Music Instruction 
Award-winning music lessons, ensembles, and group classes for aspiring musicians of all ages and skill levels — children, teens, and adults.
Early Childhood 
Morning & Full-Day Preschool programs with a full, child-centered curriculum of creative specials like music, science, drama, social and emotional learning, and more!
Music Therapy 
Established in 1966, our pioneering Center for Music Therapy (CMT) uses guided music experiences to help individuals meet life's challenges.
Bop Stop 
BOP STOP at The Music Settlement is Cleveland's premier listening room: an intimate, acoustically pristine performance venue with sweeping views of Lake Erie.
About Jazz at the Music Settlement (J@MS)
About Jazz at the Music Settlement (J@MS)
Jazz at The Music Settlement (J@MS), our nationally acclaimed Jazz program, is a weekly half-day program for Northeast Ohio students ages 12 - 18.
J@MS JAZZ CAMP 2023
Don't miss out on our annual summer version of our popular ensemble.
June 26th - June 30th
Learn More
Students in the J@MS Program develop their skills and knowledge while learning how to perform a wide range of different styles within Jazz music. The Program includes History of African American Music, Jazz Theory and Improvisation, Instrument Technique Classes, Small Combos, and Large Ensembles (Big Bands). J@MS students build camaraderie as they learn from our esteemed, professional faculty -- all prominent musicians and educators throughout Northeast Ohio.
The J@MS big bands explore a range of advanced and challenging material written for large ensembles. J@MS small combos allow students to experience what it’s like to play in an interactive, professional group. J@MS groups ensembles are often selected to perform in adjudicated events, workshops, concerts, and community events throughout the year, gaining valuable performing experience in a high-level context. The upper echelon of J@MS comprise The Dameron Institute, named after Cleveland native Tadd Dameron, a notable 20th century American composer.
2022 - 2023 J@MS Program Schedule
- 9:00 am - 10:30am Combos in the Round/Big Bands
- 10:45 am - 12:00 pm Small Combos
- 12:00 pm - 12:30 pm Lunch Break
- 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm NEW! Contemporary Music Studies
*Students participating in the J@MS Ensemble option will attend from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm and will be dismissed at the lunch break.
Junior J@MS
Also available, Junior J@MS, an introduction to improvisation and combo playing for the young beginner or intermediate musician under 12 years old. This course prepares students for the J@MS Program and acclimates them to the Saturday program environment.
For more information about J@MS please contact:
Ken LeeGrand
J@MS Department Head
KLeeGrand@TheMusicSettlement.org
Annual merit scholarships are available by audition, and generous financial aid and hardship assistance are available to those that qualify. For more information, please call (216) 421-5806 ext. 180.
For more great videos, visit our YouTube channel and watch the J@MS playlist.
J@MS and The Berklee City Music Network
Our J@MS program is proud to be a partner of the Berklee City Music Network. Throughout the duration of this widely acclaimed program, the Berklee City Music Network has generously given more than $110,000 in scholarship funds for students at The Music Settlement to attend the 5-week summer program. Our partnership with the Berklee City Music Network and the Berklee College of Music has yielded approximately $1,378,800 in scholarship funds for students of The Music Settlement to attend the summer program and the college.
Click here to read testimonials of students who have been impacted by our Berklee connection.
Graduates of the J@MS Program
Nearly all of these students received substantial scholarship support.
- Caleb Smith: Full-tuition scholarship to Oberlin College
- Ari Smith: Full-tuition scholarship to Oberlin College
- Frank Walton, Trumpet: Youngstown State University, Dana School of Music
- Faheem Najieb, Saxophone: The Ohio State University
- Tyler Cratcha, Guitar: Berklee College of Music*** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Jonathan Thomas, Piano: The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
- Jovaughn Johnson, Trombone: The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music
- Jevaughn Bogart, Saxophone: Oberlin Conservatory of Music***
- Langston Maxwell, Drums: Berklee College of Music*** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Caleb Boquist, Saxophone: Mt. Vernon Nazarine University
- Brian Benton, Bass: Berklee College of Music*** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Jabrel Barnes, Trumpet: Berklee College of Music*** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Christina Phelps, Piano: Wellesley College
- Samirah Harris, Baritone Saxophone: Hampton University
- Devin Starks, Bass: The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music & the Juilliard School
- Brian Plautz, Saxophone: Berklee College of Music*** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Marina Oney, Guitarist/Vocalist: University of the Arts
- VanDarrel Woods, Trumpet: Berklee College of Music*** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Cyril Creque-Sarbinowska, Piano: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Chris Gemerchak, Saxophone: Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Berklee College of Music
- Darren Benton, Drums: Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
- Kyle Braun, Trumpet: Interlochen High School***
- Elizabeth Veres, Tenor Saxophone: Belmont University
- Steve Meisler, Vibraphone: University of Pennsylvania
- Josh Schultheiss, Drums: University of Illinois
- Lamar Logan, Trombone: Cleveland State University
- Jack Laskey, Piano: Oberlin Conservatory of Music***
- Simon Mastri, Bass: The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music***
- Kymeron Carter, Violin: Berklee College of Music *** (Attended on a full scholarship from Berklee)
- Praxton Smith, Violin: Berklee College of Music*** (Recipient of the esteemed Berklee Presidential Scholarship, which covers tuition as well as housing, for a total of $218,800.) Note: Praxton is not a J@MS alumnus, but was a student of our early childhood and Suzuki programs at The Music Settlement.
*** denotes students who completed the Berklee 5-Week Summer Program
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything."