>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR CHAT BOX WITH DAVID CRUZ IS PROVIDED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION.

MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

AND JM INSURANCE GROUP, SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ AND INTELLIGENT NETWORK PROVIDED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

THEY GIVE POLITICAL PLAYERS INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION AND INSIGHT.

ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

>>> WELCOME TO CHAT BOX, I AM DAVID CRUZ.

WE ARE CELEBRATING THE BLACK EXPERIENCE, WHICH WE DO ON THE REGULAR BUT ALWAYS DURING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT JAZZ HOUSE KIDS, AND WE START TODAY AT THE OTHER END OF THE EDUCATION STORY IN NEW JERSEY, WHERE THE MOST DIVERSE STATE IN THE NATION FACES A LAWSUIT CLAIMING THAT IT SCHOOLS ARE SEGREGATED IN THE NATION.

THE JUDGE SET A HEARING FOR THE CASE NEXT MONTH.JOINING US TODAY WITH AN UPDATE AND A LOOK AT WHAT IT MEANS IN YOUR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT ARE THE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF THE INCLUSION PROJECT AT RUTGERS, AND PATRICK FROM CHALK BE NEWARK .

WELCOME TO YOU BOTH.

PROFESSOR YOU WORKED WITH THE NAACP ON THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL SEGREGATION.

THEY ARE A PLAINTIFF IN THIS CASE AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THIS CASE, I WANTED TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR CLARITY SAKE.

CAN YOU TELL US THAT THE PLAINTIFFS ARE ARGUING HERE?

>> THANK YOU, DAVID, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU.

THIS IS A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE STATE, AND NOT ONLY FOR BLACK CHILDREN BUT FOR LATINO CHILDREN, WHITE CHILDREN, AND ASIAN STUDENTS AS WELL.

THE CLAIM IS FIRST OF ALL NEW JERSEY PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE AMONG THE MOST SEGREGATED IN THE COUNTRY, THE SECOND MOST SEGREGATED FOR BLACK STUDENTS IN THE SEVENTH MOST SEGREGATED FOR LATINO STUDENTS.

THAT SURPRISES MANY PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE A NORTHERN STATE.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE SEGREGATION WE HAVE DEEP INEQUITY WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.

BUT ALSO JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, SEGREGATION LIMITS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO COME TOGETHER AND GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER.

TO LEARN ACROSS THEIR DIFFERENCES.

WE HAVE DECADES OF RESEARCH THAT SHOW EDUCATIONAL DIVERSITY AND DIVERSITY IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS IMPORTANT FOR EDUCATIONAL OUTCOME.

THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS IN WAYS THAT SEGREGATION OR HARMING OUR CHILDREN AND WE CAN DO BETTER.

>> CAN YOU BRING US UP TO SPEED ON WHERE THE CASE SITS RIGHT NOW?

THERE IS A HEARING SET FOR MARCH, WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?

>> IN MARCH IT WILL BE ORAL ARGUMENTS.

THIS IS WHEN REALLY THE CRUX OF THE CASE WILL BE ARGUED BEFORE THE JUDGE.

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON NOW, FOR ALMOST FOUR YEARS.

THIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED IN 2018.

SINCE THAT TIME THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF PRETRIAL MOTIONS AND DELETE HEARINGS.

DISCOVERY WENT ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR.

SO THE PLAINTIFFS I THINK WOULD ARGUE THAT THE STATE HAS REALLY BEEN DRAGGING ITS FEET ON THIS, AND THROWING THIS OUT.

SO IT IS A MOMENT WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD BE GETTING CLOSE TO A DECISION ON THE QUESTION OF, IS THE STATE LIABLE FOR THE SEGREGATION?

BUT THEN THE NEXT PHASE AFTER THAT WOULD ACTUALLY GET TO THE REMEDY, SO WHAT WOULD HAPPEN?

>> WE WILL TALK ABOUT THOSE IN A MINUTE.

