Jazz Musician Hayes Greenfield (Photo courtesy of www.jazzamatazz.com)

The Oxford English Dictionary defines a now rare slang use of "jazz" as “energy, excitement, ‘pep’; restlessness; animation, excitability.” Cited in the definition is a line from a 1913 San Francisco Bulletin: “What is jazz? Why a little of that ‘old life’, the ‘gin-i-ker’, the ‘pep’, otherwise known as the enthusiasalum.”

This Thursday from 10:00-11:00 AM as part of a free summer concert series for kids presented by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and the Fulton Mall Improvement Association in Albee Square, renowned saxophonist, recording artist and composer Hayes Greenfield will prove that there is still plenty of pep and gin-i-ker in contemporary jazz music.

His interactive show, Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz, claims to capture the imagination of audiences ages 3-104.

“When I get done with them they leave chanting, singing, and knowing that jazz is alive and well and not old fogey music,” he said in a press release. “After coming to my show, they make jazz their own.”

Mr. Greenfield plays Vandoren saxophone mouthpieces and reed and is endorsed by Vandoren as a Diamond Elite Educator/Artist. He is an active member of the New York jazz scene and has headlined such clubs as the Blue Note, Birdland, the Knitting Factory, and CBGB’s, among others.

The goal is “to stretch their ears and minds to the magic and joys of improvisation in a way that enables kids to embrace this beautiful music and make it their own," he said.

Albee Square is located between Fulton Street and Bond Street in Downtown Brooklyn across from the Cookies department store.