International Jazz Day
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International Jazz Day is an International Day declared by the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
in 2011 "to highlight
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe." It is celebrated annually on April 30. The idea came from jazz pianist and UNESCO
Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill ambassador is a post-nominal honorific title, a professional occupation and/or authoritative designation that is assigned to a person who advocates for a specific cause or global issue on the basis of their notability such as a publ ...
Herbie Hancock. Jazz Day is chaired by Hancock and the UNESCO Director-General. The celebration is recognized on the calendars of both UNESCO and the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
. The
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a non-profit music education organization founded in 1986. Before 2019, it was known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, but was then renamed after its longtime board chairman, Herbie Hancock. The i ...
(formerly the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz), an American
NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
also chaired by Hancock, is the lead organizational partner for Jazz Day. The Institute coordinates activities in the UNESCO member states as well as the Global Host Celebration. Events in the Host City culminate in an All-Star Global Concert, which involves numerous jazz musicians from around the world performing in or around an historical landmark. The 2022 celebration of International Jazz Day featured an All-Star Global Concert at the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoniz ...
General Assembly Hall, with Herbie Hancock,
Gregory Porter Gregory Porter (born November 4, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He has twice won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album: first in 2014 for ''Liquid Spirit'' and then again in 2017 for '' Take Me to the Alley''. Early l ...
,
Shemekia Copeland Charon Shemekia Copeland (born April 10, 1979) is an American electric blues vocalist. To date, she has released ten albums and been presented with seven Blues Music Awards. Career Copeland was born in Harlem, New York City, United States. She i ...
, Marcus Miller,
Mark Whitfield Mark Whitfield (born October 6, 1966) is an American jazz guitarist. Life and career Whitfield was born in Lindenhurst, New York. He has worked with Jack McDuff, Jimmy Smith, Courtney Pine, Nicholas Payton, and Chris Botti. In 2000, Whitfield ...
, Hiromi,
Linda Oh Linda May Han Oh (born 25 August 1984) is an Australian jazz bassist and composer. Biography Oh was raised in Western Australia. When she was 11, she started to play the clarinet and at the age of 13 bassoon. She went to Churchlands Senior Hi ...
,
David Sanborn David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 19 ...
,
Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on No ...
, Ravi Coltrane, Zakir Hussain, Brian Blade and others.


Worldwide participation

Nearly 200 countries participate in International Jazz Day every year. In addition to concerts and jam sessions, events include workshops, conferences, and community outreach. The official registry of worldwide events is hosted on jazzday.com where they are displayed and indexed alphabetically by country. Jazzday.com lists notable examples of events organized over the past ten years: * A teacher in Tuscaloosa organized a workshop on how to use jazz to inspire leadership and innovation. * A venue in Bogotá, Colombia, produced a day of public education programs including classes, concerts, and jam sessions. * In Yangon, Myanmar, organizers invited a jazz guitarist to give performances and educational workshops with local musicians. * A conservatory in Kathmandu, Nepal, hosted local and traveling musicians for joint concerts, followed by an open jam session. The event was broadcast live on the radio. * A record producer in Tehran, Iran, organized a series of concerts with local musicians at an historic cultural center. * A mobile jazz club in Alcoy, Spain, attempted to set the record for largest jazz jam session in Spanish history, bringing together more than 100 musicians in Alcoy's Plaza de Dins. * A planetarium in Ukraine hosted a jazz concert accompanied by a 3D video show. The International Jazz Day website also collects
jazz education Each style and era of jazz adopted new techniques to help educate younger musicians. Early forms of jazz education were more informal. Since the first degree program was founded in 1947, the rise of institutionalized jazz education, resulted in ja ...
materials. These include content from the
Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
in the United States, Jazz at Lincoln Center, the New York Jazz Workshop, Jamey Aebersold Jazz, the
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a non-profit music education organization founded in 1986. Before 2019, it was known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, but was then renamed after its longtime board chairman, Herbie Hancock. The i ...
, Norwegian music technology firm ''oiid'', the online STEAM curriculum ''Math, Science & Music'', and the
Universidad Veracruzana Universidad Veracruzana (Spanish for ''University of Veracruz'') is a public autonomous university located in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Established in 1944, the university is one of the most important in the southeast region of México. Its ...
.


