About Us
Dave and Monique Fennoy started Backyard Jazz in 2014. We were looking for a way to encourage the value of musical training and instruction in inner city educational curriculum. Our dear friend, internationally renowned Jazz pianist Billy Mitchell had been working with kids in an after-school music program, named the Watts Willowbrook Youth Symphony. In support of our friend and his non-profit, we decided to host Sunday afternoon jazz concerts in our backyard, to which the funds raised were donated to his program.
For a small donation, we invited family, friends and neighbors, some who happened to be world class musicians, to come enjoy Sunday afternoon jazz concerts. The donation includes premier music, delicious food and drink and a good time. The proceeds from our Backyard Jazz concerts were donated to Watts Willowbrook Youth Symphony.
After our first Backyard Jazz concert, it was evident our guest thoroughly enjoyed themselves! The smiles, the dancing, the applause and finger snapping let us know we were on to something special. Upon entering BYJ, there was a notable contagious comradery our guest experienced. By the end of the concert, the Backyard Jazz community was in full bloom anticipating the next concert.
As of 2019, with the dedicated support of our BYJ community, we are now Backyard Jazz Foundation, a non-profit organization. We not only raise money for Watts Willowbrook Youth Symphony, but for other inner-city community-based programs with the purpose of transforming minds by experiencing the educational value of learning to play instruments.
Backyard Jazz Foundation believes high quality music programs is another way of encouraging our kids in marginalized communities to confidently integrate into mainstream academic musical environments. These kids are introduced to opportunities that may have never been considered. Backyard Jazz Foundation, is committed to helping make a talented and educational musical imprint that will aid in their success.
If You Can See It... You Can Achieve It