Traditional Arts Apprenticeship: Jazz & BluesWelcome!! My name is Aubrey and musician TJ Wheeler and I are starting a year-long journey together. I play the bass and I'm really excited to have the opportunity to apprentice with TJ and learn about the history of Jazz and Blues thanks to a grant from the NH State Council on the Arts. Here's more about the grant from the Council's website: "Traditional arts are an important part of our living heritage. They represent beauty, function and community values refined over generations. Many practitioners of traditional music and dance help bond communities together in social events. Many traditional artists who work in crafts preserve important skills that are being eclipsed by modern technology. Traditional Arts Apprenticeship grants fund a master traditional artist to teach an experienced apprentice and in this way help to preserve traditional crafts, music and dance so that future generations can continue to benefit from them. Apprenticeship grants recognize master traditional artists for their artistic excellence and commitment to preserving their heritage and support the efforts of promising apprentices who want to learn a tradition and share it with others." Click here for more information! Please help us play it forward by exploring and sharing this site. Thanks so much for stopping by! - |
T. J. WheelerT.J. Wheeler is a noted blues & jazz musician, educator, and overall musical activist. Originally from the greater Seattle WA area, Wheeler has been performing his specialized blend of Blues & Jazz for over 35 years. As well as playing at major festivals and concert venues around the world, he's devoted himself to integrating Blues & Jazz education programs, in a unique, multi discipline, holistic manner around the world. His program, Hope, Heroes & the Blues, has been performed for over 350,000 students through 5 continents around the world.
Among his many awards, Wheeler was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation in 2007 during his performance at the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival 2007. In 1993, he received the prestigious WC Handy Award for KEEPING the BLUES ALIVE in education. Wheeler has also received many other awards including the 1996 Individual Artist Award from the New Hampshire State Council of the Arts, the National Music Foundation award for music in the schools in 2000, the Pinnacle Award from the International Music Festival Organization, and the 2006 Granite State Award. |