About – The Jazz Connection

About Us

The Jazz Connection

Our Mission

The Jazz Connection is organized exclusively for charitable and music education purposes, more specifically to promote musical development through training and performance and enhance awareness of a variety of music styles by working primarily with young musicians.

Volunteers Run This Show

We are strictly a volunteer group; all participants including the students, professionals, and myself give up Sunday afternoons to spend time together learning this art form. We do not collect fees to be a part of the group and no one gets paid; all practices and performances are on a voluntary basis.

Music for Everyone!

There are three ways to help The Jazz Connection provide free music education to students across North Houston: DONATE, SCOUT, and PROMOTE.

About Bob Price

Bob Price started The Jazz Connection in Conroe and Montgomery County because very few high schools were teaching the Jazz/ Big Band art form. Being a private teacher in the area I was able to assemble a group of students from area junior and high schools with the desire to learn. As an instructor, Bob sees how the students can benefit from learning other kinds of music styles besides marching band and classical style playing. He also really likes Christmas lights.

Background:

Grew up in Atlanta, Georgia
Started playing Clarinet at 5 years old
Moved to Conroe, Texas in 1979
Was a freelance musician and teacher in Atlanta, Georgia

Instruments Taught:

Clarinet
Bass Clarinet
All Saxophones
Flute
Teacher/Director of the Jazz Connection: Volunteer Swing/Jazz band comprised of area high school students.

Education:

High School: Therrell and Lakeshore High
College: University of North Texas

Experience:

52 years of playing time
Six Flags Over Georgia
Played in the Lab Band program and ran Audio for all Lab Jazz programs at the University of North Texas
Started teaching privately in Conroe in 1980
Played backup for Trini Lopez, Ward Duvall, and Paul Haney
Played in the Atlanta Sinfonietta Orchestra
Played at Fellowship of The Woodlands
Presently teach 100 private Saxophone, Clarinet, and Flute lessons weekly in Conroe and Montgomery Texas
Owner of a used instrument and repair business

Associations:

TJEA—Texas Jazz Educators Association
TMEA—Texas Music Educators Association

Our Future Vision

To have our own building with all amenities, sound stage, recording studio, and lounge area. This would provide students with a safe, positive environment to do homework and congregate with other musicians of like interests.
To enlighten the youth of the area to the only U.S. music art form.
To teach different types of music: Swing, Jazz, Bop, R&B, Rock and Pop.
To teach improvisation.
To teach composition.
To provide a place for private teachers to teach their instruments.
To provide instructors and guest musicians from all genres to help teach the students.
To teach sound reinforcement.
To develop the Jazz Connection as a staple in the community eventually being passed on to alumni of the band to help continue this vision.
To provide an atmosphere for like minded students from other schools to develop friendships and share ides in this learning experience.

We are a non-profit 501.C3 entity, with the purpose of giving outstanding student musicians exposure to a comprehensive jazz study curriculum and allowing them to reinvest their knowledge and talents through performances in the community.