Our Founder

Mr. Hines has always been a life-long learner. He eventually took all of the skill and experience that he’d gained and took the next logical step: teaching. In 1980, Hines was hired as the ensemble teacher at Settlement Musical School, imparting the knowledge and wisdom that he’d acquired from decades of playing in bands to the next generation of jazz musicians. During his time at Settlement, Hines famously taught two future jazz legends, bassist Christian McBride and organist Joey DeFrancesco, as well as The Roots’ bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. In 1985, he founded and directed the music education programs at the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts.  Hines established the Clef Club as an institution, developing and incubating future generations of Philadelphia’s musical community. The new program began with only two students: saxophonist, Jaleel Shaw, and trumpeter, Daud El Bakara. Now, hundreds if not thousands of students later, the educational programs Hines has built there over the last five decades has not only enriched Philly’s music culture, but it has also contributed mightily to contemporary jazz at large.