Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame
This article may contain excessive or inappropriate references to self-published sources. (June 2015) |
Established | 1978 |
---|---|
Location | Birmingham's historic Carver Theatre |
Type | Jazz |
Collections | Paintings, quilts, instruments, and personal effects |
Website | http://www.jazzhall.com/ |
The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (AJHF) was founded in 1978, and opened a museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general appreciation of the medium of jazz music as a legitimate, original and distinctive art form indigenous to America. Its mission is also to preserve a continued and sustained program of illuminating the contribution of the State of Alabama through its citizens, environment, demographics and lore, and perpetuating the heritage of jazz music."[1] It is located in Birmingham, Alabama, United States.
The AJHoF Museum[]
The museum is located in Birmingham's historic Carver Theatre, which is part of the Birmingham Civil Rights District, along with the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 16th Street Baptist Church and Kelly Ingram Park. The museum contains more than 2,200 square feet (200 m2) of exhibits. The Jazz Hall of Fame also sponsors jazz performances around the city and brings jazz to many local students with school visits from musicians. It contains memorabilia such as paintings, quilts, instruments, and personal effects of such artists as Ella Fitzgerald and W.C. Handy, and offers a tour guided by Frank Adams.
Free Saturday jazz classes[]
Every Saturday morning since 1999, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame has offered free jazz classes to any resident of the state of Alabama. Founded by Dr. Frank Adams, the classes are taught by local jazz band directors from area schools. In these classes, students learn to read and improvise jazz. Graduates of the AJHF classes have received scholarships to prestigious jazz studies programs, such as the ones offered by the University of New Orleans, the Manhattan School of Music and New School University in New York City.
AJHF Annual Student Jazz Band Festival[]
Every year, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame invites middle school, high school and college jazz bands to perform in this annual three-day event. Bands are adjudicated by notable jazz authorities and awards for "Band of Distinction" and "Outstanding Soloist" are made in each of the categories: Middle School, High School, Junior College and College.
Past award recipients at the AJHF Student Jazz Band Festival
College and University Bands of Distinction[]
- 2004 - University of Alabama Jazz Ensemble A, "College Band of Distinction" - Tom Wolfe,[2] Director
- 2005 - University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Jazz Ensemble, "College Band of Distinction" - Ray Reach, Director
- 2006 - Jacksonville State University Jazz Ensemble, "College Band of Distinction" - Chip Crotts, Director
- 2007 - Troy State University, "College Band of Distinction"
- 2008 - Jackson State University, Jackson Mississippi, "College Band of Distinction"
- 2009 - Troy State University, "College Band of Distinction"
- 2012 - University of Alabama at Birmingham,"College Band of Distinction" - Steven Roberts, Director
- 2014 - University of Alabama at Birmingham,"College Band of Distinction" - Steven Roberts, Director
- 2015 - University of Alabama at Birmingham,"College Band of Distinction" - Steven Roberts, Director
- 2016 - University of Alabama at Birmingham "College Band of Distinction" - Steven Roberts, Director
- 2017 - Alabama State University, "College Band of Distinction" - Isaac Bell Jr., Director
- 2018 - Troy University, "College Band of Distinction" - Dr. Dave Camwell, Director
College and University Outstanding Soloists[]
- 2004 - Omari Thomas, University of Alabama at Birmingham, "Outstanding College Soloist"
- 2005 - Omari Thomas, University of Alabama at Birmingham, "Outstanding College Soloist"
- 2014 - Kameron Dickerson, "Outstanding College Soloist"[3]
- 2015 - Alex Garrett, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, "Outstanding College Soloist"
High School Bands of Distinction[]
- 2015 - Minor High School, "High School Band of Distinction" - , Director
- 2016 - Alabama School of Fine Arts, "High School Band of Distinction" - Dr. Robert Janssen, Director
- 2017 - Oak Mountain High School, "High School Band of Distinction" - Kevin Ownby, Director
- 2018 - Minor High School, "High School Band of Distinction" - , Director
High School Outstanding Soloists[]
- 2015 Matthew Belser, Alabama School of Fine Arts, "Outstanding High School Soloist"
Middle School Bands of Distinction[]
- 2015 Phillips Academy, Joseph Smith III, Director
Middle School Outstanding Soloists[]
- 2015 Jaeden Henderson, Phillips Academy, "Outstanding Middle School Soloists"
Spin-offs from AJHoF educational programs[]
There are a number of "spin-off" groups spawned by the educational programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame. Among these is a group called the "Neo Jazz Collective." A group of young students, exhibiting the skills they learned at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, created this ensemble, with the intention of becoming a professional entity. The group is directed by Lud Yisrael. The group started their own school in Fairfield, Alabama, and is fast becoming a popular "Nu-Jazz" ensemble in the Birmingham area.
