Jason Hainsworth

Jason Hainsworth serves as Associate Dean of Community Development and Executive Director of the Roots, Jazz, and American Music Department at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), where he teaches Baroque/Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Big Band, and RJAM Music Theory. A Houston native and Texas Tenor saxophonist, Hainsworth continues the tradition of raw, hard-blowing saxophonists from the Lone Star State who pioneered fusion of swing, bebop, r&b and blues.

His educational background includes a Master of Music in Jazz Performance from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music in Classical Performance from William Paterson University, studying under Dr. Robert (Doc) Morgan, Victor Goines, and Leon Anderson. Hainsworth maintains an active performance career with his Jason Hainsworth Quartet and Big Band, while also collaborating with artists like Michael Dease, Johnathan Blake, and Josh Evans.

Hainsworth's research and creative work centers on American musical traditions with particular emphasis on Black American contributions to jazz and cultural history. His original composition 'Juneteenth' commemorates the historical significance of June 19, 1865, reflecting his belief that 'Black History Month is American History Month.' He has recently arranged Joseph Brackett's 'Shaker Song' for the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra under Wynton Marsalis.

• Downbeat Magazine's Editor's Pick, 'Third Ward Stories'
• Five-time Finalist for Endowed Teaching Chair Award, Broward College

Hainsworth has mentored notable students including Russell Hall, Patrick Bartley, and Markus Howell through his student big bands. His unrealized project includes a new big band album featuring his original compositions and arrangements, continuing his commitment to developing both musical technique and cultural understanding through his teaching philosophy that 'All of your answers are found in the recordings.'