Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (AJHoF) 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." [ [http://www.jazzhall.com/jazzhalloffame/history.htm History] , official site] It is located in Birmingham, Alabama, USA.

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 convert|2200|sqft|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. Along with jazz memorabilia such as paintings, quilts, instruments, and personal effects of such artists as Ella Fitzgerald and W.C. Handy, the tour experience itself is guided by Dr. Frank Adams.

Free Saturday Jazz Classes

Every Saturday morning since 1999, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame has offered jazz classes, available free to any resident of the state of Alabama. These classes are taught by a faculty of professionals, organized by "Director of Student Jazz Programs", Ray Reach and by "Director of Education Emeritus" Dr. [http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Frank_Adams Frank Adams] . Collectively, the members of the faculty form a performing ensemble known as the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars (the AJHoF All-Stars). These free classes are supported by grants from the [http://www.cultural-alliance.com/ Cultural Alliance of Greater Birmingham] and other sources. In these classes, students learn to read and improvise jazz.

The "Fun With Jazz" Educational Program

The Fun With Jazz Educational Program is sponsored by AJHoF and presented, free of charge, in schools. Beginning in 2006, founder Ray Reach and a faculty of jazz professionals (the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars) have presented free one-hour lessons introducing jazz through live performance and interactive activities. The program, which was originated under the auspices of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Alys Stephens Center, includes four presentations.

AJHoF Annual Student Jazz Festival

Every year, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame sponsors a "Student Jazz Festival", open to middle school, high school and college jazz bands. The festival is non-competitive, and bands are invited to play and be adjudicated by noted jazz authorities. 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 AJHoF Student Jazz Festival

*2004 - University of Alabama Jazz Ensemble A, "College Band of Distinction" - [http://www.music.ua.edu/people/showperson.php?id=55 Tom Wolfe] , Director
*2004 - [http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Omari_Thomas Omari Thomas] , University of Alabama at Birmingham, "Outstanding College Soloist"
*2005 - University of Alabama at Birmingham, [http://www.bhamwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=UAB_Jazz_Ensemble UAB Jazz Ensemble] , "College Band of Distinction" - Ray Reach, Director
*2005 - [http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Omari_Thomas Omari Thomas] , University of Alabama at Birmingham, "Outstanding College Soloist"
*2006 - Jacksonville State University Jazz Ensemble, "College Band of Distinction" - [http://music.jsu.edu/FACULTY/crotts.html Chip Crotts] , Director
*2007 - Troy State University, "College Band of Distinction"
*2008 - Jackson State University, Jackson Mississippi, "College Band of Distinction"

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.

Musical Instrument Recycling Program

Every year, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame accepts contributions of used, but repairable, instruments, donated by supporters of jazz in Alabama. 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 AJHoF educational programs.

List of Inductees

* 1978: [http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Frank_Adams Frank Adams] , Amos Gordon, Erskine Hawkins, Haywood Henry, Sammy Lowe, [http://www.alamhof.org/whatleyf.htm Fess Whatley]
* 1979: Paul Bascomb, Dud Bascomb, John Bell, [http://meshes.blogspot.com/2007/09/jothan-callins-winds-of-change.html 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, Wilson Driver, 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, Henry Blankenship, Melvin H. Caswell, Richard Clarke, Victor Cunningham, Murray Harper, Jimmie Harris, Theodore Hill, George Hudson, William Johnson, III, Warren Parham, Avery Richardson, Richard Sanford, E. W. Williams, Ivory Williams.
* 1982: Joe Alexander, Esau Coleman, Alton Davenport, Joseph Guy, Leon Hines, George Hudson, Lovell Litton, James Powell, Sam Ranelli, Tolton Rosser, Joseph Sanford, John Santoro, Roszetta Johnson, William Stewart, Robert Summers
* 1983: Hooper T. Abrams, Leroy Allen, Leatha Bell, Frank Carpenter, Paul B. Coman, LaVergne Comer, Dolly Brown Gibson, Marcellus Green, Frank Greer, Monroe Kennedy, Robert McCoy, Neil McLean, Bull Simpson, Jesse Taylor
* 1984: Doris Adams, Carl Atkins, Lucius Daniels, Ella Fitzgerald, Shelton Gary, James McDaniels, Robert Moore, H. T. Raleigh Randolph, Johnny Smith, Arthur Stringer, Sam Taylor
* 1985: Bo Berry, Edward A. Brown, Henry Caffey, Andrew Fair, Howard Funderburg, W. C. Handy, Jerome Hopkins, [http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Everett_Lawler Everett Lawler] , James Lowe, Willie Richardson, Lee Stanfield, Jonny Williams (Honorary inductees: Richard Arrington, Jr, Gloria Curry, J. Garrick Hardy, C. W. Hayes, David Vann, Lewis White)
* 1986: Lucky Davis, Henry Glover, Hortense Henderson, Thomas Lyle, Mary Alice Marable, Jack Marhsall, Ellis McClure, Lucky Millinder, Jerry Reed, Dinah Washington, H. T. Ward, Zelpha Wells, Harry Young
* 1987: Guitar Allen, Donald Crawford, Jesse Dandy, Ted Galloway, Jerry Greene, Tommie Harris, Aldolphus Williams
* 1988: Horace Carney, Roosevelt Hatcher, James Henderson, Nathaniel Miller, Bobby Owens, Rose Marie Rushin, Bonna Mae Perine Samuels, Tommy Stewart
* 1989: Emerson Able, John Carlton, Eddie Castleberry, Samuel Fisher, John McAphee, Jr, Henry Pugh, J. B. Sims, Cornelius Aikens
* 1990: James Reese Europe, Joseph Giattina, William W. Handy, J. Earl Hensley, Nuncie LeBerte, William Lee, Irene Monroe, William Nappi, Jimmy Randolph, Evelyn Wallace
* 1991: Pat Cather, Andre Ford, Ann Graham, Eric Essix, Alex Gulas, Wilbur Harden, Cliff Nation, DeWitt Shaw, Pinetop Smith, James Swyne, Cootie Williams
* 1992: Earlie Billups, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Trenton Harris, Samuel Lay, Consuela Lee
* 1993: Nat King Cole, John Collins
* 1994: Cholly Atkins, Mary Ogletree, Willie Ruff
* 1995: Jim Bell, Countess Felder, Urbie Green, Henry Panion, Hassan Ralph Williams, Bobby Smith
* 1997: [http://www.alamhof.org/atkinsv.htm Victor Atkins] , Jesse Champion, Foxxy Fatts, Thomas Lindsey, Johnny O'Neal
* 2001: Rickey Powell, [http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Charles_Ard Charles Ard]

References

External links

* [http://www.jazzhall.com The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame official website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/alabamajazzhalloffame The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame] at Myspace.com
* [http://www.myspace.com/alabamajazzhalloffameallstars Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars] at Myspace.com
* [http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=15121 The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars] at All About Jazz
* [http://www.4thAvejazz.com 2007 Taste of 4th Avenue Jazz Festival website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/rayreachmusic Listen to music by Ray Reach, Director of Student Jazz Programs]