Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
Our mission is to educate, entertain, and inspire a community of artists, students, and audience members through the study, performance, and appreciation of jazz — an original American musical form.
Vision
Our vision is to positively change lives through individual creative expression within a collaborative community that celebrates and perpetuates jazz.
Values
Creativity
At the heart of jazz is creative expression — the freedom to find and share your own voice. Yet creativity in jazz is never solitary: it thrives in dialogue with others, where individual ideas combine to create something greater than the sum of its parts. At SJW, we celebrate the jazz tradition as both foundation and springboard, honoring its history while embracing the ways each generation transforms it anew.
Collaboration
Jazz flourishes when musicians work together, listening, responding, and building on each other’s ideas. Collaboration is just as vital to SJW offstage: we value the process of working as a team, where each person’s contribution strengthens the whole.
Respect
Respect is the foundation of both jazz and community. In improvisation, it means listening deeply and honoring each musician’s voice. At SJW, it extends beyond the stage, shaping a culture where every individual is valued.
Practice
Jazz demands commitment to practice — returning again and again to refine, improve, and grow. At SJW, we embrace that same spirit of continuous learning, striving for excellence in our music and in every part of our organization.
