Applications Open for Next Jazz Legacy 2025 Cohort

New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 cohort of Next Jazz Legacy (NJL). Supported by $1.25 million in renewed funding from the Mellon Foundation, NJL seeks to create opportunities for women and nonbinary artists in jazz, offering personalized mentorships and financial support.

Applications for the fourth cohort of NJL open on October 22 and will be accepted through November 12. Interested artists can visit the program’s website for more details and to apply. The program provides comprehensive support for emerging musicians, pairing them with renowned mentors and experienced professionals in the jazz community.

NJL was first launched in 2021 with the aim of addressing the underrepresentation of women and nonbinary artists in jazz. The program continues under the leadership of Terri Lyne Carrington, founder and artistic director of the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, and Vanessa Reed, president and CEO of New Music USA. NJL's network of mentors includes Patrice Rushen, Bobby McFerrin, Nicole Mitchell, esperanza spalding BM ’05, Brandee Younger, Georgia Anne Muldrow, and Sheila E, among others. 

In addition to mentorship, NJL awardees receive a $10,000 unrestricted grant, a one-year performance apprenticeship, access to peer-learning cohorts led by Carrington and other jazz innovators, and networking opportunities through partnerships with major cultural institutions such as Winter Jazzfest and the Kennedy Center. They also participate in a 12-week Berklee Online course and gain promotional opportunities, including artist profile films and showcase performances.

Origins and Impact

Next Jazz Legacy was established to address gender disparities in jazz. In 2019, Reed approached Carrington, who had recently founded the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, with the idea of a joint program to create new opportunities for marginalized artists and build a more inclusive future. 

The initiative offers mentorship for women and gender-expansive artists, and raises awareness of the gender gap spotlighted in a 2021 study, Equal at Last? Women in Jazz, By the Numbers, which revealed that women made up just 15 percent of album personnel, with 67 percent of jazz recordings featuring no core women musicians. After 18 months of development, NJL launched in 2021 with support from the Mellon Foundation, with its first cohort debuting in 2022. 

Since then, NJL has supported the careers of over 20 artists, engaged over 60 bandleaders and mentors, and expanded its influence in the jazz community. From 2021 to 2024, it has allocated $728,000 to artists and organized 252 mentorship sessions, 126 apprenticeship sessions, and 20 cohort learning sessions. It also boosts visibility through NJL artist profile films, panel discussions at Jazz Congress and the BRIC Festival, and showcase performances at events like Winter Jazzfest in New York City, the Mary Lou Williams Festival at the Kennedy Center, the DC Jazz Festival, and the Angel City Jazz Festival in Los Angeles.

Watch a video about the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice:

“I’m seeing big strides at this stage in the journey of gender justice in jazz. People across the gender spectrum are making their own inquiries as to why this issue has been the way it’s been for so long and why it needs to change,” says Carrington. “I often say, ‘This isn’t men’s music!’ And just like the struggle for racial justice, the work to achieve gender justice should not be reserved for the people most affected by it—all of society will benefit from the continued expansion of gender in all roles that have been male dominated, including jazz.”

“Thanks to the Mellon Foundation and Terri Lyne Carrington’s visionary leadership, this program is more than a stepping stone for emerging artists,” says Reed. “It’s a community-wide platform that demonstrates how collaborative mentorship and support across generations can drive the entire field toward a more inclusive and resilient jazz future. I can’t wait to see which talented artists put themselves forward for the upcoming deadline on November 12.”

“Most underrepresented people within the music community have found themselves in situations where their voice is silenced, where they are singled out, where they are left to fight for themselves, and where they suffer in silence as an act of self-preservation,” says 2024 NJL awardee Eliza Salem. “By helping artists such as myself to develop our skills and confidence as musicians and to gain access to necessary opportunities, Next Jazz Legacy ensures a more equitable future for the community with an emphasis on advocacy, accountability, and leadership.”

Previous Cohorts 

• 2024: Amyra León (voice), Christie Dashiell (voice), Ciara Moser (bass), Eliza Salem (drums), Kanoa Mendenhall (bass), Nicole McCabe (saxophone), and Yvonne Rogers (piano) 

• 2023: Cortina Bello BM ’21 MM ’22 (piano), Milena Casado BM ’20 MM ’22 (trumpet/flugelhorn), Liany Mateo MM ’21 (bass), Anaïs Maviel (voice), Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield (voice), Neta Raanan BM ’15 MM ’16 (saxophone), and Anisha Rush (saxophone)

• 2022: Anastassiya Petrova BM ’21 (piano/organ), Ivanna Cuesta BM ’20 (drums), Lexi Hamner BM ’21 (voice/trombone), Keyanna Hutchinson (guitar), Alexis Lombre (piano), Loke Risberg (guitar), and Kalia Vandever (trombone)

Next Jazz Legacy 

Next Jazz Legacy (NJL) is a national apprenticeship program focused on supporting diverse jazz improvisers, with gender and racial equity at its core. Its mission is to increase opportunities for underrepresented musicians and create lasting change in the jazz community. NJL provides awardees with intergenerational mentorship, showcases, cohort learning, and grants for creative and professional growth. A partnership between New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, with Mellon Foundation funding, NJL is led by Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington. Applications are open to musicians of all gender and sexual identities to promote true gender diversity in jazz.

New Music USA

New Music USA is a national nonprofit dedicated to advancing new music in all its forms. Its mission is to foster a vibrant, inclusive community for artists and listeners by supporting the creation, performance, and appreciation of new music across the US. Through responsive grant-making, skill-building, mentorship, and convenings for creators of all backgrounds, as well as platforms connecting music-makers with organizations and audiences, New Music USA works to ensure a thriving, connected, and equitable ecosystem for contemporary music.

Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice

The Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice is dedicated to recruiting, teaching, mentoring, and advocating for young musicians who seek to study jazz in a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment, with gender and racial justice at its core. The institute is committed to challenging systemic oppression within the art form, believing that a cultural transformation is essential for jazz to truly reach its full potential. It emphasizes that only by addressing these issues can the music evolve in meaningful and lasting ways.