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PROMOTING JAZZ AND BLUES: ORIGINAL AMERICAN ART FORMS Founded in 1983, the Gainesville Friends of Jazz & Blues is dedicated to supporting and promoting jazz and blues music, as well as increasing public interest and participation in these uniquely American art forms.
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BRINGING YOU TOP PERFORMERS The GFOJ&B hosts concerts at a variety of local venues. Past performers have included the Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Morgan, Jane Ira Bloom and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. For the past 13 years the Jazz at the Thomas Center concert series has provided area audiences access to a great variety of instrumentalists and vocalists who would usually restrict their performances to major metropolitan areas.
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WE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT YOU GFOJ is supported in part by grants provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Southern Arts Federation, the State of Florida Department of Cultural Affairs and the City of Gainesville's Department of Cultural Affairs. Grants, along with individual memberships and private and business contributions allow us to bring more top performers and to continue to promote the love of jazz and blues in our area
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CELEBRATING JAZZ & BLUES WITH OUR ANNUAL FESTIVAL We invite the public to join in a celebration of great American music at our annual jazz and blues festival. The all-day festival strives for a diverse line-up of national headliners, complemented by local and regional performers and covering a wide range of jazz and blues styles. Past festivals have brought artists like Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, KoKo Taylor, Larry Carlton, C.J. Chenier and Deanna Bogart to the Downtown Plaza.
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SPOTLIGHTING WOMEN IN JAZZ
GFOJ&B recognizes the important role women have played in the history of America's music as performers, composers and collaborators through our Women in Jazz program, which highlights outstanding female jazz artists. Featured performers have included flutist Holly Hofmann, pianist Cecilia Coleman and vocalists Nancy Marano and Sheila Jordan.
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OFFERING SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
We strive to educate students about jazz and blues through special programs and workshops in the Alachua County schools. In addition, workshops have been given by some of our guest performers to students at the University of Florida. The UF "Rabbitt" Robbins Scholarship Fund, established by the musicians of the Doc's of Dixieland jazz group, is administered through the Gainesville Friends of Jazz & Blues.
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