SEE YOU HAD AN INTERESTING OP- ED IN THE WASHINGTON POST, THE FIVE MYTHS ABOUT SCHOOL SEGREGATION.

I FOUND IT REALLY INTERESTING.

HAVE SCHOOLS HERE ALWAYS BEEN SO SEGREGATED?

>> WELL, NEW JERSEY HAS EXPERIENCED BOTH SEGREGATION FOR DECADES.

THE IRONY IS IS THAT NEW JERSEY HAS THE BEST STATE LAW IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF REALLY IMPORTANT DECISIONS FROM THE NEW JERSEY STATE SUPREME COURT, WHICH HAS FOUND THAT SCHOOL SEGREGATION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN NEW JERSEY, WITH RESPECT TO SPECIFIC DISTRICTS.

SO THIS HAS BEEN A LONG- STANDING PROBLEM.

I THINK THE BENEFIT OF THIS LAWSUIT IS THAT IT SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON THIS ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN UNADDRESSED IN A BROADER WAY THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS CASE IS THAT SURFACES THIS ISSUE IN A DIRECT WAY.

IT SAYS THAT THE STATE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SO WE CAN GET TO A BETTER PLACE.

>> I WAS TALKING WITH A STATE SENATOR, AND WE BROACHED THIS SUBJECT, AND HE SAID TO ME THAT HE HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ARGUMENT IS BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS, SHE USED THE EXAMPLE OF CENTRAL WARD IN NEWARK, A PREDOMINANTLY BLACK SCHOOL.

PEOPLE TEND TO BE PREDOMINANTLY BLACK BECAUSE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TAKE FROM THE IMMEDIATE COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THE SCHOOL.

WHEREAS A SCHOOL IN SHORT HILLS, SAY, WILL BE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE.

IS THERE A FLAW IN THAT ARGUMENT?

>> WELL, NO, I THINK WHAT THE LEGISLATOR IS SAYING IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

IN THE SENSE THAT, THE REASON WHY WE HAVE SUCH SEGREGATED SCHOOLS IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY WE HAVE DESIGNED THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

THROUGH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM LARGELY REQUIRE STUDENTS TO ATTEND SCHOOLS WHERE THEY LIVE.

SO IF WE HAD HOUSING SEGREGATION, WHICH WE DEFINITELY HAVE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE SEGREGATED.

I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THERE ARE PLACES WITHIN NEW JERSEY THAT ARE ACTUALLY DIVERSE, SCHOOLS THAT ARE ACTUALLY DIVERSE.

SO THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THE ENTIRE STATE IS SEGREGATED, JUST THAT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND STUDENTS, INCLUDING MANY WHITE STUDENTS, WHO ARE ALSO SEGREGATED IN THIS STATE.

>> PATRICK, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE POSSIBLE OUTCOMES HERE?

>> SO, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, THIS WILL START WITH THE QUESTION OF LIABILITY.

THE JUDGE WILL RULE ON THAT.

LIKELY IF THE JUDGE DOES FIND IN FAVOR OF THE PLAINTIFFS, THAT THE STATE IS RESPONSIBLE, THAT THE STATE WOULD APPEAL.

DOES NOT MEAN IT WOULD BE THE END OF THE CASE.

THAN THE NEXT PHASE WOULD GET INTO REMEDIES AND THAT IS WHERE THEY WOULD BE DISCUSSION WITH THE PLAINTIFFS, BUT ALSO WITH THE LEGISLATURE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY GET INVOLVED AS WELL.

THE PLAINTIFFS HAVE PROPOSED SOME POTENTIAL REMEDIES THAT COULD SATISFY WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR HERE, BUT THEY WOULD HAVE TO KIND OF BE DISCUSSED, AND SEEING WHAT IS PRACTICAL.

IT WOULD DEFINITELY BE A PROCESS.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.

PROFESSOR, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REMEDIES THAT THE PLAINTIFFS HAVE SUGGESTED?

OR SOME OF THE POTENTIAL REMEDIES THAT HAVE BEEN THEORIZED?

