Jazz AM 2026

Jazz AM, a series of free Saturday morning programs offers a fun, interactive jazz concert for young people featuring music, puppets, improvisation, rhythm, and movement! Show starts promptly at 10am. Jazz AM is 10-10:30am. This event is first come first serve!

The program, facilitated by trained professionals and Jazz musicians, will engage students, encourage creativity, promote collaboration, and build musical awareness for children age 2-10 and families. Watch here!

2026 Jazz AM Dates:

January 3rd - Charlie Parker


February 7th - Miles Davis


March 7th - Nina Simone


April 4th - Billie Holliday


May 2nd - Dizzy Gillespie


June 6th - Nat King Cole

Music has a profound impact on children’s development. Learning about Jazz helps children’s creativity even before they learn to play an instrument. We’re excited to present this award-winning program for young children and families in the heart of the North Nashville community!

Logo for Jazz AM Nashville Jazz Workshop featuring cartoon musical instruments with smiling faces: a yellow snare drum, a blue upright bass with a mustache, and a red piano, surrounded by colorful circles.

MEET THE CAST

CREATORS

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a magenta top, standing with arms crossed against a plain white background.

Catherine Holder Dugger – Creator/Narrator

NARRATORS

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a pink shirt, standing with her arms crossed against a white background.

Catherine Holder Dugger

PUPPETS

PUPPETEERS

BAND

A woman singing into a microphone on stage, gesturing with her hand, with a pianist in the background.

Crystal Miller

Colorful puppets of a snare drum, an upright bass, and a piano on a stage with a black curtain background, during a puppet show or event.

Left to right: Max the Drums, Mingus the Bass, Monk the Piano

Black and white portrait of a man with a beard and mustache, smiling, wearing a dark shirt.

Brian Parker – Mingus the Bass

A woman with short blonde hair and glasses, wearing a dark shirt, sitting at a table in a dimly lit room.
A man with curly black hair and a beard stands near a wooden handrail in front of a patterned wood-paneled wall.

Justin Colon – Max the Drums

A man with dark skin, wearing glasses and a blue suit, looking directly at the camera against a plain light background.

Craig Freeman – Monk the Piano

Lori Mechem – piano and musical director

Lori Mechem – Musical Direction

A woman with short, blonde hair and glasses, sitting at a table in a dimly lit room.
Man with glasses and a beard holding a double bass, smiling, in a wood-paneled room.

Roger Spencer – bass

Black-and-white photo of a smiling man with a bald head, full beard, and mustache, wearing a dark shirt.

Brian Parker – Set and Puppet Design

A man with a beard and a bald head sitting behind a drum set, smiling, with his hands resting on the drums.

Chester Thompson – drums