Jazz students at SFCM benefit from our close relationship with SFJAZZ, the first free-standing building in America specifically built for jazz performance and education. Members of the SFJAZZ Collective, the organization's in-house band, teach at SFCM, and students perform at the venue alongside their faculty, peers, and visiting artists like Police drummer Stewart Copeland. RJAM students are also expected to become active participants in the Bay Area jazz community and frequently play as bandleaders or support at venues like Mr. Tipple's, the Black Cat, and Keys Jazz Bistro.
The RJAM Seminar—smaller student ensembles coached by and playing alongside rotating faculty each semester—is at the core of the department's program. Students at SFCM also learn from two faculty members during their time here—resident and visiting—a unique aspect of the RJAM program.
But students are also able to hone their chops in the department's Big Band—who made their Monterey Jazz Festival debut in 2026—and Latin Jazz Ensemble. And at SFCM, we take "roots" seriously. Our students learn about the African roots of jazz and all study one formative jazz artist per semester, with a focus on composing original tunes in that artist's style. (An elective Jazz Composition track also allows students to push their compositional skills as far as their chops.)
Despite the strength of our local scene, studying jazz at SFCM doesn't isolate you: Our faculty maintain active performing careers across the country in other jazz hubs like Los Angeles and New York, and the department frequently hosts jazz luminaries like Rufus Reid and Billy Childs for residencies, masterclasses, and side-by-side performances.