>> YES, SAID THERE HAS BEEN NO SPECIFIC DISCUSSION OF REMEDIES, AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT TO BEAR IN MIND.

NO ONE IS PREJUDGING WHAT KIND OF REMEDIES SHOULD BE REQUIRED IN THIS INSTANCE.

I THINK IT IS A COMPLEX QUESTION.

WE DON'T KNOW DO KNOW HOWEVER FROM CASES IN THE SOUTH AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE.

THERE ARE VOLUNTARY OPTIONS WHERE STUDENTS WOULD HAVE A CHOICE TO ATTEND A SCHOOL IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

YOU CAN ATTEND REDRAW ATTENDANCE BOUNDARIES TO CAPTURE DIVERSITY IN REGIONAL AREAS AND METROPOLITAN AREAS.

BUT IT IS ULTIMATELY, I THINK IN MY VIEW, JUST SPEAKING FOR MYSELF, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT, THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE, AS PATRICK SAID, SOME PROCESS BEHIND IT.

WHERE COMMUNITIES HAVE A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN.

BUT ALSO UNDERSTANDING THAT ULTIMATELY WE NEED TO MOVE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IN A DIFFERENT WAY, AND THAT WE CAN, AS I KEEP SAYING, GET TO A BETTER PLACE.

SO IT WOULD REQUIRE TIME AND PATIENCE, AND I AM OPTIMISTIC WE WILL GET THERE.

>> OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, AND NOT BEING AS WELL VERSED IN THIS STORY AS EITHER OF YOU, I AM THINKING IN TERMS OF TWO THINGS RIGHT OFF THE BAT, AND THAT IS EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF WHAT THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYSTEM IS.

MAYBE INCLUDE SURROUNDING TOWNS THAT WOULD MAKE EVERYBODY IN THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT IT IS JUST A LARGER SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AND THE OTHER ONE IS BUSSING.

EITHER OF YOU TAKE A MINUTE TO TALK ABOUT EITHER OF THOSE OPTIONS?

>> WELL I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR THAT TRANSPORTATION WOULD BE REQUIRED IF WE ARE GOING TO DRAW SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT REQUIRE STUDENTS TO ATTEND SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF THEIR IMMEDIATE AREA.

AND PEOPLE OFTEN FOCUS ON BUSSING AS SORT OF A WAY TO ACTUALLY CHALLENGE SOME OF THESE IDEAS AND SAY, OH I DON'T WANT MY CHILD TO RIDE A BUS.

THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS PEOPLE DO PUT THEIR CHILD ON THE BUS TO GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOL, PEOPLE ARE HAPPY TO BUS THEIR CHILDREN IF THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH WHAT IS AT THE END OF THE BUS RIDE.

WE COULD DESIGN PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT WOULD APPEAL TO A BROAD SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION AND THAT WOULD PROVIDE ALL KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN ACROSS THE STATE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WANT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO JUMP TOO QUICKLY AGAINST WHAT THE REMEDIES WITH THE CLICK.

BUT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, I THINK WE CAN BE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT WE WOULD NEED TO THINK THROUGH THE TRANSPORTATION QUESTION FOR SURE.

>> PATRICK, YOU HAVE HEARD SOME OF THE POTENTIAL REMEDIES.

DO ANY OF THEM STRIKE ANY OF THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE BEEN TALKING TO, EITHER DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE CASE, OR OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT RELATED TO THE CASE?

>> YEAH, THE SMALLER SCALE WOULD BE MAGNET SCHOOLS, AND DIFFERENT LOCALITIES.

THEY OFFER ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMS LIKE MAYBE PERFORMING ARTS AND SCIENCE, AND FOLKS WOULD TRAVEL THERE.

THEN YOU HAVE THE NEXT LEVEL UP WHERE FAMILIES CAN CROSS DISTRICT LINES SO THEY CAN GO TO SCHOOLS AND ANOTHER SURROUNDING AREA.

