About Us

Our History & MISSION

Founded in 2018, The Jamar Jones Institute (JJI) was formed as a response to addressing specific societal and social stressors on individuals, families, and communities at-large through performing arts programming and education opportunities. Our mission is to make life less stressful. We are the premier hyper-scalable digital institute for performing arts content, art education services, and art therapy practices for children and youth.

Our Philosophy – As a resource in art education and therapy, our program strategy for success includes:

Board of Directors

Jamar Jones
Founder

Jamar Jones is an ASCAP Film and Television Award and NAACP Image Award winner that has worked since 1997 with some of the music industry’s most respected brands as a multi-platinum producer, composer, arranger, and musician. This impressive list of artists includes Boyz II Men, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Jamie Foxx, Mary Mary, Usher, Rihanna, Kanye West, Jay Z, Nicki Minaj, P. Diddy, and the legendary Ms. Patti LaBelle. According to Jonathon Sprinkles, “Jamar is a guy who has been a part of all of our lives in some way without us realizing it.”

Dr. Dave Thomas
Board Chair

Adam Blackston
Secretary

Omar Edwards
Treasurer

Dave Fryson
Board Member

Shelley Wolfe
Board Member

Paul Geissinger
Board Member

Our Staff

LaToyia Dennis
Executive Director

George Jones
Director, Admini & Finance

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Jamar Jones

Recognized as a child prodigy, Jamar, a Philadelphia native, started playing the piano at the age of 4 years old when his mother purchased a piano for the home following his father’s death in 1981. The piano purchased from the Cunningham Piano Company in Philadelphia “became the tool through which I would express all my emotion,” states Jones. After attending an initial study at the West Oak Lane School of Music, Jamar quickly progressed to being recognized as a young, gifted performer through winning the best soloist awards at several stage band competitions in junior high. Eventually, the recognition for Jamar Jones as a dominating young performer would lead to an invitation to be a part of the City of Philadelphia’s premier high school jazz students’ Philadelphia All-city Jazz Band. His participation in the All-city Band led to his induction to the Grammy All-American High School Jazz Band in 1994 and 1995.

While a freshman at Temple University, Jamar co-wrote and co-produced the song “Dear God” for the Grammy-nominated Boyz ll Men multi-platinum album Evolution. Jamar continued to work for several years as a producer with many artists. Still, one major highlight of this tenure was producing the theme song for the movie Hurricane, which starred Denzel Washington and was performed by Boyz II Men with The Philadelphia Orchestra. He has served as a musical director for both stage artists and various theater and film projects. Highlights include his co-authorship of the hit song “Here I Stand” by Usher, composer and music supervisor for the 2022 television film, A Christmas Prayer (TVOne), co-composer for the late John Singleton’s series Rebel (Black Entertainment Television), and staff composer for The Young and Restless (CBS/Sony Pictures Entertainment).
Jamar currently holds a Master of Music in Jazz Piano from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Arizona. He is currently writing a dissertation for a PHD in music with primary research in Quantum Social Theory, music, and childhood trauma at the University of Tasmania in Hobart Australia. He currently serves as Executive Pastor of the Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham AL and teaches History of Hip Hop as professor of music at the University of Texas at Arlington.

While a freshman at Temple University, Jamar co-wrote and co-produced the song “Dear God” for the Grammy-nominated Boyz ll Men multi-platinum album Evolution. Jamar continued to work for several years as a producer with many artists. Still, one major highlight of this tenure was producing the theme song for the movie Hurricane, which starred Denzel Washington and was performed by Boyz II Men with The Philadelphia Orchestra. He has served as a musical director for both stage artists and various theater and film projects. Highlights include his co-authorship of the hit song “Here I Stand” by Usher, composer and music supervisor for the 2022 television film, A Christmas Prayer (TVOne), co-composer for the late John Singleton’s series Rebel (Black Entertainment Television), and staff composer for The Young and Restless (CBS/Sony Pictures Entertainment).

Jamar currently holds a Master of Music in Jazz Piano from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Arizona. He is currently writing a dissertation for a PHD in music with primary research in Quantum Social Theory, music, and childhood trauma at the University of Tasmania in Hobart Australia. He currently serves as Executive Pastor of the Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham AL and teaches History of Hip Hop as professor of music at the University of Texas at Arlington.