian Lynch, Camille Thurman, Caroline Davis, Elena Pinderhughes, Etienne Charles, Ingrid Jensen, Kendrick Scott, Kris Davis, Linda May Han Oh, Matthew Stevens, Mimi Jones, and Walter Smith III. 

The third class of seven Next Jazz Legacy artists encompasses diverse backgrounds and talents that reflect a commitment to innovation and artistic excellence within the jazz community. In addition, they have navigated challenges such as sexism, socio-economic status, and access to opportunities. The members of this year’s cohort are:

Amyra León

Voice

Apprenticeship with Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah (formerly known as Christian Scott)

Creative Mentorship with Lisa Fischer

Amyra León, a musician, author, director, and Harlem native, has made a mark in both music and literature, captivating audiences with her soul-stirring performances and thought-provoking lyrics. With a profound dedication to social justice, León delves into themes of identity and liberation, urging listeners to critically examine the world. She has toured extensively, gracing prestigious stages including Lincoln Center, BAM, The Apollo Cafe, and more. Currently, she serves as the Artist in Residence at the Louis Armstrong Museum, where she has spent the last year crafting new work inspired by Armstrong's extensive archive.

Christie Dashiell

Voice

Apprenticeship with Terri Lyne Carrington

Creative Mentorship with Stefon Harris

Christie Dashiell, a versatile vocalist and composer from Washington, D.C., seamlessly merges jazz, rhythm and blues, gospel, and soul. Renowned for her rich tone and improvisational skill, she hails from a musical family and holds degrees from Howard University and the Manhattan School of Music. With solo albums and collaborations with artists like Sweet Honey in the Rock under her belt, she recently released her sophomore album, Journey in Black, exploring themes of freedom and legacy. Alongside her performing career, Christie shares her expertise as a faculty member at Temple University, Howard University, and The University of the District of Columbia.

Ciara Moser

Electric Bass

Apprenticeship with Nate Smith

Creative Mentorship with Sheila E.

Ciara Moser, originally from Dublin but raised in Austria, currently calls Boston her home base. As a blind bassist of Austrian-Irish descent, she showcases her versatility across various musical styles and genres, seamlessly blending into band, orchestra, film, and ensemble projects, both in live performances and studio sessions. She earned her Master’s in Jazz Performance from the Berklee College of Music under the guidance of esteemed mentors like John Patitucci, Danilo Perez, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Victor Wooten.

Eliza Salem 

Drums

Apprenticeship with Ambrose Akinmusire

Creative Mentorship with Cindy Blackman

Eliza Salem is a versatile drummer, educator, and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. Their philosophy, which focuses on empathy, honesty, and patience, has led to collaborations with respected artists and improvisers in New York's vibrant scene. Salem has performed at prestigious venues like Lincoln Center and Birdland Jazz Club, and festivals such as Newport Jazz Festival. They've toured nationally and internationally with people like Caroline Davis and Marta Sánchez’s trio. 

Kanoa Mendenhall

Acoustic Bass

Apprenticeship with Kenny Barron

Creative Mentorship with Genevieve Artadi

Kanoa Mendenhall is a bassist and composer living in New York City. Born in Japan and raised in California, she grew up in a community of musicians. From a young age, she learned from and performed with San Francisco jazz luminaries such as Bruce Forman and Vince Lateano. Mendenhall moved to NYC in 2015 to study at Columbia University and the Juilliard School. She has recorded and toured internationally with artists such as Joel Ross and Dayna Stephens, and has performed in groups led by Aaron Parks, Johnathan Blake, Micah Thomas, and more.

Nicole McCabe

Saxophone

Apprenticeship with Gerald Clayton

Creative Mentorship with Caroline Davis

Nicole McCabe is a saxophonist, composer, and educator who works and lives in Los Angeles. She recently released Mosaic, her fourth album as a bandleader, on Ghost Note Records. Her electro-jazz duo Dolphin Hyperspace’s third album, What Is My Porpoise?, is forthcoming on Dox Records. A versatile performer and writer, McCabe’s recent collaborators include Jeff Parker, Justin Brown, Louis Cole, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ari Hoenig, Dan Weiss, and Sasha Berliner.

Yvonne Rogers 

Piano

Apprenticeship with Sara Serpa

Creative Mentorship with Tomeka Reid

Yvonne Rogers, a pianist, composer, and improviser based in Brooklyn, New York, was chosen for the internationally assembled Focusyear Basel residency in 2021 where she performed with jazz masters including Kris Davis, Sullivan Fortner, and Linda May. Her performances span the globe, including renowned venues like the Jazz Gallery and festivals like the Rochester International Jazz Festival. Beyond her music, Yvonne shares her expertise as an educator at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, drawing inspiration from her surroundings and daily life for her creative pursuits.

Co-founded by New Music USA and Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, Next Jazz Legacy has made a remarkable impact in its first two years by providing invaluable experiences to its two cohorts of awardees and aiding in their artistic development: 

• 100% of the NJL awardees state they have grown as an artist both as a side-person and as a performer
• 100% state they have achieved their goals and have increased confidence
• 86% are continuing their relationship with their assigned bandleader beyond the NJL program
• 71% will continue their relationship with their NJL mentor
• 100% of NJL awardees feel more connected to and have a stronger sense of belonging in the jazz community after participating in the program. 

