"A big step toward greater support for jazz will come when we have eliminated racism and its impact on our ability to see, feel, and hear better."

"Any legislation enacted in this state that supports public radio will also support jazz since noncommerical public stations are the primary outlet for jazz broadcasting.... The number of commercial jazz stations in this country now numbers exactly one--KJAZ in the Bay Area. That's the only commercial jazz station in the whole country. Public radio attempts to fill this void."

"Jazz is America's classical music and it definitely should be treated as such. I don't know of a jazz festival in Europe that is not government supported. In order to be fair with artists and pay them what they rightfully deserve, you can't rely totally upon ticket sales. Jazz needs funding the way European classical music has enjoyed it."

"Jazz is almost never taught in schools or otherwise presented to-our young people. One of the results of this neglect is that, particularly in our inner-city areas, entire generations of African Americans, young and adult, have grown up virtually ignorant of our country's rich contribution to world culture, which was largely created and nurtured by their ancestors and some of their contemporaries.

Jazz is still generally relegated to the 'back of the bus' in the country of its origin.

Another problem in school music programs is that the teachers lack the professional experience necessary to really teach music and don't use jazz as a tool for this purpose.

My success can be credited to early musical exposure. It's the key to everything."

"We need to start from the very beginning--from grammar schools, then move to junior high and high schools.... Give us musicians who are 4, 5, and 6 years old, allow us to enhance that knowledge in junior high, high school, and junior college, and we can turn out accomplished jazz musicians who will bring with them audiences."

"Outside of the United States, jazz is recognized for the art form that it is. Here in this country, jazz is in a situation where it has to straddle two worlds. On one hand, it has to survive as a commercial entity, but the economics are not there for people in the music business to present jazz. On the other hand, it's an art form that doesn't have the support and infrastructure that's needed to prosper in the same way that symphony, ballet, or dance has.

The people who are responsible for bringing the culture forward in this society don't know anything about jazz. They are intimidated by the music.... The notion must be created that they have a responsibility to present this music. Some of them work at state colleges and control a tremendous amount of public funds. They must be prompted to present and promote jazz just like they do symphony, opera, ballet."

"We also need to bring jazz to the schools in order to encourage its preservation and presentation. The best way to do this is to bring about a new generation of youth who are interested in this music."

"There isn't an understanding in the general public about jazz music. Like others said earlier: The public doesn't understand jazz, they are intimidated by it, and the name recognition isn't there for the artists except for the top five jazz musicians in this country."

"We must figure out ways to change the existing view America holds about jazz in order to accomplish its preservation. We have to do it with the youth. We have to do it in the schools (with increased governmental funding). But ... one of the first things we must do is create an understanding that America should appreciate jazz because jazz is exactly what America is supposed to be. America has always presented itself to the world as being home of the world's greatest experiment in how culturally diverse people might live together. But jazz ... is possibly the world's greatest experiment in how people might play.together. It is the music that represents America to the rest of the world."

"California is lacking in music education in general, not just jazz.

The Legislature could ensure that there are music programs at all levels of education and that jazz is taught as part of the early elementary curriculum.... Children are not exposed to jazz early enough.

Today's music instructors were not required to study jazz.... when they teach jazz they are very limited and have no real background or interest.

A jazz program increases the number of students coming into music programs... students will go where there are jazz programs.

Even though it originated here, appreciation for jazz is not happening in the United States. We have to start young in order to build respect and appreciation."

"Jazz education must start at an early age. I certainly do believe it after having been in education since 1956.

I'm really disappointed that over the years we have allowed the schools to slip in terms of music education. In Japan, every child, grades 1-5 receives 2 hours a week of music instruction from a music specialist.

The music is magic when it comes to our representation of it and its representation of us in various parts of the world. This music is ours; we've got to catch up with the rest of the world in appreciating it.

When I grew up it was thought that jazz couldn't be taught. That was the prevalent thought. Today, we know jazz can be instructed just like any other music."

"The entrepreneurs who control the music industry are not musicians, but they control the types of music that are presented to the public.

Classical music is viable because it's subsidized; blues and jazz aren't. In every large city, every year, there's some kind of function to support the symphony."