Dear Window on America Center and American Corners Coordinators,
If you and your patrons like jazz music, April is a wonderful time. It’s Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM). There are lots of e-resources to enhance your programming!
JAM was launched in 2001 by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to pay tribute to jazz as an historic and living American art form. As the Museum’s Director, Brent Glass comments on the JAM homepage (http://www.smithsonianjazz.org/jam/jam_start.asp):
“Jazz is a truly American style of music that has played an important role in our heritage…. the genre has an important function in global diplomacy.”
Among the many JAM homepage offerings, you’ll find this year’s downloadable JAM poster – a portrait of world-famous pianist Dave Brubeck, a PDF brochure “How to Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month,” and a daily Jazz Calendar.
On the State Department’s International Information Programs special jazz website — http://www.america.gov/jazz_america.html — you’ll find a Dave Brubeck interview; the 2010 touring schedule of Jazz Ambassadors in the “Rhythm Road American Music Abroad” program; links to some recorded jazz music from the Navy Commodores and the weekly VOA “Jazz America” program hosted by Russ Davis; and more jazz features.
Looking for authoritative background on jazz history and musicians? Go to Popular Culture Universe where you’ll find numerous, jazz-related articles, biographies, and images —http://pop.greenwood.com/login.aspx / UN: american; PW: library. For a broad search, just type the word – jazz – in the Quick Search Box. For a narrower search, enter more specific jazz-related terms. Either way, you’ll find a lot of interesting details about jazz.
Nurturing Mutual Understanding: Window on America Centers 