July Newsletter

Happy 4th of July! On this week of our nation's birthday, we would do well to reflect on the connection between jazz and our national identity. Dr. Billy Taylor called jazz, "a national music that expresses American ideals and attitudes to Americans and to people from other cultures all around the world." Wynton Marsalis has elaborated on this idea connecting swing and improvisation to democratic discourse, the constitutional separation of powers, and our national motto "e pluribus unum." Scholar Ingrid Monson claimed that jazz has been associated with —"Freedom of expression, human freedom, freedom of thought, and the freedom that results from an ongoing pursuit of racial justice."

For these reasons, we ought to celebrate the role of jazz in Loudoun County. Here are a few signs of life in Loudoun's jazz scene. Musicians gather three out of four weeks a month to jam at Dynasty Brewing, Minton's Academy of Music, and LJS's jam at The Dell. Additionally, we can boast three big bands, Swing Shift, Loudoun Jazz Ensemble, and Franklin Park Big Band, with only minimal overlap in players. Lastly, our library system hosts jazz events regularly, as do local restaurants like Travinia, Lightfoot, Pazzo Pomodoro, and Trungo's.

When you frequent these establishments, and contribute to organizations like ours, you help weave our local identity into the fabric of our national identity. This is worth celebrating indeed!

Regards,
John Kocur
President, Loudoun Jazz Society

SAVE THE DATES:

Saturday, 9/01 — Alfred Yun's "Tribute to Chick Corea" at Franklin Park Arts Center
Friday, 9/20 — Rob Maletick's "Smooth Jazz Showcase" at Old Ox Brewery