The Jazz Therapists are a group of seven Bay Area musicians who have been playing pre-1945 American jazz treasures together since 2015. Our shows make folks happy. Their eyes light up as they welcome us. They clap their hands, they tap their feet, and they dance, some even from their wheel chairs. They tell us how happy they are to hear the music that means so much to them.

We were founded by Bob Schwartz, a saxophone player and Oakland community leader, who formed a non-profit corporation. At 85, he brought these seasoned and gifted musicians together to  bring this great music to seniors. His goal was to stir memories and to re-engage seniors with life and with each other.

And now in addition to more than 75 senior living facilities, we play several times a week at a variety of venues, all in service to the community. We love what we do. And as we play these jazz classics, we can still hear Bob reminding us of Duke Ellington's famous quote, still true today: “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing!”