Jazz Heroes To Be Honored in 21 Cities

The Jazz Journalists Association today announced the start of its third annual JazzApril campaign, concurrent with the Smithsonian’s Jazz Appreciation Month culminating in UNESCO’s International Jazz Day (April 30). JazzApril supports JAM and Jazz Day by working with grassroots jazz activists to celebrate their local jazz scenes through imaginative use of media and strengthened collaborative networking.

In at least 20 U.S. cities and Toronto, Canada, jazz community activists  will honor local “Jazz Heroes” - people of extraordinary devotion and service described by the JJA as “activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz.” The JJA will announce the names of all 2014 Jazz Heroes and details of each city’s presentation parties on its JazzApril website on April 1.

The cities are Baltimore, the Bay Area (Oakland), Bloomington, Boston, Chicago, Columbia MO, Detroit, Durham NC, Hartford CT area, New Orleans, New York, Newark, Pittsburgh, Portland OR, Santa Cruz, Seattle, Schenectady, Tallahassee, Toronto, Washington DC, and Woodstock NY. More may be added before April 1. Organizations and institutions including A Place for Jazz, The Art of Cool, Elastic Arts, JazzBoston, Jazz from Bloomington, Jazzstock, Kuumba Jazz Workshop, the Litchfield Jazz Festival, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, PDX Jazz Portland Jazz Festival, and Yoshi's are participating in JazzApril and the Jazz Heroes program.