Jazz Education

What Jazz Education does

Jazz Education Inc. (JEI) is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1970 by Grammy-nominated musician Bubbha Thomas with an initial grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Originally known as 'Concerned Musicians of Houston,' the organization delivers jazz education to Texas youth through four core programs: the Summer Jazz Workshop (SJW), a four-week intensive summer camp for middle and high school students with at least two years of formal music training ($680 tuition); Music In The Schools (MITS), an in-school performance and jazz history program for 3rd-6th grade students delivered during Black History Month across 15+ Texas school districts; the Houston International Jazz Festival, an annual multi-day festival now in its 29th season; and the SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch, which has awarded over $125,000 in college scholarships. Supporting programs include the Spring Into Jazz Fundraiser, the Bubbha Thomas Holiday Jazz Concert, and an online merchandise shop.

The organization's business model is a hybrid of nonprofit donation-driven funding and modest program fee revenue. Donations and fundraising are the primary revenue stream, sourced through tiered giving campaigns ($25-$1,000 plus in-kind), annual events, auctions, and partnerships including the H-E-B Tournament of Champions (covering tuition, scholarships, faculty, and instruments since 2017) and the founding NEA grant. Program tuition is a secondary stream, supplemented by merchandise sales (apparel at $20-$25, digital album downloads at $5) and event-based fundraising. Marketing is multi-channel, leveraging the website, email/SMS/WhatsApp programs, organic social media with branded hashtags, and event-driven community engagement. The organization operates from a single office in Houston (6363 Richmond Ave, Suite 306) with 11-50 employees and a faculty of professional musicians including Kelly Dean, Craig A. Green, Al Campbell, Nicholas Allen, and Cliff Gordon. Cumulatively, JEI has trained 15,000+ students through SJW since 1972 and reached over one million elementary students through MITS across 47 seasons.

Name

Jazz Education

Legal name

Jazz Education Inc

Website

https://jazzeducation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Jazz Education Inc. is a Houston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1970 that provides jazz music education to Texas youth through the Summer Jazz Workshop, Music In The Schools program across 15+ school districts, the Houston International Jazz Festival, and supporting scholarship and fundraising events, funded by donations, program tuition, and event fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (611610), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Schools & Conservatory Prep (Pre-College) (EDAMANAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Music Camps (Band, Choir, Instrument Intensive) (EDAMALAJ), Group Music Classes & Ensembles (Band, Orchestra, Choir) (EDAMANAC), Music Theory, Ear Training & Musicianship (EDAMANAF)

Keywords

• Jazz education programs
• Youth music instruction
• Summer music workshop
• School music programs
• Jazz festival events

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Jazz Education Inc operates as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization relying heavily on donations and fundraising campaigns including the annual Spring Into Jazz Fundraiser and year-round We Love Jazz Ed Campaign. Custom donation levels are offered at $25, $50, $100, $500, $1,000 or in-kind contributions.
2. Program Tuition: The Summer Jazz Workshop charges tuition of $680 for the four-week intensive summer program, with a $340 deposit to secure a spot and flexible payment options available. Scholarships and financial assistance are offered for students who cannot afford the full tuition.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including 50th Anniversary T-Shirts ($20), SJW 50th T-shirts with Alumni ($25), and album downloads of the Summer Jazz Workshop All-Stars ($5).
4. Event Fundraising: Major events including the SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch feature live and silent auctions with donations including event tickets, hotel stays, art pieces, and sports memorabilia. The brunch has awarded over $125,000 in college scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jazz Education Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that delivers jazz music education to youth in Greater Houston and Texas. Its core offerings include the Summer Jazz Workshop (SJW), a four-week intensive summer youth music camp for middle and high school students; the Music In The Schools (MITS) in-school jazz and poetry program for elementary students; the annual Houston International Jazz Festival; and supporting fundraising/community events such as the SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch, Spring Into Jazz Fundraiser, and the Bubbha Thomas Holiday Jazz Concert.

Product overview

Jazz Education Inc. (JEI) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering a portfolio of music education programs and community events. The core programs include the Summer Jazz Workshop (SJW), a four-week intensive summer youth music camp; Music In The Schools (MITS), an in-school program for elementary students; and the Houston International Jazz Festival. Supporting programs include the SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch, Spring Into Jazz Fundraiser, and Bubbha Thomas Holiday Jazz Concert. The organization also operates an online shop selling merchandise and music downloads. JEI was founded in 1970 by Grammy-nominated musician Bubbha Thomas and has served the Houston community for over 50 years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Summer Jazz Workshop (SJW): A four-week intensive summer youth music camp focusing on fundamentals of music and its associated business aspects, for young musicians aged middle and high school.
• Music In The Schools (MITS)
• Houston International Jazz Festival
• SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch

