602 Arizona Magazine

Chandler Councilman Create Black & Brown Elective Officials Coalition to Support International Jazz Day AZ

Chandler AZ Council Member OD Harris brings Black and Brown elected officials together to unite the State around Jazz Appreciation Month and International Jazz Day.

I am excited that Black Elected Officials are forming this alliance supporting International Jazz Day AZ this year! This fantastic Scottsdale Jazz Festival event brings music and appreciation from around the world to Arizona, featuring some of the most talented jazz musicians from around the globe. Jazz is a beautiful and meaningful form of expression, both for its cultural roots and modern influence in other genres. This day, April 30th, is an incredible opportunity to experience some new sounds alongside old classics in an inclusive setting. I can’t wait to hear what fantastic music the Scottsdale Jazz Festival offers during this beautiful celebration! Council member Harris is on a mission to convene top Black and Brown city and state elected officials to use Jazz Appreciation Month and International Jazz Day to unite all elected officials, Democrats, and Republic around this cause. This effort is to support an American Art form called Jazz. In an exciting development, Black elected officials encourage their colleagues to support Jazz in its unique and lasting state. Jazz has long been part of African-American culture, offering joy and solace during difficult times. https://youtu.be/34XoXigCIOA

Scottsdale celebrates Black History Month with free jazz concert 'Doc' Jones pays tribute to MLK with 'Dear Martin' concert

By J. Graber
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All my concerts are important, but this one is special to me because of the content of the message.” WILLIAM “DOC” JONES

When one hears the name Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., jazz may not come to mind.

If music comes up at all, it’s usually spirituals or maybe gospel, but jazz and the civil rights movement?

Actually, the two have a long and intimate relationship.

Jazz legend Billie Holliday’s 1939 song “Strange Fruit” about the lynchings in the south could be considered the beginning of the Civil Rights movement as Holliday used her unique voice to speak out about the crimes.

And jazz icon John Coltrane, it’s said, wrote his song “Alabama” about the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, which took the lives of four children.

It’s in that light that the city of Scottsdale is hosting local jazz musician William “Doc” Jones for a free concert entitled “Dear Martin” a tribute to King through the eyes of a musician at the Scottsdale United Methodist Church, 4140 N. Miller Road, Thursday, Feb. 23 in honor of Black History Month.

“Jazz is triumphant music,” Dr. King said at the opening of the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival.

Everyone remembers the speeches, but Jones said he felt a calling for several years to pay tribute to Dr. King from a musical standpoint.

https://youtu.be/B9ETxcikxOw click here the arrow

Jazz Musician To Buy Back His Childhood Block

By Doc Jones

Homes, once vibrant city dwellings, now lay empty. Any attempt at upkeep had long been abandoned, along with the houses themselves. An entire block was left to rot away amongst the trash and debris scattered around it. Patches not covered by debris were coated with thick moss. Weeds grew uncontrollably through the ground, nestling in every crack in the aging tarmac.

Mario Abney, who had flown into town from New Orleans that day, stood outside his car and looked at the deserted neighborhood that lay before him. He remembered how it had been. He could still hear the kids playing and their mothers chatting. The smell of each family’s food wafting from house to house was in his nostrils. It was as real as it had ever been. And yet, it was just a memory of something gone by. This place, a block on 15221 Lexington in Harvey, Illinois, was his home as a child. Now, although he still recognized it, it was something unrecognizable.

He could not bear to look at it for too long. The level of neglect and devastation had not been expected. With a last look, he got back in his car and traveled back to his brother’s apartment, where he was staying.

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DOC JONES AND FRIENDS PRESENT GOSPEL TO JAZZ EXPLOSION

DOC JONES AND FRIENDS PRESENT GOSPEL TO JAZZ EXPLOSION

A Tribute to Aretha Franklin and Kirk Whalum

A Look at the Impact of African American Culture on Music

Tempe Center for the Arts Celebrates the Kickoff of Jazz Appreciation Month on Saturday, April 8^th, 2023, from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Tempe, Arizona: Celebrated every April, Jazz Appreciation Month brings together communities worldwide to celebrate jazz and learn about its history.

International Jazz Day AZ Foundation is incredibly honored to join forces with Tempe Mayor Corey Woods again to present the "From Gospel to Jazz Explosion Concert on April 8, 2023. We have a spectacular lineup featuring Stellar Award Winner Reggie Campbell, Smooth Jazz Billboard Artist saxophonist Neamen Lyles, and special guest Guitar Center Runner-up drummer of the year Fred Boswell Jr., Kiara Jayne, Eloni Yawn, Tuena Marie, and more.

"Music has the power to unite people across borders; Gospel and Jazz have been doing that for years," said William 'Doc' Jones.

"The concert at the Tempe Center for The Arts will be a tribute to the Impact of the African American Experience of these two genres of Music.

Incognito coming to the Scottsdale Jazz Festival April 30th

Scottsdale Jazz Festival is excited to have Incognito Band live at the Scottsdale Jazz Festival on April 30th, 2023. Scottsdale Arizona will never be the same! Incognito.

Artist Ahmed Cannon Showcase his Jazzman series

Artist Ahmed Cannon received his bachelor's degree in Advertising Design at Western IL University w/ an emphasis on painting illustration. This is where he honed his skills as a painter. “ I started drawing at the precious age of 3 & I couldn’t be stopped after that, but my painting skills didn’t quite measure up until college.” While on summer break in college, he took summer classes at The Center Of Creative Art & Design in Pasadena, CA.

Scottsdale Jazz Festival 2023

https://youtu.be/dNpUEnrsQ3c

“The Scottsdale Jazz festival is a tribute to the 11th Annual International Jazz Day, and this year, the event is supported through a Scottsdale tourism grant." On April 29th & 30th from 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM ( Doors open at 1:00 PM) at the beautiful 35M remodeled Scottsdale Civic Center Park. We have a spectacular lineup starting on Saturday, Jazz, Funk, Soul featuring Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp, & Paul Jackson, Azar Lawrence, Donald Harrison, Mario Abney, and more.

“Big Chief” Russell MooreShine Bright Like A Diamond” of trombone player

The painting of "Big Chief" has been added
to Artist Ahmed Cannon's “The Jazz Men” art series called “Shine Bright Like A Diamond” of trombone player “Big Chief” Russell Moore, who was born a member of the @pimatribe & the very first Indigenous / Native American Jazz musician to go mainstream learning several instruments but finally focusing on the Trombone. Throughout his career, Moore worked with an array of artists, including Frank Sinatra, Lionel Hampton, Alberta Hunter, and Pee Wee Russell, as well as recording under his own name. He is best remembered for his work as a member of Louis Armstrong's band.