The Thelonious Monk Institute Of Jazz is to move its performance classes from their current location in Los Angeles to New Orleans' Loyola University, in an attempt to help regenerate the city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Institute Chairman Herbie Hancock announced the decision, and explained the logic behind it, saying: "New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, and jazz is what made this city the place we know and love".
President Tom Carter added: "We strongly believe that jazz will help the city's re-emergence in the wake of America's worst natural disaster".
The institute was formed in 1986 honouring the legendary Monk, who believed that the best way to learn jazz was from a master of the genre - and it is this belief the organisation attempts to honour, by providing study opportunities to a small number of students each year. Selected over several months, the candidates compete in national and regional auditions for a place on the course. This year's class of seven will live and study in New Orleans for between two and four years, and will also go on tour to classrooms throughout the US.
Monk's son, Thelonious Monk Jr, speaking at the announcement, said: "In the 1940s and 1950s, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and others would gather at our apartment to learn from each other. That's the mission of the institute - to foster the next generation of musicians and help jazz music thrive for years to come".