Big Band Jam

Blues Alley Jazz Society is pleased to announce the dates of the 8th Annual
BIG BAND JAM! between April 20th-30th, 2012.

The BIG BAND JAM! continues to be the biggest, baddest, broadest beat to ever come to our Nation’s Capitol. The jazz DNA of Washington, DC continues to be the home of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Army Blues, Navy Commodores, Jazz Ambassadors and USAF Airmen of Note. Together these ensembles are emblematic of America’s musical mastery and continue to be a part of our nation’s cultural legacy.

The 2012 edition of the annual BIG BAND JAM! will continue to expand that legacy with additional venues and educational opportunities. Past performers and innovative educators include the Count Basie Orchestra, Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, saxophonist Phil Woods, vocalist Kim Nazarian, the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and Mike Stern and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. We shall continue to include our popular “Dave Brubeck Weekend” and “Ella Fitzgerald Birthday Tribute” that include both educational panels and workshops.

The 2012 edition of the BIG BAND JAM! will also offer a first of its kind with a “Jazz Music Educator’s Academy” in partnership with the National Music Education Association (“MENC”) and George Mason University of northern Virginia. Our goal will be to provide free music opportunities for students and continuing education credits for teachers. These specific offerings will focus on April 25th-27th, 2012 and will be centrally located on or near the National Mall in conjunction with performance opportunities.

Due to the significantly higher demand for these programs we have had to institute a Five hundred dollar ($500.00) charge for each school and have designated a dedicated tour operator for this purpose. Our tour operator is Guide Service of Washington and they can be linked on-line as follows: http://www.dctourguides.com. Any additional inquiries can be found herein on our Website or by contacting us directly. We look forward to your attendance at the 8th Annual BIG BAND JAM!

It's the BIG BAND JAM! 2012