AND THE LARGER SCALE WOULD ACTUALLY BE REDRAWING THOSE DISTRICT BORDERS.

WEATHER CONSOLIDATING OR MAKING LARGER REGIONAL DISTRICTS, I THINK EACH ONE HAS POTENTIAL AND HAS BEEN DONE IN THE STATE.

BUT THEY ALSO WILL HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.

WE MENTIONED TRANSPORTATION, AND ALSO CREATING MAGNET SCHOOLS IS EXPENSIVE AND IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME IN CREATING THAT DEMAND.

I THINK THE LOGISTICS OF GETTING BIGGER SCALES OF REGIONALIZATION, THAT GETS MORE COMPLICATED IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND GOVERNANCE.

I THINK THE LAST THING WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IS THAT THERE IS LIKELY TO BE, ONCE IF WE WERE TO GET TO THAT STAGE, SOME PUSHBACK FROM PEOPLE WHERE EITHER THERE IS A LONG TRADITION OF HOME RULE.

PEOPLE CAN OFTEN AFFORD TO MOVE TO AREAS BECAUSE OF THEIR SCHOOLS, SO THE IDEA OF GIVING UP SOME OF THAT CONTROL, AND HAVING YOUR TAX DOLLARS GO TO A LARGER AREA, I THINK IT IS GOING TO GET A RESPONSE FROM PEOPLE.

>> LET'S HEAR FROM THE GOVERNOR ON THIS.

WE ASKED HIM ABOUT THIS DURING THE RECENT DEBATE I GUESS.

LET'S HEAR FROM HIM AND THEN WE WILL COME BACK.

>> YOUR ADMINISTRATION HAS FILED MOTIONS DELAYING A RULING IN THIS CASE.

DOES THAT JIVE WITH YOUR BOAST OF BEING A PROGRESSIVE?

>> THAT IS A TECHNICALITY, THAT IS AN OBLIGATION OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT HAVE A CHOICE.

THE BIGGER QUESTION IS, DO WE ACCEPT THAT THE LEGACY OF SLAVERY STILL EXISTS IN OUR STATE TODAY?

THE ANSWER IS OVERWHELMINGLY, YES.

WE EACH HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT WHITE PRIVILEGE, WE ARE THE MOST DIVERSE STATE IN AMERICA.

AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THE QUESTION IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE YOU CAN GOVERN THE PLACE.

>> AND THE CROWD REACTION THERE WAS INTERESTING.

BUT THAT WAS A WHOLE OTHER DISCUSSION AS FAR AS THAT IS CONCERNED.

WHEN YOU HEAR THE GOVERNOR IN SUCH OF KIND OF A NONANSWER, PROFESSOR, WHAT IS YOUR REACTION?

>> SO, I JUST HAVE TO SAY CANDIDLY, AND THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I'VE SAID IT, I HAVE BEEN VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS GOVERNOR.

IT IS NOT RIGHT THAT THE AG, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, HAS TO DEFEND THE CASE.

THERE WERE SOME SETTLEMENT DISCUSSIONS AFTER THE CASE WAS FILED.

IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT THE STATE WAS NOT -- IN THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

I PARTICIPATED IN SOME OF THEM.

WE SAW HOW PASSIVE THEY WERE.

SO, THE GOVERNOR HAS THE POWER TO SAY, LOOK, LET'S GET THIS DONE, AND WE CAN FIND OUR WAY WITH A SYSTEM THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, TO THE POINT TOO THAT PATRICK WAS MAKING EARLIER, LOOK, ANYTIME THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO CHANGE A SYSTEM THAT IS DEEPLY ROOTED, THERE IS UNDERSTANDABLY GOING TO BE SOME RESISTANCE, SOME CONCERN, QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY MEANS.

THAT IF WE LOOK AROUND THE COUNTRY WE SEE THAT DESEGREGATION HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN MANY PLACES, AND IN PLACES THAT WERE FORMERLY MANDATED BY LAW IN THE FEDERAL SYSTEM TO INTEGRATE.

