History of the Bakersfield Jazz Workshop

 

The BJW was founded by jazz trumpeter Steve Eisen in September of 2006 with the enthusiastic support of local jazz performers and aficionados. The first sessions were held in actor/singer/theater entrepreneur David Zent's Jewel Box Theater, located at the Hill House Hotel in downtown Bakersfield. Thanks to David Zent, who believed in Steve's vision for a jazz workshop, BJW was given our first home.

 

Weekly sessions continued at that site until May 2007, at which time Klarke Garl, owner of the beautifully renovated Nile Theater, a historic movie theater from the 1920s, and manager Frank Cruz, offered us a new home at the newly remodeled Nile Bar & Grill, located downtown at 1721 19th Street, Bakersfield, CA 93301. Our weekly Tuesday night sessions at the Nile have grown immensely in popularity and support from the community, thanks to Steve Eisen's boundless enthusiasm and dedication to promoting jazz performance and education via the workshop. Steve also founded the Bakersfield Jazz Orchestra, comprised of outstanding jazz musicians in Bakersfield, who have donated their time and talent to promote and preserve live big band jazz. 

 

In May of 2007, Dr. Doug Davis, chairman of Cal State University Bakersfield's Music department and CEO of the Bakersfield Jazz Festival, held each year at CSUB Amphitheater, invited the Bakersfield Jazz Workshop to have a booth at the festival and included Bakersfield Jazz Orchestra in the impressive line up of festival performers.  We are also indebted to Doug Davis for his constant support and numerous outstanding performances at BJW.

 

In June of 2007 BJW awarded the first annual BJW Music Scholarship in the amount of $500 to Centennial High School Senior Jeff Hatcher, a talented drummer whose support to the workshop was invaluable. Jeff attended the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band Summer Jazz Workshop at CSUN with the scholarship funds. He is now attending New York University and majoring in music.

 

September 2007 marked the one year anniversary of BJW. We celebrated with the Bakersfield Jazz Workshop First Anniversary Benefit Concert, featuring three-time Grammy Award winner/composer/arranger and renowned jazz saxophonist Tom Scott. The Concert was made possible by Nile Bar & Grill, concert promoter Fred Sanchez, and several local sponsors (see BJW Friends and Supporters).

Trumpeter Steve Eisen

Drummer/Vocalist Zanne Zarow with Tom Scott at the BJW Benefit Concert.