This clinic examines the Black Arts Movement of the late 1960s to mid-1970s, highlighting African American artists, writers, and musicians who created socially relevant art as a cultural extension of revolutionary race movements. It explores the emergence of artist-run organizations and communities in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York and considers their political, economic, social, and creative goals.
The clinician will discuss what musical and philosophical threads persist from the avant-garde scene’s formative years and how those philosophies shape artists in Chicago and Los Angeles today. The clinic will present interviews that delve into the nuts and bolts of what artists think about during the creative process: rhythmic and harmonic concepts, artistic influences, and spiritual parallels that drive their creative choices on and off the bandstand. The clinic seeks to explore what we can learn about pedagogy from communities where generational mentorship preserves unique approaches to musical improvisation.
Target Audience
Jazz Teachers and Students, History Buffs
Additional Notes
Clinician Info
Emma K Dayhuff
Loyola Marymount University
Emma Dayhuff is a dynamic bassist and composer renowned for her soulful playing and innovative approach. With a performance career spanning over two decades, she has shared the stage with jazz luminaries such as Herbie Hancock, David Murray, Cecile McLorin Salvant, and Patricia Barber.
Rooted in Chicago’s rich avant-garde tradition, Emma’s musical style is deeply influenced by mentors Vincent Davis, Kahil El’Zabar, and Robert Irving III. Her playing seamlessly blends elements of jazz, experimental improvisation, and contemporary music, creating a unique and captivating sonic experience.
Emma is an educator committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. Her teaching philosophy, cultivated under the guidance of bass masters Ron Carter, Gerald Cannon, and Peter Dominguez, emphasizes technical proficiency, cultural understanding, musicality, and creativity. A Doctor of Musical Arts, she is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, and is on faculty at the Milt Hinton Institute for Studio Bass and the Richard Davis Young Bassists Foundation.