Annual "Taste of 4th Avenue" Jazz Festival[]
During the fall of each year, the "Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival" takes place, jointly sponsored by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and Urban Impact of Birmingham.
Free jazz workshops, clinics and masterclasses[]
AJHF offers free jazz workshops, clinics and masterclasses. Past guest clinicians include Lou Marini (saxophonist), Eric Marienthal (saxophonist), Bill Goodwin (drummer), T. S. Monk (drummer), and Gregg Karukas (keyboardist), Joey Alexander (pianist), and Esperanza Spalding.
Musical instrument recycling program[]
Every year, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame accepts contributions of used, but repairable, instruments. Numerous instruments have been donated, many by famous musicians such as Lou Marini, Erskine Hawkins, Sammy Lowe and Haywood Henry. These recycled instruments are put to use by students of the AJHF educational programs.
List of inductees[]
- 1978: Frank Adams, Amos Gordon, Erskine Hawkins, Haywood Henry, Sammy Lowe, John Tuggle "Fess" Whatley
- 1979: Paul Bascomb, Dud Bascomb, John Bell, Jothan Callins, Charles H. Clarke, Cleveland Eaton, Johnny Grimes, Richard Harris, Jo Jones, James H. Mitchell, Avery Parrish, Sun Ra, John C. Reed, Laura Washington
- 1980: Walter Blythe, Babe Clarke, Peter F. Clarke, Jimmy Colvin, Charles Daniels, , Jerry Grundhoefer, Calvin Ivory, Henry Kimbrell, Jesse Larkins, Shorty Long, Rushton Miller, Walter Miller, Fletcher Myatt, C. Julian Parrish, Hampton Reese, Alwilda Smith, John S. Springer Sr., Newman C. Terrell, Iva B. Williams
- 1981: John Anderson, , , Richard Clarke, , , , , , , , , Richard Sanford, , Ivory Williams.
- 1982: , , , , , George Hudson, , James Powell, Sam Ranelli, , , , Roszetta Johnson, William Stewart, Robert Summers
- 1983: , Leroy Allen, , Frank Carpenter, , , , , , , Robert McCoy, Neil McLean, , Jesse Taylor
- 1984: , , , Ella Fitzgerald, , , Robert Moore, , Johnny Smith, , Sam Taylor
- 1985: , , , , , W. C. Handy, , Everett Lawler,[4] James Lowe, Willie Richardson, , Jonny Williams (Honorary inductees: Richard Arrington Jr., , , , David Vann, )
- 1986: , Henry Glover, , , , Jack Marshall, , Lucky Millinder, Jerry Reed, Dinah Washington, , , Harry Young
- 1987: , Donald Crawford, , , Jerry Greene, Tommie Harris,
- 1988: , , Attorney James Henderson, Nathaniel Miller, , , , Tommy Stewart
- 1989: , , , , , , ,
- 1990: James Reese Europe, , , , , William Lee, , , Jimmy Randolph,
- 1991: , , , , , Wilbur Harden, , , Pinetop Smith, , Cootie Williams
- 1992: , Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, , , Consuela Lee Moorehead
- 1993: Nat King Cole, John Collins
- 1994: Cholly Atkins, , Willie Ruff
- 1995: Jim Bell, , Urbie Green, Henry Panion, , Bobby Smith
- 1997: Victor Atkins, , , Thomas Lindsey, Johnny O'Neal
- 2001: , Charles Ard
- 2008: Gene Conners (aka “The Mighty Flea”), , , , Grover Mitchell, , ,
- 2013: Harry Belafonte
- 2015: Mart Avant, Rick Bell, Daniel Jose Carr, Marion Evans, John Hayden, Robert Horton, Don Jones, Hal Kemp, Al Killian, Jean Kittrell, Jack Marshall, Gary Motley, Phelton Simmons, Eb Swingle, Ward Swingle, George Washington and Fred Wesley Jr.
See also[]
References[]
- ^ History Archived 2008-06-27 at the Wayback Machine, official site
- ^ "Tom Wolfe". Archived from the original on 2008-12-15. Retrieved 2007-10-06.
- ^ http://www.uab.edu/news/student-experience/item/4583-uab-jazz-ensemble-student-win-top-honors-at-hall-of-fame-competition
- ^ Everett Lawler
External links[]
Coordinates: 33°31′1.57″N 86°48′45.72″W / 33.5171028°N 86.8127000°W
- Jazz organizations
- Jazz awards
- Halls of fame in Alabama
- State halls of fame in the United States
- Music halls of fame
- Music museums in Alabama
- Museums in Birmingham, Alabama
- Awards established in 1978
- Jazz music education
- 1978 establishments in Alabama