Black Music Sunday is a weekly sequence highlighting all issues Black music, with over 250 tales masking performers, genres, historical past, and extra, every that includes its personal vibrant soundtrack. I hope you’ll discover some acquainted tunes and maybe an introduction to one thing new.
The month of April might imply many issues to many individuals, like spring and showers, however as a jazz fan, I’m elated to as soon as once more welcome the arrival of “Jazz Appreciation Month,” which is also called JAM. It was created by the Nationwide Museum of American Historical past in 2001 “to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz for the entire month of April.”
Throughout April, particular occasions, concert events, and performances are being held throughout the nation, showcasing the a number of genres of jazz—and its historical past.
You possibly can head over to their web site and obtain this 12 months’s poster:
Lester Younger and his “Cool School” This 12 months’s poster paintings contains a portrait of jazz legend Lester Younger (1909-1959). The portrait comes from LeRoy Neiman’s brilliantly coloured 2005 Huge Band portray depicting notable jazz musicians in efficiency. Nicknamed “Pres”—brief for President, Lester Willis Younger is among the many most revered saxophonists of the twentieth century. With an modern taking part in type, a slick trend sense, and his cool cat slang, Lester Younger’s affect on jazz music and tradition is profound.
Younger was raised in a musical household, and from a younger age he would carry out and tour all around the United States. In 1933, Lester Younger settled in Kansas Metropolis and rose to prominence taking part in with the Rely Basie Orchestra. His relaxed, free-floating strategy set him aside from different sax gamers on the time. By 1936, the Basie Orchestra moved to New York Metropolis to chop their tooth full time within the metropolis’s thriving jazz scene. Younger continued performing with Basie and others, sitting in on recording classes, and becoming a member of jam classes with a bunch of Harlem’s greatest jazz musicians together with Billie Vacation. Younger’s musicianship continues to encourage generations of saxophonists who experiment with the “cool school” sound of jazz.
That’s the cue to play slightly Prez, salute April and Sunday too:
Teddy Wilson And His Orchestra Harry James (tp), Benny Morton (tb), Edgar Sampson, Benny Carter (as), Lester Younger, Herschel Evans (ts), Teddy Wilson (p), Al Casey (g), Walter Web page (sb), Jo Jones (d), Billie Vacation (vcl).
“Sunday”:
For extra on Lester Younger, try my 2023 Black Music Sunday tribute to “Prez”:
Black Music Sunday: On President’s Day, Lester Younger will at all times be ‘The Prez’ of jazz
Disturbingly, there’s no telling what the long run will probably be for our venerable establishments that protect and promote the music that’s our heritage, however jazz will proceed to be alive and nicely throughout this nation and across the globe, it doesn’t matter what the bitter orange menace manages to do to desecrate and get rid of its place in our historical past.
Rashad Grove at EBONY reported:
President Donald Trump issued a brand new government order on Thursday night (March 27) looking for to overtake the Smithsonian Establishment, concentrating on funding for packages that advance “divisive narratives.”
Underneath Trump’s order, Vice-President Vance, who serves on the Smithsonian Establishment’s Board of Regents, will lead the White Home funds workplace to make sure that the establishment’s funding just isn’t spent on packages that “degrade shared American values, divide Individuals based mostly on race, or promote packages or ideologies inconsistent with federal regulation and coverage.
“Over the previous decade, Individuals have witnessed a concerted and widespread effort to rewrite our Nation’s historical past, changing goal details with a distorted narrative pushed by ideology relatively than fact. This revisionist motion seeks to undermine the outstanding achievements of the US by casting its founding rules and historic milestones in a unfavorable mild. Underneath this historic revision, our Nation’s unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, particular person rights and human happiness is reconstructed as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or in any other case irredeemably flawed,” the manager order reads.
Within the order, Trump takes goal on the Nationwide Museum of African American Historical past and Tradition, the Ladies’s Historical past Museum, which is underneath building, and the American Artwork Museum.
I hope our readership could have loud and lively pushback about this, and make contact with their elected officers.
In the meantime, let’s check out a few of the obtainable supplies we will get pleasure from and share not solely throughout this designated month but additionally all 12 months spherical.
