Jazz Without Borders:

Reflections on Cultural Exchange

The students’ eagerness to learn reinforced an invaluable lesson: jazz is alive and thriving worldwide. Teaching jazz theory, performance, and practice methods from an American perspective left a lasting impact—not only on the students but also on me. Music, I realized, is a universal language that unites people across borders.

A Personal Note
My time in Chile was a profound reminder of the value of cultural exchange. Whether mentoring students, performing concerts, or evaluating scholarship candidates, I felt the transformative potential of my Fulbright mission. It’s one of the best ways to share the richness of America’s artistic heritage with the world—and in return, discover the treasures other cultures have to offer.

Expanding the Backstory: My Fulbright Chile Journey

Santiago, Chile, with its picturesque backdrop of the Andes and its vibrant cultural heartbeat, became a transformative chapter in my journey as a Fulbright Senior Specialist. Teaching jazz at ProJazz Institute, the only accredited jazz degree-conferring school in South America, was an extraordinary opportunity to share not just the music, but the freedom and innovation at the heart of jazz as an American art form.

The seasons were flipped—winter in July—and the city experienced one of its colder spells. One memory that stands out is the power outage that plunged an entire city block into darkness for three days. Yet, even in the cold, I was warmed by the enthusiasm and resilience of the people I worked with.

My mission was to bring contemporary jazz to students eager for an American approach to harmony, improvisation, and bebop vocabulary. What struck me most was their thirst for knowledge—not just the mechanics of jazz, but the ethos of self-expression and creative freedom that defines it. For many, jazz was more than music; it was a window into a different way of thinking. I had the privilege of performing city-wide concerts alongside incredible colleagues like Russell Haight, creating workshops and clinics to inspire and equip the next generation of jazz musicians. The people of Santiago embraced jazz in a way that reminded me why it’s such a powerful cultural export. They absorbed bebop improvisation, translated jazz texts into Spanish, and explored how to present themselves as professional musicians on the global stage.

This experience paralleled another transformative chapter in my career—my work with the U.S. Army Bands as a Department of Defense trainer. In both settings, jazz became more than music; it became a symbol of democracy, individuality, and collaboration. Whether mentoring students in Chile or leading workshops with Army musicians, the message was the same: jazz is a universal language that transcends borders, fostering connection and mutual understanding.

To learn more about my work with the U.S. Army Bands, visit my Army Trainer page.

These opportunities, supported by the Fulbright Program and the U.S. Army, underscore the profound role that music plays in cultural diplomacy. Jazz resonates deeply as an American contribution to global culture, embodying the values of freedom, innovation, and creativity. Representing those values through teaching, performing, and mentoring has been both humbling and inspiring, reinforcing my belief in the enduring power of music to unite us all.