Several hundred schoolkids came through the Yardbird Suite the past three days for Jazzworks music workshops, directed by Fred Mack and featuring instruction from Aretha Tillotson & Joel Gray

Seeing youth with a diversity of personal styles, backgrounds and identities come together over a shared love of making music was truly inspiring, particularly in a day in which we are seeing cowardly bullies 'n hypocrites encourage hostility towards "different" kids

It's the Different kids who make history and create change. I'm proud to be part of an organization that supports youth choosing their identities, and actively provides them with the support and safety they need while they are becoming tomorrow's professional musicians

BTW - Bowie attended the Yardbird Suite as a patron after his Glass Spider tour stop here. I'll tell you the story if you buy me a scotch

#lgbtq2 #transrightsarehumanrights #yeg #yegjazz #albertamusic #yardbirdsuiteyeg #oldstrathcona

This type of stuff is infuriating. I bet there was no contract, and no agent representing the band.

God herself made agents so musicians can concentrate on creating and performance, and not get sullied into negotiations.

The #yardbirdsuiteyeg doesn't take a dime of an artist's merch sales, though we are in a minority of clubs in that regard. Touring jazz artists in particular face enough challenges without having a venue pinch them further. We want to see acts develop and be able to travel, and every cent counts

#yeg #yegjazz #jazz #albertamusic #music