Born in Hartford, CT, Jocelyn began playing concert percussion at the age of 9 in her middle school band program. After accelerating through the first year of the band program, Jocelyn began studying with Rose Small at The Hartt School Community Division in West Hartford, CT. In subsequent years, Jocelyn was nominated by her private teachers to perform in ensembles (Concert Orchestra, Greater Hartford Youth Wind Ensemble) and two solo Honors recitals. In addition to studying orchestral percussion, Jocelyn also studied jazz and West African drumming at The Artists Collective Inc., a performing arts center in Hartford, CT centered on African- and Caribbean-American history and heritage, founded by Jackie and Dollie McLean. She continued to study at the Collective until 2000. That year, as a member of the Artists Collective Youth Jazz Orchestra, Jocelyn performed for President Bill Clinton and Jesse Jackson as part of their national tour of urban cities. Jocelyn’s studies at Hartt, The Artists Collective, and other music programs throughout Connecticut helped her to earn a scholarship to the George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Photos by Phil Weinholtz

As a Presidential Arts Scholar at the George Washington University, Jocelyn studied music theory, jazz drumming and learned Afro-Cuban and Brazilian music in greater depth as part of the Jazz Studies program. She performed at various on-campus functions and at various venues around the Washington DC area such as HR-57, the French Embassy, Twins Jazz, Bossa Lounge, and the East Coast Jazz Festival. Jocelyn graduated from GW with a Bachelors degree in American Studies and minor in Jazz Studies. She now resides in Bloomfield, CT where she teaches, performs, and continues to study music which includes continuing education classes from Berklee College. She has been blessed to play with some of the regions finest jazz musicians, for example, as a featured artist in Green Street Arts Center's Limelight Series, with a quartet consisting of Jay Hoggard on vibes, Kalim Zarif on piano, and Mike Asetta on bass. As part of Hartford's Monday Night Jazz Series, she has been able to sit in with jazz legends Frank Lacy and Dr. Eddie Henderson. Jocelyn's teaching experience includes classes in snare drum and mallet technique, jazz drumming, and West African percussion to students of all ages. She is currently on staff at the Artists Collective, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, and Green Street Arts Center.

Tyrone (L. Young) - Jocelyn Pleasant Organ Trio