Dr. John Calloway is a nationally recognized multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger who simultaneously had a dual career in education for 40 years. John began teaching in the Bay Area in 1984 in the San Francisco Unified School District, first as a paraprofessional, then as a credentialed music teacher. He taught music classes and ensembles at all levels in K-12 education for the district, was a vocal advocate for equity, inclusion and diversity in the arts and as an arts administrator, helped create the district’s Mariachi program before his district retirement in 2020. 

John was also a faculty member for many years at San Francisco State University in the School of Music. In 1999 he founded the widely popular Afro-Cuban Ensemble and was its sole director for 25 years. He taught numerous courses across the curriculum, including courses in the College of Ethnic Studies related to music and culture. Outside of traditional academic institutions, John led the Bay Area renowned Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble of San Francisco from 2001-2024  as music director and is currently advises as Director Emeritus. John also taught at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, Jazz Camp West, the Lafayette Jazz Summer Music Workshop, and the Jazz School in Berkeley, CA.

As a musician, Dr. Calloway has performed with such internationally known musicians as Israel “Cachao” Lopez, Charles Musselwhite, Max Roach, Pete Escovedo, and in the Bay Area, with Jesus Diaz, Mark Levine, John Santos, Marcus Shelby and Wayne Wallace. As an arranger and composer, John has written for several GRAMMY nominated recording projects for John Santos and Ritmo y Candela, and has released several recording projects of his own: “Diaspora” (2001), “The Code” (2007), and “Asere Ko,” (2016). John also collaborated in works for film, theatre and multimedia projects, including the HBO movie “Hemingway & Gelhorn,” and “El Son de La Misión,” a musical narrative on San Francisco’s Mission district.  Additionally, John was awarded an EMMY in 2019 for his composition “No Hay Nada Mas SF” and in 2022 received a grant from the SF Arts Commission for his current project, “Buffalo Soldiers in the Philippine -American War, a Crisis of Conscience.”

John earned a BA in music from the City University of New York, an MA in music education from San Francisco State University, and a Doctorate in multicultural education from the University of San Francisco. Dr. Calloway has been recognized by the Jazz Journalists Association with the Jazz Hero Award in 2012, by the California Music Educators Association with the Ernest R. Yee Illuminating Culture Award in 2015, and most recently, was inducted into Jazz Educators Hall of Fame for the California Alliance of Jazz Educators in January 2025.  Lastly, Dr. Calloway is a community activist and a long-time social justice and cultural advocate. He served as an SF Arts Commissioner from 2008-2013, is a long-time entertainment consultant for Carnaval San Francisco, and is on the advisory board for Living Jazz.