July Newsletter

On a recent visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC, I had the chance to view some of the tangible relics of jazz history. There you can see Charlie Parker's alto saxophone, Duke Ellington's hand-written scores, and Ella Fitzgerald's dress. It's worth a trip if you have not been. These items remind us of the real people who made this music we love. In our world of digital music consumption, music can feel isolated and disembodied. The mission of Loudoun Jazz Society has been to keep jazz real and tangible.

If you are reading this, I encourage you to attend a new live jazz event this summer. It could be our Loudoun Jazz Jam, a concert at Franklin Park Arts Center, or the upcoming swing dance at the Hillsboro Old Stone School. Support the people who make this music and the venues that host it. To get the full experience of jazz, you have to be there.

In the next few months, we hope to leverage grant money from the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) and Musician's Performance Trust Fund (MPTF) to sponsor more shows and events in Loudoun County. You can also save the date for our next Old Ox Brewery show on Friday, September 22nd. This event will showcase some of the outstanding jazz vocalists that you have seen at our jam sessions. With your support, we can keep Loudoun's jazz scene vibrant and alive.

John Kocur
President
Loudoun Jazz Society