AFTER THE COURT ORDER WAS LIFTED THEY PUSHED FOR VOLUNTARY INTEGRATION.

SO THE EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THOUGH INITIALLY IT IS VERY DIFFICULT, PEOPLE, WHEN THEY COME TOGETHER, WHEN STUDENTS HAVE THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER, THAT THEY VALUE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

AND I WISH THE GOVERNOR RECOGNIZE THAT MORE AND SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

>> WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME HERE.

PATRICK, AS FAR AS IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY REMEDIES, THAT WILL TAKE A WHILE ISN'T IT?

>> YEAH, THAT WILL DEFINITELY TAKE A WILD.

IT WILL TAKE A LOT OF DISCUSSION, AND LOGISTICS IN GETTING TO THE PROFESSOR'S POINT.

THERE WILL BE A NEED TO CREATE UNDERSTANDING AMONG THE PUBLIC, AND CREATE A IF MOVE FORWARD COMPLIANCE.

>> WE WILL BE WATCHING THE CASE CLOSELY AS IT CONTINUES.

THERE IS A HEARING SET FOR MARCH.

GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH, THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATE.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>>> IT HAS BEEN ALMOST ONE YEAR SINCE JAZZ SINGER MELISSA WALKER FOUND A JAZZ HOUSE KIDS AS A WAY TO GET THEM LEARNING ABOUT AMERICA'S MUSICAL GIFT TO THE WORLD.

ANYTIME YOU GET SOME JAZZ ON CHAT BOX IT IS A GOOD DAY.

MELISSA, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU AND I REMEMBER BUT WE MET A FEW THOUSAND YEARS AGO, WHEN YOU WALKED INTO THE OFFICE AND YOU WERE VERY NICE TO WAIVE IN MY GENERAL DIRECTION WHILE I WAS IN THE NEWS CUBE.

SO WELCOME TO CHAT BOX.

>> ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU, DAVID.

AND OF COURSE SHE WAS KNOWN TO BRING MANY PEOPLE TOGETHER.

>> YES, INDEED.

LET'S TALK ABOUT JAZZ HOUSE KIDS.

IS IT 20 YEARS?

>> WE ARE ON THE PRECIPICE OF TURNING 20, AND WB GEO IS HOW JAZZ HOUSE GOT ITS START.

THEY ASKED ME TO COME AND INTO A PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 2-10, AND I THOUGHT THAT SOUNDED LIKE A FRIGHTENING MOMENT -- WBGO.

I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT I LOVE MOST ABOUT JAZZ AND THAT WAS THE CONVENING OF PEOPLE, AND WE DECIDED TO BUILD OUR FIRST JAZZ HOUSE AND HERE WE ARE 20 YEARS LATER.

>> YOU CAN SAY A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT MUSIC, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO JAZZ THE ESSENCE OF THE ONE PERSON WHO IS JAZZ, I MEAN IMPROVISERS COMING TOGETHER AND BRINGING MUSICAL COHESION, THAT BY THE WAY ALSO BLOWS YOUR MIND, BUT THAT IS IT, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY I THINK THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF DEMOCRACY WHERE ALL VOICES MATTER, BUT WE ALSO WILL WORK TOGETHER AND COME UP WITH A PATH AND WE WILL WORK TOGETHER ON THAT.

THIS IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN HAVE JOHN COLTRANE'S VOICE MATTER JUST LIKE HANNAH -- TWO VERY DISTINCT VOICES AND THEY HAD A PLACE IN MUSIC.

WHEN IS RIGHT IN THE POCKET, ONE CAN BE OUT AND PLAYED THE DISTANCE, ONE CAN PLAY RIGHT IN THE POCKET OF THE MUSIC.

AND I THINK TODAY, DAVID, WE DON'T HAVE THAT PLACE IN LIFE LIKE WE USED YOU.

AND THAT IS WHAT JAZZ IS ABOUT.

