President’s Message
A ‘GUMBO’ OF TRADITIONS
Blue Jay Jazz Festival
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Jazz, the legendary Ray Charles once said “is like Gumbo.” Just put in whatever you’ve got, be spontaneous, creative, daring, improvise, experiment. In 1958, Charles was on stage doing a live show when he ran out of music to play. With 12 minutes of stage time remaining, he told his band members, The Raelettes, “Listen, I’m going to fool around, and y’all just follow me.” His 1959 blockbuster hit single, “What’d I Say”, was the result of that impromptu on the spot jam session. “Make a good roux; fetch some leftovers from the fridge? Chop em up and put em into the pot,” he said. Talk about an accidental classic!
The powerful sound and spirit of jazz has endured for over a hundred years. The Blue Jay Jazz Festival, produced by the Blue Jay Jazz Foundation, has not only trumpeted, but saxophoned, sang, drummed, strummed, plucked and pianoed that joyful sound on the mountain for nearly 2 decades.
Since 2007, the Festival has presented a Gumbo of Grammy Award winning and nominated artists like Lee Ritenour, Patrice Rushen, Kenny Burrell, Jessy J, Gerry Mulligan, Barbara Morrison, Lisa Haley & The Zydakats, Ernie Watts and George Whitty, Poncho Sanchez, John Proulx, Yuko Mabuchi, The King Brothers, Ron King and more.
Born in America
The Blue Jay Jazz Festival like a country’s cultural history is the collection of its people’s traditions. In America, the loose braiding of traditions from every country has given it unique multicultural richness. At the foundation of its vast musical traditions, is one that was born in the Black communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th century.
Jazz, and the blues at its heart, has a special place in American culture. While past legends continue to captivate audiences worldwide, new artists speak to new generations of their times. The reason it continues to resonate across eras is that it can echo our bitter history as it promises a better future. This is why, when the U.S. Congress declared jazz an ‘American National Treasure’ in 1987, it stated that “Jazz has achieved preeminence throughout the world as an indigenous American music and art form, bringing to this country and the world a uniquely American musical synthesis and culture through the Black experience.”
At Blue Jay Jazz, we are proud of our success. Yet we’ll never take it for granted. The world can sometimes seem filled with things that are intractable or predetermined limitations on what we can do or who we can be. But finding ways to see beyond all that is part of what makes us both human and extraordinary. We look to 2025 to see, find and create possibility, for ourselves and others. Please consider joining our all volunteer mission, or just sit back and enjoy the musical ride. We hope you find something that expands your sense of what is possible in the New Year.
Chris Levister
Past President, Blue Jay Jazz Foundation
chris@bluejayjazz.org
