EP 29: Alina Bloomgarden on Bringing Jazz to the Classical Music World and Music to the Prisons

"If one person's sense of value as a human being is renewed, their family, their community, all of us are affected by it in a positive way. We all benefit"In this episode of MFM Speaks Out, our guest is Alina Bloomgarden. Alina was the original producer of Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC), the Lincoln Center Reel to Real series, and Director of Visitors Services for 23 years, where she received the Directors Emeriti Award for outstanding achievement. Proposing that jazz had a rightful place at America’s preeminent performing arts center, she invited Wynton Marsalis to participate as Artistic Advisor. She produced the first critically-acclaimed seasons of Jazz at Lincoln Center. Alina is also the founder and executive director of Music On the Inside (MOTI), an organization that works with professional musicians to bring the transformative power of music education and mentorship to people who are incarcerated, facing the challenges of re-entry or impacted by incarceration.Topics discussed: How did the Jazz at Lincoln Center Project begin, Wynton Marsalis' involvement in JALC, the founding of Real to Reel, founding Music On The Inside and introducing it to the Department of Corrections, MFM member's involvement in MOTI, and the positive response inmates have to the music programs and performances MOTI brings to the prisons.Visit Music on the Inside at musicontheinside.org.Visit Jazz at Lincoln Center at jazz.org.Visit Musicians for Musicians at musiciansformusicians.orgMusic featured on this episode:"Embraceable You" (written by George and Ira Gershwin, performed by Wynton Marsalis)"On the Sunny Side of the Street" (written and performed by Louis Armstrong)"Havana Blues" (performed by Arturo O'Farrill and the Chico O'Farrill AfroCuban Orchestra) CreditsProducer and host:  Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi aka SoSaLaPublisher: Musicians For Musicians (MFM), Inc.Technical support: Adam Reifsteck (MFM Board)https://musiciansformusicians.org