Awardees have performed at some of the most prestigious jazz events across the country, including New York City’s Winter Jazzfest, Washington, D.C.’s Mary Lou Williams Festival & DC Jazz Festival, and Los Angeles’ Angel City Jazz Festival. Next Jazz Legacy awardees have also had the chance to work and perform with some of the most acclaimed names in jazz including Makaya McCraven, esperanza spalding, Tia Fuller, Nasheet Waits, Moor Mother, Brandee Younger, Patrice Rushen, Craig Taborn, Nicole Mitchell, Marcus Miller, Regina Carter, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Helen Sung, Bobby McFerrin, the late Wayne Shorter, and two recent GRAMMY winners, Meshell Ndegeocello and Miguel Zenón. Furthermore, Next Jazz Legacy has gained national recognition from top media outlets like PBS NewsHour, Billboard, GRAMMY.com, AllArts, and more.  

Building on this success, the 2024 Next Jazz Legacy cohort will take the stage for the first time together at the upcoming Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival in Washington, D.C. on May 10-11 at the Kennedy Center.

By the end of this third year of the program, Next Jazz Legacy’s impact will have grown to encompass:

• the direct support of 21 emerging artists
• the engagement of 63 bandleaders and mentors
• 252 creative and business mentorship sessions 
• 126 apprenticeship sessions 
• 20 cohort learning sessions
• 12 showcase performances.

Next Jazz Legacy Artistic Director and GRAMMY award-winning artist Terri Lyne Carrington is very optimistic about the program’s continuation, saying:

 “I’m very excited about Next Jazz Legacy moving into its third year! We have been working with some amazing women and non-binary musicians, as well as seasoned veterans, toward a more inclusive jazz future. I have always felt that on-stage apprenticeship was highly beneficial in my own development and am so happy that we can assist these incredible emerging musicians with an apprenticeship in their artistic journey.”

New Music USA President & CEO Vanessa Reed shares:

“During the first two years of Next Jazz Legacy, we have seen how vital and transformational the program’s funding, mentorship, collaborative learning, and performance opportunities are to each of the talented awardees. I am honored to be working with Terri Lyne Carrington to sustain this pivotal undertaking in its third year, and I am grateful to the many bandleaders and mentors who are facilitating cross-generational learning through our program and shaping the future of jazz.”

New awardee Eliza Salem highlights the transformative potential of programs like Next Jazz Legacy, saying:

“Most underrepresented people within the music community have found themselves in situations where their voice is silenced, where they are singled out, where their talents are taken advantage of because of tokenism, where they are left to fight for themselves and be met with defensiveness, or where they suffer in silence as an act of self-preservation. By helping artists such as myself to develop our skills and confidence as musicians and to gain access to necessary opportunities, Next Jazz Legacy ensures a more equitable future for the community with an emphasis on advocacy, accountability, and leadership.”

Each Next Jazz Legacy artist benefits from a comprehensive package designed to have a deep and lasting career impact. This includes a $10,000 grant, a one-year performance apprenticeship, a two-way mentorship program pairing them with artistic and business professionals, peer-learning cohorts led by Carrington, an online learning course from Berklee, various promotional opportunities, live showcases with national presenters, and more. The success of this program relies on intergenerational collaboration, involving trailblazing jazz artists of all genders who believe in Next Jazz Legacy’s founding principle: that a more inclusive jazz community will benefit everyone and strengthen the artform. 

To accompany the third cohort of seven awardees, the program has also revealed 18 semi-finalists who were put forward to the final stage of the selection process by the Next Jazz Legacy panelists. They will receive a cohort gathering and promotion through Next Jazz Legacy channels. The semi-finalists are Akenya Seymour, Ángela Varo Moreno, Aubrey Situmorang, Darynn Dean, Destiny Diggs-Pinto, DoYeon Kim, Francesca Remigi, Ingrid Schyborger, Janelle Finton, Jillian Grace, Lihi Haruvi-Means, Maya Keren, Minnie Jordan, Naomi Nakanishi, Sheila del Bosque Fuentes, Tammy Huynh, Tonina Saputo, and Zoe Obadia.

ABOUT NEXT JAZZ LEGACY

Next Jazz Legacy is a national apprenticeship program for women and non-binary improvisers in jazz with the intersection of gender and race as a guiding principle. The mission of Next Jazz Legacy is to increase opportunities for musicians most underrepresented in the art form and to create waves of lasting change that benefit the whole community. Next Jazz Legacy invests in its awardees through a comprehensive support package that includes intergenerational apprenticeships and mentorship, showcases, cohort learning, and a grant that contributes to awardees’ creative and professional development. Next Jazz Legacy is a partnership between New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, with funding from the Mellon Foundation and Joe & Nancy Walker. GRAMMY-winning artist and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington is the program’s Artistic Director. 

ABOUT NEW MUSIC USA

New Music USA is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advancing new music in all its forms. Our mission is to nurture a vibrant and inclusive community for artists and listeners by supporting the creation, performance, and appreciation of new music throughout the United States. Through responsive grant-making; skill-building; mentorship and convenings for creators from all backgrounds; and platforms designed to connect music-makers with organizations and their audiences, New Music USA works to ensure a thriving, connected, and equitable ecosystem for the music of our time. newmusicusa.org 

ABOUT BERKLEE INSTITUTE OF JAZZ & GENDER JUSTICE

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice's mission is to recruit, teach, mentor, and advocate for young musicians desiring to study jazz in a safe, egalitarian and nurturing environment, with gender justice and racial justice as guiding principles. We share in the collective work to challenge systemic forms of oppression embedded in the art form. We believe a cultural transformation is needed and that the music itself will not reach its full potential until these issues are meaningfully addressed. Learn more at berklee.edu/jazz-gender-justice.

ABOUT THE ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive. Learn more at mellon.org.