When asked how he balances what a colleague once described as “the preposterous level of activity” in his life, trumpeter John D’earth simply laughed.
“You asked the hard question,” he said while grinning, “because I have absolutely no idea how I balance all this stuff that I do.”
D’earth talks about his passion for teaching, his role as director of jazz performance at UVA and his plans after retirement from academia.
A father, grandfather and beloved member of the Charlottesville music community, D’earth performs and composes on a regular basis. He also teaches private lessons, works with 5th grade band students at Walker Upper Elementary School as a volunteer and serves as the director of jazz performance at the University of Virginia.
He is perhaps best known locally for leading Thursday Night Jazz at Miller’s Downtown, the Charlottesville venue where Dave Matthews got his start. For more than 35 years, D’earth has served as bandleader, cultivator and host, filling the stage on a weekly basis with talented jazz musicians — some regionally-based and others who make a point of stopping by while on tour.
D’earth — who was recognized as a 2024 Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association for his significant impact in the community — recently announced that after teaching at UVA for over 40 years, he will be retiring in January 2025 from academia.
Upon hearing this news, VPM producer Terri Allard sat down with him for a conversation. The result is a two-part Charlottesville Inside-Out (CVIO) digital series where he talks about his passion for teaching, his years at UVA and future plans.
D’earth also shares stories about his favorite recording projects and experiences as a performer and composer. Highlights include performing with Cosmology and Bruce Hornsby and composing for the Richmond Symphony’s work with Dave Matthews Band.
D’earth talks about music as a means for creating community and shares stories from his experiences as a performer and composer.
In the series, he closes by talking about music as a means of creating community, referencing his long-time role at Miller's Downtown and the opportunity it has given him to collaborate with other established musicians while also inspiring and cultivating the next generation of jazz players. The result of this weekly collaboration is not lost on the audience, and they return regularly to be a part of it.
“Music is a social art,” said D’earth. “That’s community, for sure.”
D’earth’s website includes information about his work and recordings.
As a note, D'earth composed the theme music for CVIO.