This “Jazz Appreciation Month” cartoon video from the Fleischer Studios archives, that includes the late nice Cab Calloway and Betty Boop, introduced a smile to my face.
Since Jazz Appreciation Month was inaugurated, the Smithsonian Nationwide Museum of American Historical past has featured each musicians and visible artists, like this 2021 tribute to Nina Simone:
Nationwide Museum of American Historical past video word:
Featured on this 12 months’s official 2021 poster is pianist, singer, songwriter, storyteller and civil rights activist Nina Simone. This 12 months, Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) acknowledged the historic legacy of pianist, singer, songwriter, storyteller, and civil rights activist Nina Simone. The annual JAM poster is an illustration of Nina Simone by Duke Ellington College of the Arts sophomore visible arts pupil Naa Anyele Sowah-de Jesus.
Bassist and composer Israel “Cachao” López was the featured musician for Jazz Appreciation Month 2022—highlighting Afro-Caribbean Music and Latin jazz:
“The artist for the 2022 JAM poster is Francis Henry Cuadro, a senior visual arts student at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Washington, D.C.”
The annual marketing campaign, themed by the MPTF as “Jazz Across America,” options the help of web site companions All About Jazz and Jazz Close to You, the place performer and occasion location info for many of the performances are being listed.
These web sites boast the world’s largest jazz occasions calendars and attain a mixed 240,000 viewers monthly.All reside stream occasions will probably be featured on the MPTF Fb web page. Beck added, “Tuning in to live stream performance events as they happen is a unique way the public can experience jazz musicians from various locales throughout the U.S. and Canada.”
Jazz performances have been supported by the MPTF because it started greater than 75 years in the past, and over 1,600 regional jazz concert events have been funded because the finish of the pandemic. With this 12 months’s projections, the fund could have distributed greater than $3.1 million in Jazz Throughout America grants to compensate these tremendous musicians. Occasions will probably be organized by American Federation of Musicians locals to make sure honest compensation for all performers.
Right here a sampling of a few of the April occasions being held across the nation:
In New Orleans, there’s Jazzfest, which runs from April 24 via Might 4.
In New York Metropolis, there’s “Jazz at Lincoln Center.” Take a look at the schedule: “Jazz at Lincoln Center Celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month with Performances for All-Ages Honoring the Legacies of Jazz Icons.”
The Kennedy Middle in D.C., with the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts, will probably be streaming a tribute live performance on April 26.
Heading west to Arizona:
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Mark your calendars for an unforgettable night of music, tradition and group because the Scottsdale Jazz Competition returns on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Scottsdale Civic Middle.Now in its 14th 12 months, the Scottsdale Jazz Competition aligns with UNESCO’s Worldwide Jazz Day, this time paying a particular tribute to legendary musician and producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. Organized underneath the visionary management of William “Doc” Jones, the competition continues to cement Scottsdale’s status as a vibrant cultural vacation spot.“Several years ago, at the request of the legendary Herbie Hancock, I founded the Scottsdale Jazz Festival to support UNESCO’s International Jazz Day,” Jones mentioned. “Our mission has always been clear: to unite our state around this incredible genre and celebrate its rich history and cultural significance.”The Arizona Legislature has formally proclaimed April as Jazz Appreciation Month and acknowledged April 30 as Worldwide Jazz Day.
In Los Angeles:
Third Information experiences:
Los Angeles is ready to come back alive with music as Metro Artwork collaborates with KJazz 88.1 FM to carry again the KJazz Tracks live performance at Union Station on April 5, 2025. This occasion marks the kickoff of Jazz Appreciation Month, celebrating the colourful tradition and artistry of jazz with a free, public live performance held within the station’s historic Ticket Concourse from 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM.
The live performance will function the headlining act, Kiefer Trio, together with performances from gifted supporting artists Salami Rose Joe Louis and David Binney Motion Trio. This thrilling lineup guarantees an evening full of refreshing tunes and cultural connection, showcasing the wealthy variety of jazz music.
For our associates and jazz followers within the U.Okay.:
In case you missed a few of the earlier Jazz Appreciation Month posts on this sequence, listed below are hyperlinks:
I hope you might have plans to take heed to some reside jazz this month and be part of the annual celebration. Please tell us within the feedback part beneath what’s occurring in your space.
