If you are reading this post, you are connected in some way to the jazz community here at Centrum. Perhaps you are a workshop
participant. Or a music teacher, or an aspiring jazz musician. Maybe you
are a concert attendee, a jazz club devotee, a jazz program
volunteer–or maybe you just like reading/watching/listening online to
what is going on here.

We would like to make it easier for you to connect with each other–and us–online.

I
would like to
personally invite you to join a new social community network that we
have set up at for you. It is a community focused on Jazz at Centrum,
and it is located at http://centrumjazz.ning.com.

Centrum is starting to roll out some social networks for each of its
major program areas (blues, jazz, residencies, literature, fiddle
tunes, and young artists). We're doing this as part of a broader effort
to rethink the work we do. We are recognizing and acknowledging that a
lot of what we do is centered around creating, and sustaining
community. That means that we want and need to provide tools to allow
the community to grow and connect.

It's a shift for us, and I'm
sure we'll stumble occasionally. But in the end, we hope to serve you
all better by doing a better job of listening and learning.

Our
intention is to provide a place where folks can network and learn about
the people who are coming to or interested in Centrum jazz programs.
Beyond that, we really have no specific agenda…we want the network,
and the community, to grow and evolve organically.

This main
site–www.centrum.org/jazz–will continue to be the "official" site for Centrum jazz activities, but we'll be participating right along side you on the
community site as well.

So please dig in and participate. Upload
your photos, videos, songs, recordings, and the like.Talk to each other. Jam online with each other. And please feel
free to contact me at any time if you have any suggestions, questions,
or concerns. My email is keven (at) centrum (dot) org.