In conjunction with the exhibition Art, Jazz + the Blues, One Degree of Separation: Jazz in Connecticut explores the vibrant lineage of jazz in Connecticut and its influence on the global stage. This community conversation brings together two titans of the Yale School of Music, composer and conductor Thomas Duffy and Grammy-winning saxophonist Wayne Escoffery, for an intimate look at the history of jazz at Yale and beyond.

The program will weave together personal stories of mentorship and collaboration with a live musical interlude featuring Escoffery on the saxophone. Against the backdrop of jazz’s social and political history, Duffy and Escoffery will discuss how the genre serves as a bridge between the university, the community, and the world.