Jazz and cultural expression

UNESCO's official description of International Jazz Day places the annual celebration in the context of the 2005
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions Convention may refer to: * Convention (norm), a custom or tradition, a standard of presentation or conduct ** Treaty, an agreement in international law * Convention (meeting), meeting of a (usually large) group of individuals and/or companies in a ...
, maintaining that Jazz Day "integrates culture in sustainable development frameworks", "promotes
human rights Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hu ...
and fundamental freedoms", and "protects and promote the diversity of cultural expressions."


History


Inception and declaration

After his designation as a
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNESCO goodwill ambas ...
for Intercultural Dialogue on July 22, 2011, Herbie Hancock announced his intention to create an International Day celebrating the diplomatic role of jazz. In November 2011, following a favorable recommendation by the 187th
Executive Board A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
, UNESCO's General Conference proclaimed April 30 as International Jazz Day, recognizing jazz as "a means to develop and increase intercultural exchanges and understanding between cultures for the purpose of mutual comprehension and tolerance." The date of April 30 was proposed to position International Jazz Day as the culmination of the
Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
's April Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM), though no formal connection exists between JAM and International Jazz Day. The United Nations General Assembly formally recognized International Jazz Day on its official calendar in December 2012.


Paris, New Orleans, New York

The inaugural International Jazz Day celebration took place in three parts. On April 27, Hancock hosted a daylong education program and evening concert at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Educational activities included public panel discussions and lectures throughout the World Heritage Centre. The evening concert featured over two-dozen musicians and included remarks by Hancock, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, United States Permanent Representative to UNESCO David Killion, and TSF Jazz Program Director Sebastien Vidal. The second part took place at sunrise on the following Monday, April 30, in
Congo Square Congo Square (french: Place Congo) is an open space, now within Louis Armstrong Park, which is located in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, just across Rampart Street north of the French Quarter. The square is famous for its ...
in New Orleans. Hosted by actor
Harry Shearer Harry Julius Shearer (born December 23, 1943) is an American actor, comedian, writer, musician, radio host, director and producer. Born in Los Angeles, California, Shearer began his career as a child actor. From 1969 to 1976, Shearer was a member ...
with remarks by New Orleans Mayor
Mitch Landrieu Mitchell Joseph Landrieu ( ; born August 16, 1960) is an American lawyer and politician who served as Mayor of New Orleans from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 2004 ...
and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, the event consisted of performances by Herbie Hancock, trumpeter Kermit Ruffins, the Treme Brass Band, vocalist Stephanie Jordan, pianist Ellis Marsalis, drummer
Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...
, and trumpeter
Terence Blanchard Terence Oliver Blanchard (born March 13, 1962) is an American trumpeter and composer. He started his career in 1982 as a member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, then The Jazz Messengers. He has composed more than forty film scores and performed ...
. Notable among the performances was a rendition of Herbie Hancock's composition " Watermelon Man", which Hancock led with students from the Thelonious Monk Institute's Performing Arts High School program. Event producers organized simultaneous performances by student groups in Paris, Rio de Janeiro, and Cape Town which were streamed live and broadcast by CNN and ''
CBS This Morning ''CBS This Morning'' (''CTM'') is an American morning television program that aired on CBS from November 30, 1987, to October 29, 1999, and again from January 9, 2012, to September 6, 2021. The program was aired from Monday through Saturday. ...
''. The sunrise event occurred on the opening weekend of the
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (commonly called Jazz Fest or Jazzfest) is an annual celebration of local music and culture held at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jazz Fest attracts thousands of visitors to New ...
, which led some observers—including Mayor Landrieu and host Harry Shearer—to remark that numerous attendees had simply not gone to bed the night before. The concluding event—a "sunset" concert to contrast with the New Orleans festivities earlier in the day—took place at the
United Nations General Assembly Hall The United Nations General Assembly Building is part of the headquarters of the United Nations in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It contains the main assembly hall of the United Nations General Assembly, the main ...
in New York City and included performances by Hancock,
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...
, Dee Dee Bridgewater,
Candido Candido is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Candido Amantini (1914–1992), Italian Roman Catholic priest * Candido Camero known simply as "Candido" (1921-2020), Cuban percussionist * Candido Jacu ...
, and Stevie Wonder. Hosts included Robert De Niro,
Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the A ...
, Morgan Freeman and
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
. Pianist George Duke served as musical director. The program was noted for including musicians from every continent except Antarctica.


