While studying at The New England Conservatory, Jake Kaplan found a sense of direction in dedicating himself to community engagement and social action.  As a member of NEC's first Initiative for Social Change, he was deeply involved with programming positive initiatives for NEC and the greater Boston area.  Jake Currently works with underserved students in Philadelphia area.
   
      He is emerging as a  multi- disciplinary artist who is bridging the gaps between creative music and public art.  Creative place- making is an especially poignant place of interest, as he is currently researching the creation of functional spaces to encourage creativity.  Co- creating and curating with a community mindset dominates his work, while he also addresses living in and wrestling with the current American political climate.  
     
     In an extended sense, The Philly Jazz Voice, is Jake’s most ambitious project to date. ‘PJV’ consists of a regularly occurring weekly concert series and a quarterly publication. In 2026, the project is set to expand to include more performances, more opportunities for free expression of opinion, and more opportunities for the working musicians of Philadelphia Music Community.