Jazz Impact was developed by Michael Gold, Ph.D. Mr. Gold spent many years as a jazz bassist in New York City. In addition to performing, he taught extensively and ran the jazz department at Vassar College. In 1995 he received a grant from The National Endowment for the Arts for a program that he designed to teach the skills of jazz improvisation to professional orchestral musicians. The idea for Jazz Impact crystallized in 1996 when Mr. Gold became vice president of operations for a financial services company in Minneapolis. Michael Gold is an exciting speaker whose vision of collaborative dynamics and passion for jazz will enlighten, entertain, and motivate the people whose collaborative skills and creative energy you value. Jazz improvisation and the corporate business model have more in common than you may realize. Jazz uses a system that enables collaborative improvisation to thrive - the very same skills that many corporations rely on for success. Innovative response to change is what business in the 21st century demands. By transposing the jazz metaphor onto the dynamics of the corporate environment, Jazz Impact plants the seed for developing innovative response to change. The members of a jazz ensemble possess and practice a set of shared behaviors that we call the Five Dynamics of Jazz. These five dynamics, whose acronym is APRIL are: ·Autonomy -- self-governing, self-regulating, adaptable and independent - yet in support of (and interdependent with) the larger organism. .Passion -- the quality of emotional vibrancy, zest, commitment, and energy to pursue excellence and the course one believes to be true. ·Risk -- the ability to take chances and explore new territory and methods in pursuit of shared goals, and the ability to support others in their explorations. ·Innovation -- the skill to invent, recombine, and create new solutions to problems using either old or new forms, methods, and/or resources. ·Listening -- the ability to truly hear and feel the the communication of passion, meaning and rhythms of others. Through hands-on interaction and the compelling performance of a World Class Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Impact demonstrates: ·What skills are needed for improvisation ·What risks improvisers encounter ·Why improvisation is critical ·How these principles relate to the interactive dynamics of your corporation Jazz Impact is a fusion of insights and parallels drawn from both the world of business and the world of jazz. In an environment where the only constant is change, the improvisational techniques of jazz go beyond metaphorical inspiration- techniques that can have an immediate effect on your business. Our goal is to motivate, facilitate change and deliver results.

Why jazz impact? Jazz Impact extends the concept of the traditional motivational speaker at corporate seminars or conventions from entertainment to breakthrough learning. The combination of provocative ideas and compelling live performance of a world-class jazz ensemble creates a multifaceted product that provides several different products in one package. The Jazz Impact 90-minute motivational seminar is ideal for opening or closing corporate functions of any size and nature. As an opener Jazz Impact galvanizes people and generates collective inspiration and collaborative spirit. As a closer the Jazz Impact experience rejuvenates collective identity and entertains without disconnection from the learning experience. Jazz Impact works very well in collaboration with other learning programs. Our curriculum is extremely flexible and can be integrated easily and effectively into other learning programs. We provide an experiential tool for other consulting firms working with corporations to develop team building skills, conflict resolution and greater flexibility in dealing with change. We have provided an experiential tool for consulting firms working with corporations to develop team building skills, conflict resolution and greater flexibility in dealing with change. In addition to providing your corporation with a unique motivational/learning experience, you can maximize your use of Jazz Impact by using us for entertainment needs. Jazz Impact's cast of world class musicians makes us an ideal choice for formal evening entertainment and eliminates the need to hire separate resources.