HutchCC jazz instructor Jack Cassidy bringing new sound

By Kaleb Moore
Staff writer
IG: @kalebmoore05

The mood is blue at the Stringer Fine Arts building, and not because people are sad. It’s because there is a new jazz instructor in town.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Jack Cassidy obtained his love for music at the age of 9 when he was watching TV.

“I saw a Louis Armstrong movie called ‘Hello Dolly!’, and there was a tune called ‘One O’clock Jump’ that just blew my mind,” Cassidy said.

He picked up the trumpet just a week later and began his journey in the world of music.

When Cassidy was 14, he decided he was going to pursue professional musicianship. After graduating from Central High School in Wheaton, Illinois, he attended the University of Indiana, where he met William A Adam. Later on, he went back to school and obtained a Masters degree in jazz studies from DePaul University, where he also met Larry Novak. Cassidy credits these men with furthering his music career

“If these guys have my back, what am I worried about?” Cassidy said.

The life of a professional musician can take one in many different directions, but Cassidy never thought he would travel as much as he did. He did so by working on cruise ships.

“The thing about cruise ships, is that they replace the hotel jobs of yesteryear,” Cassidy said.

He would perform at night with a band as the entertainment for dinner services, like one would see in old time hotels. From working that job, Cassidy saw more countries than he could have ever imagined. Stopping in places such as Greece, Spain, France, and his personal favorite, Jamaica.

As previously mentioned, Cassidy’s first instrument was the trumpet. However, while working on cruise ships, it was actually piano that took up most of his time. At the time, he didn’t know how to play piano, but he decided that he would learn by playing and if he was fired, oh well. He wasn’t fired, and from then on he became an excellent piano player.

Cassidy would take gigs here and there, but his real passion was sharing music with other people. He wanted a teaching job at a university, but most places he applied to required a doctorate. So, he went back to school in 2022 and nabbed himself a doctorate degree in jazz studies.

Now, finally meeting all of the requirements, he was ready for the job. His job search landed him here in Hutchinson, where he can teach not just jazz large groups but also jazz small groups, music theory and individual instrumentalization.

“This has been really nice,” Cassidy said. “People have been great to me, I’m not too overloaded, and the facilities here are amazing.”

Cassidy spends most of his day in Stringer Fine Arts Building, and anyone would like to see his work, they can come see the jazz band perform Sep. 27 at the auditorium in Stringer, or they can decide to pick up an instrument and join the band altogether.

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