AND WE CELEBRATE THOSE DIFFERENT VOICES.

AND, AGAIN I THINK THAT CAN SOUND OVERLY SIMPLIFIED.

BUT IF YOU CAN CELEBRATE THOSE DIFFERENT VOICES, THEN THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF JAZZ.

SO ELLA FITZGERALD AND BILLIE HOLIDAY BOTH WERE REVERED AS OUR GREATEST FINGERS, RIGHT?

YET, VERY, VERY DIFFERENT PLACES.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT TODAY'S YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU HAVE INVITED TODAY THEY ARE COMING FROM VERY DIFFERENT PLACES AND THAT IS THE BEAUTY, THAT IS THE DEMOCRACY AND WE FEEL THAT IS THE FUTURE THAT WE NEED TO TAP INTO.

>> HOW DO YOU KEEP THINGS FOCUSED ON JAZZ, AS, YOU KNOW, ALMOST AS AN ORIGINAL ARTFORM OF THIS COUNTRY, WHEN THEY ARE FACED WITH SO MANY MUSICAL CHALLENGES OUT THERE?

>> YES.

I THINK FIRST OF ALL WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS, THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO THIS GREAT, AMERICAN ARTFORM.

YOU KNOW, AFTER 20 YEARS OF DOING THIS VERY THING EVERY SINGLE DAY, THAT WE GET TO BRING THIS MUSIC TO YOUNG PEOPLE, THEY LIKE JAZZ.

BECAUSE IT IS A PLACE FOR THEM TO DISCOVER THEMSELVES.

AND TO MAKE A RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHERS, AND TO BE IN DIALOGUE WITH OTHERS.

SO, OFTENTIMES PEOPLE WILL SAY, REALLY?

THEY LIKE JAZZ?

I WILL SAY COME TO THE JAZZ HOUSE, COME TO OUR SCHOOL PROGRAM, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

THIS MUSIC HAS SOMETHING FOR THEM.

I HAVE NOT FOUND A YOUNG PERSON IN 20 YEARS THAT THIS MUSIC DOES NOT SPEAK TO.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WON'T GO ON AND PLAY ROCK OR BE A RAPPER, AND ALL OF THAT, BUT WHEN THEY COME AND EXPERIENCE JAZZ, THEY GROW AS AN ARTIST AND AS A MUSICIAN.

IN WAYS THAT ARE INVALUABLE FOR LIFE.

WE JUST FEEL THAT WHEN YOU BUILD MUSICIANS, THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE.

>> WELL, IT YOU AND I CAN SIT HERE AND TALK ABOUT JAZZ THE WHOLE DAY.

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, AND I WANTED TO GET A COUPLE OF FINE EXAMPLES OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN KIDS MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH JAZZ HOUSE KIDS.

HERE IS WHO ARE JOINING US FROM DOWN THE HALL, RIGHT?

HI GUYS.

>> HOW IS IT GOING?

>> SAID.

YOU ARE A GRADUATE AND A ALUMNI OF JAZZ HOUSE?

HOW DID YOU GET IN THE PROGRAM AND WHERE DID IT LEAD YOU?

>> I STARTED FAIRLY YOUNG, I PICKED UP THE CLARINET IN MIDDLE SCHOOL THROUGH SCHOOL BANDS, AND I ALWAYS HAD AN AFFINITY TOWARDS MUSIC, AND A DEEP LOVE TOWARDS IT.

AND MY MOM FOUND OUT ABOUT JAZZ HOUSE KIDS, I LIVED IN MONTCLAIR AND GREW UP HERE.

SHE TOOK ME TO THE CLASSES ON WEDNESDAY, AND THAT IS KIND OF HOW IT STARTED, JUST DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TAKING SOME IMPROVISATION CLASSES, AND WHAT REALLY SPARKED MY INTEREST WAS THE SUMMER WORKSHOP THAT JAZZ HOUSE KIDS OFFERS EVERY SUMMER.

