Jazz professor takes home national award

Cape Girardeau has a robust music community, but it's not often we write about the local jazz scene. Today, however, we applaud a faculty member at the Southeast Missouri State University River Campus who took home an impressive award for his efforts in jazz education.

Joseph L. Jefferson, director of jazz studies and assistant professor of trombone/euphonium at the university, took home the 2022 Jazz Education Network (JEN) -- Ellis Marsalis Jr. Jazz educator of the year award. The honor was bestowed Jan. 6 at a conference in Dallas.

For Jefferson, who just started teaching at Southeast in 2017, this is not the first award he's received. He was recognized with the Holland College of Arts & Media Outstanding Teaching Award in 2019.

The Jazz Education Network award was based in part on practice in music education, engaging students in the classroom with a minimum of five years teaching jazz at the college level. Jefferson was selected out of dozens of candidates for the award.

"I always tell my students to be a life-long learner, because that is kind of what I am and that is what I believe in," Jefferson told the Southeast Missourian.

Joseph Jefferson is certainly impressive, and we extend our congratulations on the award. But the bigger win is having talented people like him in Cape Girardeau, sharing their love of music with students and the community.