By Karen Flemister
After four years of planning, Mayor Jim Lane and the Scottsdale City Council has approved funds to host International Jazz Day AZ Foundation, directed by Dr. William “Doc” Jones, official Scottsdale Jazz Day Festival. The festival will take place on Saturday April 4th, 2020 noon to 6:00 PM at the beautiful Scottsdale Center for the Preforming Arts, Fountain Stage.
Scottsdale is excited to have as its first Honorary Chair, Mr. Barry Goldwater Jr. and Alfredo J. Molina of Molina’s Fine Jewelers, Chairman of the Board of the Scottsdale Jazz Festival.
Jazz music has been around for decades but for the last nine years a new appreciation for this genre is in the air. This expansion of learning about this type of music is due to efforts lead by famed Jazz Artist Herbie Hancock and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Their shared creation of International Jazz Day in 2012 lead to 195 countries last year enjoying jazz celebrations.
Doc Jones has initiated an effort to unite the State of Arizona around International Jazz Day to expand the learning and appreciation of this American Art Form that is exported all around the world. These recent developments have been a true labor of love leading to the annual Arizona International Jazz Day Festival held in April. From that endeavor, three other cities, Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Mesa have joined the effort.
Thanks to the efforts of Jones, who serves as Executive Director of the International Jazz Day AZ Foundation, Arizona has become the first state in the country to get legislation passed. The bill is HCR 2017 and it declares each April to be Jazz Appreciation Month and April 30th is officially International Jazz Day AZ.
Through consistent efforts, Doc Jones is now working with state legislators to pass another bill further designating April 30th a StateHoliday. For the past four years the second Wednesday in April has become “Jazz At Lunch Time” day at the State Capitol.
According to Mr. Jones, on April 15th, 2020 11:AM to 3:00 PM the Jazz at Lunch Time, will feature a tribute to Native American Indians and Jazz Musicians who were military veterans. Russell “Big Chief “Moore, John Coltrane, Clark Terry, and Glenn Miller are a partial list of these honorees
The Kickoff of Jazz Appreciation Month in Scottsdale will feature performances by The Nayo Jones Experience, Mario Abney both from New Orleans and will include a few special surprise guests. This is in partnership with the Title Sponsor Molina Fine Jeweler and International Jazz Day AZ Foundation, the City of Scottsdale, Phoenix Global Chamber and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has endorsed International Jazz Day AZ Foundations efforts to declare April as Jazz Appreciation Month in the state. This has huge implications for showing the seriousness of this genre for executives of other states to follow suit. To date, a total of eight Arizona mayors have recognized International Jazz Day using methods such as writing and issuing proclamations.
The International Jazz Day AZ Foundation goal is that this becomes a statewide effort in with every city and town participating. In the meantime, the month of April will be used to promote tourism for lovers of the Jazz and Blues genres from around the world invited to visit the state during Jazz Appreciation month. Arizona is leading the way to make the month of April a very eventful time for jazz enthusiasts to visit the Sonoran Desert. People are encouraged to kick back and relax while experiencing jazz, blues, and Latin performances and festivals.
This presents a bright forecast to educate all age groups about jazz by exposing them to artists who perform their jazz music selections. Sharing his love for this genre Doc Jones hopes to spread the knowledge of this art form for generations to come.