Our goal
This scholarship honors the legacy of the talented jazz pianist and Hospitality Executive, Larry Grant Jackstien (1942 - 2026). The Jackstien Family aims to raise $12,000 per academic year to fund tuition costs for jazz pianists attending Utah universities.
The mission of this funding is to inspire young jazz pianists to create lifelong positive impact in their communities through performances, education, and mentorship. In honor of Larry’s love of music and mentoring, these funds will help jazz pianists impact their families and communities for generations to come.
Larry Grant Jackstien was a great jazz pianist, songwriter, performer, arranger, lecturer, and concert producer. He started numerous concert series for world-renowned performers in Utah and volunteered at schools and civic events to teach a lecture series about the fundamentals of jazz. He backed and brought in some of the biggest names in jazz music to Utah between 1940 - 2020, including Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Nancy Wilson, Henry Mancini, George Shearing, Milt Jackson, Gene Harris, Monty Alexander, Clark Terry, Diana Krall, Michel Camilo, Joey DeFrancesco, David Newman, John Pizzarelli, Chubby Checker, Hank Jones, Herb Williams, and many more jazz superstars.
But most importantly, Larry always mentored young musicians in styles, venues, and instruments they had never tried before in jazz. Many of Salt Lake City's greatest jazz performers had opportunities to debut with the Larry Jackstien Trio as young performers. He believed that "music was glorious" and had the potential to change lives for the better. He shared his love of music with musicians and non-musicians alike, hoping to instill a love of "great music" to all he knew.
He accomplished all of this on the side while building a successful career as a top level Marketing Executive in hotels, ski resorts, and state tourism and raising a family of four with the love of his life, Bette Lorene Jackstien.
The Jackstien family wants to continue Larry's legacy by inspiring young jazz pianists to create lifelong impact in their communities through performances, education, and mentorship. Join us in our efforts to keep jazz alive in Utah through the Larry Jackstien Jazz Piano Community Impact Scholarship.
