NJW Rising Stars Ensemble

NJW Rising Stars Ensemble

Sunday, March 22nd, 2026, 7:30 PM

Nashville Jazz Workshop

Come hear the next generation of jazz in Nashville on Sunday, March 22, 2026 as young phenoms Hamer Haun (saxophone), Asa Master (piano), Joey Bonvissuto (bass), and Jackson Crawford (drums) take the stage at the Nashville Jazz Workshop!

Fresh off a phenomenal set at the inaugural Nashville Jazz Festival, the NJW Rising Stars makes their debut full-length concert performance, blending original compositions and arrangements with classic tunes from Kenny Garrett, Herbie Hancock, Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, and more. Support the future of jazz in Nashville and hear why these high-school students are more than deserving of taking the NJW stage!

About the NJW Rising Stars Ensemble:

Thanks to the generosity of community members, the tuition-free NJW Rising Stars Ensemble, directed by Executive and Artistic Director David Rodgers, embodies NJW’s mission to provide unique educational opportunities to young, promising jazz musicians ages 13-18 through a structured semester-long program from October 2025 – January 2026. By providing access to world-class educators who also maintain world-class performance resumes themselves, NJW offers a unique mentorship model that has been the backbone of jazz education long before colleges or universities offered degrees in jazz performance.

Over the course of the semester, the NJW Rising Stars Ensemble received 8 ensemble coachings from select faculty including Jeff Coffin (Bela Fleck, Dave Matthews Band), David Rodgers (Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal), Marcus Finnie (Kurt Elling, Lala Hathaway), Rob Linton (Dave Potter, Eric Reed), and Alex Hahn (USC faculty). Participants additionally received one 45-minute individualized private lesson from the faculty on their specific instrument over the course of the semester.