2008 JAM Launch

Jazz Appreciation Month 2008 received an enthusiastic launch on Monday, March 31. Dignitaries from the Smithsonian Institution and The George Washington University welcomed jazz legend Ramsey Lewis, who kicked off the month-long celebration. Museum Director Brent Glass talked about the global influence of America’s music and accepted a donation of archival material from Mr. Lewis. Lewis and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell held a discussion about the future of jazz education. David Baker talked about the recent Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra goodwill tour to Egypt.

Jazz Appreciation Month poster features Ella Fitzgerald

The National Museum of American History has issued a new poster to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month.  The poster features Ella Fitzgerald, “The First Lady of Song,” with an illustration by the American artist Jeffrey Fulvimari.  The museum has printed 250,000 posters for free distribution to music and jazz educators, librarians, music merchants and manufacturers, radio stations, arts presenters, and U.S. embassies worldwide.  To request a copy, write jazz@si.edu. Or, you can download it in PDF format.

Classroom activities about Ella, for middle-school teachers and students, are available here.

Meet the new JAM Program Manager

Joann Stevens is a seasoned communications strategist, program manager, writer, and public relations professional whose skills have helped propel diverse nonprofits to new levels of public recognition, capacity building, and financial sustainability.  She has held leadership positions with The Executive Leadership Council, a member organization of the most senior African-American corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies; Special Olympics International with Sargent and Eunice Kennedy Shriver; the National Urban Coalition; The George Washington University; the Association of American Colleges and Universities; the Washington Post; and the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday Commission. More