Products and services

• Summer Jazz Workshop (SJW) A four-week intensive summer youth music camp (June 15 – July 11, 2026) for middle and high school students with at least two years of formal music training, held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Houston. Curriculum covers improvisation, jazz idiom and career management, music theory (Music Reality), and audio engineering technology and orchestration, taught by professional Houston jazz musicians. Tuition is $680 per student with $340 deposit and scholarships/financial assistance available.
• Music In The Schools (MITS) An in-school program for 3rd through 6th grade students held every February in celebration of Black History Month. A professional jazz quintet (drums, bass, piano, saxophone, and narrator) delivers a 45-minute presentation blending musical styles and illustrating the evolution of jazz, with hands-on activities. The program has reached over one million elementary students across more than 15 Texas school districts.
• Houston International Jazz Festival An annual three-day jazz festival held every August during Jazz Month, featuring talented musicians from the United States and around the world. Festival proceeds benefit Jazz Education Inc.'s core educational programs. Now in its 29th season.
• SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch An annual fundraising brunch held every August as part of the Houston International Jazz Festival, featuring live entertainment with local and international artists including the SJW All-Stars, live and silent auctions, and college scholarship awards. The brunch has awarded over $125,000 in college scholarships.
• Spring Into Jazz Fundraiser Annual fundraiser held every April during National Jazz Appreciation Month, promoting a deeper connection to the history, culture, and preservation of jazz music through musical performances across Houston.
• Bubbha Thomas Holiday Jazz Concert Annual holiday musical event hosted by Jazz Education Inc., featuring holiday performances from local musicians. Free admission with food/sock donations; donations benefit community organizations including the Emergency Aide Coalition and The Lord of the Streets Homeless Shelter.
• Jazz Education Inc. Shop Online merchandise store offering branded apparel and music downloads, including the 50th Anniversary T-Shirt ($20), SJW 50th T-shirt with Alumni ($25 in sizes S–XXXL), and Summer Jazz Workshop All-Stars album download ($5).

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 15,000 students trained since 1972
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Congressman Mickey LelandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988In 1988, founder Bubbha Thomas approached the late Congressman Mickey Leland to seek support for a music festival, which led to the establishment of the Houston International Jazz Festival in 1991.
• H-E-B Tournament of ChampionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership supporting the Summer Jazz Workshop since 2017. H-E-B Tournament of Champions has generously provided contributions covering tuition fees, scholarships, world-class faculty, and instruments/resources. Their support enables the workshop to attract exceptional talent and serve students regardless of financial background.
• Texas Cultural Alliance (TCA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization supporting arts and cultural programming in Texas; logo appears on Jazz Education website partner section.
• Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization; logo appears on Jazz Education website partner section.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Pre-college arts summer camp and academy offering intensive music (including jazz), with a long history and similar model to JEI's Summer Jazz Workshop. Comparable as a pre-college arts intensive with scholarships and college-prep outcomes, though broader than jazz alone.
• Monterey Jazz Festival: Long-running annual jazz festival in California with a significant jazz education component (the Jazz Education Center and Competition). Comparable to JEI in operating a major jazz festival alongside education programming, with a similar nonprofit funding model.
• SFJAZZ: San Francisco-based nonprofit jazz organization that runs a multi-program portfolio including a major jazz festival, year-round concerts, and the SFJAZZ Collective educational program. Most directly comparable to JEI as a city-anchored jazz nonprofit combining performance festivals, education, and community programming.
• Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz: National jazz education nonprofit (formerly Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz) focused on collegiate and pre-college jazz instruction, competitions, and scholarship programs. Directly comparable as a jazz education nonprofit emphasizing scholarship, performance training, and college pipeline — at a national scale rather than Houston-local.

Emerging players

• Brubeck Institute: Jazz performance and education program at University of the Pacific offering pre-college summer jazz workshops, fellowships, and the Brubeck Festival. Comparable to JEI's Summer Jazz Workshop as a pre-college summer jazz intensive with a festival component.
• Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival: Jazz at Lincoln Center's high school jazz education program including band competition and festival. Comparable as a jazz education program targeting middle and high school students, similar to JEI's Summer Jazz Workshop student demographic.

Broad incumbents

• Jazz at Lincoln Center: National jazz organization led by Wynton Marsalis operating concerts, festivals, and extensive education programming including the Essentially Ellington competition. Comparable to JEI's jazz education and festival mission, but at a much larger national scale with broader programming.
• Carnegie Hall (National Youth Ensembles & Education): Major national performing arts organization with extensive youth education programs including the National Youth Orchestra USA and LinkUp in-school curriculum reaching millions of students. Comparable to JEI's MITS in-school programming model, but at vastly larger scale and broader musical scope.

Regional players

• New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation: Operator of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival with an associated education foundation funding school music programs and cultural workshops. Comparable as a regional jazz festival operator with education programming, though in a different geography than JEI's Houston base.
• Houston Symphony (Community Education): Houston-based performing arts organization with substantial youth education programming including in-school concerts, Young Artists competitions, and youth orchestra training. Comparable as a Houston-based arts nonprofit running in-school education programming for K-12 students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jazzed_inc
• Facebookfacebook.com/jazzeducationinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jazz-international-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jazz Education