KIDS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND NOW IT HAS BLOSSOMED TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS THAT GET TOGETHER FOR A TWO WEEK INTENSIVE PROGRAM.

AND THE LEVEL OF COMMUNITY AND COME ROTARY AND THAT SUMMER WORKSHOP, THOSE TWO WEEKS, EVERY YEAR THAT I WENT, JUST REALLY MADE ME LOVE THIS MUSIC SO, SO MUCH.

I CAN'T SEE MYSELF DOING ANYTHING ELSE.

>> AND GALO, HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE?

DID YOU COME AS A JAZZ OR OR BECOME A JAZZ OR AFTER ARRIVING?

>> I WENT TO NEWARK ARC HIGH SCHOOL IN NEW JERSEY AND ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS, WE HAVE AN IN SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT WE DO IN THE DISTRICT OF NEWARK.

AND WE HAD ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS COME INTO OUR SCHOOL TO TEACH US ABOUT JAZZ MUSIC, THE FOUNDATION OF JAZZ MUSIC, THE VALUE, AND ALL THE THINGS WE LEARNED THROUGH THIS MUSIC.

BEEN THROUGH THAT PROGRAM I WAS ABLE TO START COMING TO JAZZ HOUSE HERE IN MONTCLAIR.

AND THEN THE SUMMER WORKSHOP WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE, AND I SAID THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE AROUND US HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT JAZZ MUSIC IS.

IN TEACHING CHILDREN WHO NEVER REALLY EXPERIENCED THIS MUSIC.

>> I LOVE IT.

YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO PLAY US OUT WITH SOMETHING HERE?

IS THIS YOUR COMPOSITION?

>> YES, THIS IS SOMETHING I WROTE RECENTLY.

IT WAS OVER THE PANDEMIC.

YOU KNOW, I WAS KIND OF AT A LOW POINT EMOTIONALLY, AND THE TITLE IS CALLED "THANK YOU, FOR UNANSWERED PRAYERS".

IT TALKS ABOUT THE IDEA OF HOW MANY TIMES, AT LEAST IN MY LIFE, CERTAIN EVENTS HAPPENED, AND IN THE MOMENT IT WAS REALLY PAINFUL, AND I WISHED NEVER HAPPENED.

BUT AFTER GETTING PERSPECTIVE OF A FEW YEARS YOU REALIZE THOSE ARE THE MOMENTS THAT REALLY SHAPE YOU AND WHO YOU ARE.

IS A TRIBUTE TO MOMENTS LIKE THAT IN MY LIFE.

>> ALL RIGHT, THEY ARE GOING TO PLAY US OUT.

[ MUSIC ] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> I LOVE IT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH, A GREAT PERFORMANCE.

THANK YOU GUYS.

AND MELISSA, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

THANKS FOR COMING ON.

>> MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> THAT IS CHAT BOX FOR THIS WEEK .

IN ADDITION TO OUR MUSICAL GUESTS WE THINK PATRICK AND ELISE FOR JOINING US TODAY.

YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER, AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL FOR MORE STUFF WITH LIVE STREAMS AND IMPORTANT EVENTS FROM AROUND THE STATE.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

FOR ALL OF THE CREW HERE I AM DAVID CRUZ.

>> MAJOR FUNDING FOR CHAT BOX IS PROVIDED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE NEW JERSEY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION, MAKING PUBLIC SCHOOLS GREAT FOR EVERY CHILD.

AND JM INSURANCE GROUP SERVING THE INSURANCE NEEDS OF NEW JERSEY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS.

PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY INSIDER NJ A POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE NETWORK DEDICATED TO NEW JERSEY POLITICAL NEWS.

INSIDER NJ IS COMMITTED TO GIVING SERIOUS POLITICAL PLAYERS AND INTERACTIVE FORUM FOR IDEAS, DISCUSSION, AND INSIGHT.

ON MY NECK INSIDERNJ.COM.

-- ONLINE AT INSIDERNJ.COM.

♪