Artburst interviewed Dean Berg on behalf of the upcoming Adrienne Arsht Center Jazz Roots concert series. Opening night is dedicated to the co-founder Larry Rosen on Friday, November 4th, at 8PM at the Adrienne Arsht Center.
"Pianist, composer, arranger, producer and dean of Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, Shelly Berg, a longtime friend and collaborator of Rosen and a jazz musician himself, was appointed artistic advisor by the Arsht Center in July. He talked about the challenges of programming and presenting jazz in South Florida and Miami as a 21st century New Orleans.
How do you see the place of Jazz Roots in the South Florida scene?
Jazz Roots is not only a concert series but also 200 kids come to every concert and get to see and talk to the musicians, see the sound-check and attend a master class, so I think in that way it’s a hub for jazz in South Florida. By the time we're done with the series every year, 1,200 school kids who participate in music get extra training.
The other component is curatorial. You want to excite people about the series, so you don't want the music to be so esoteric that it turns them off. In terms of programming we just try to do whatever we think might be the most entertaining. We have built a brand that people trust."
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