Did you know that Duke Ellington got his nickname for having “royal manners” as a child? Or that many jazz musicians such as Miles Davis were outspoken advocates for civil rights in the U.S.?

More than 400 local children learned those facts and more in July during the Sammons Jazz Summer Youth Program sessions. A mix of fun lessons about jazz and a lively interactive concert, the program has been held annually since 2005 in cooperation with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Dallas and other local youth groups.

Each session consisted of an introduction to the instruments and beats used in jazz, snacks, and a participatory concert by professional jazz ensembles. Sammons Jazz Artistic Director Arlington Jones conducted the first session, “Sunshine Summertime Blues,” in early July; Stockton Helbing led his “Four Important Jazz Masters” later that month.