Istanbul

Istanbul, Turkey served as the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2013. On Tuesday, April 30, UNESCO, the Monk Institute and IKSV coordinated over a dozen free education events at the Beyoğlu Municipal Youth Center, the
Borusan Borusan Holding A.Ş. is a Turkish industrial group headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. Its activities include steel manufacturing, car distribution, energy generation and logistics. The company was founded by Asım Kocabıyık in 1944 to trade iro ...
Music House, and the
SALT Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
contemporary art space, as well as a number of fringe events at Istanbul jazz clubs and music venues. Daytime activities allowed for contact between visiting musicians and local Turkish students and musicians. Other participants included
Robert Glasper Robert Andre Glasper (born April 6, 1978) is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres, mostly centered on jazz. To date, Glasper has won fou ...
,
T. S. Monk Thelonious Sphere "T. S." Monk III (born December 27, 1949) is an American jazz drummer, composer and bandleader. He is the son of jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. Biography Born in New York City, he began his music career early in his life, honin ...
, Marcus Miller,
Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...
,
Anat Cohen Anat Cohen ( he, ענת כהן, born 1975) is a New York City-based jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader from Tel Aviv, Israel. Biography Cohen began playing clarinet and saxophone. In 1996, she studied at the Berklee College of Mus ...
, Keiko Matsui, and
Erik Truffaz Erik Truffaz (born 3 April 1960 in Chêne-Bougeries, Switzerland) is a French jazz trumpeter, infusing elements of hip hop, rock and roll and dance music into his compositions. Early life Truffaz was introduced to music by his father, a saxop ...
, with highlighted Turkish musicians including
Okay Temiz Okay Temiz (born 11 February 1939, Istanbul, Turkey) is a Turkish fusion jazz percussionist and drummer. Biography Temiz was influenced in his early years by his mother, Naciye, who was classically schooled in music. Temiz started playing profe ...
, Aydin Esen, Ozan Musluoğlu, and Burak Bedikyan. A number of the 2013 education activities were concentrated in the cosmopolitan district of Beyoğlu in venues including the Akbank Sanat arts center, the Alt jazz club, and Galatasaray High School, where saxophonist Wayne Shorter gave a master class for students and accepted UNESCO's Cultural Diversity Medal from Director-General Bokova. The 4th-century Byzantine church Hagia Irene hosted the evening All-Star Global Concert. Participants included Joss Stone,
Rubén Blades Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948), known professionally as Rubén Blades (, but in Panama and within the family), is a Panamanian musician, singer, composer, actor, activist, and politician, performing musically most often in th ...
,
Terence Blanchard Terence Oliver Blanchard (born March 13, 1962) is an American trumpeter and composer. He started his career in 1982 as a member of the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, then The Jazz Messengers. He has composed more than forty film scores and performed ...
, George Duke, Al Jarreau, Branford Marsalis,
John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaug ...
,
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer. Biography Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mother played trumpet, her uncle is bassist Charles Burrell, and h ...
, Lee Ritenour and Hüsnü şenlendirici. Pianist John Beasley served as musical director. The concert was one of George Duke's last public appearances before his death three months later. The evening's hosts included UNESCO Director-General Bokova, Herbie Hancock, Turkish comedian
Cem Yılmaz Cem Yılmaz (, born 23 April 1973) is a Turkish actor, stand-up comedian, musician, filmmaker, screen writer, and cartoonist. He is best known for his films '' G.O.R.A.'' (2004), '' A.R.O.G'' (2008) and '' Yahşi Batı'' (2010), and has won tw ...
, and community activist
Martin Luther King III Martin Luther King III (born October 23, 1957) is an American human rights activist, philanthropist and advocate. The oldest son and oldest living child of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, King served as the 4 ...
, who delivered remarks commemorating the 50thanniversary of the March on Washington. The concert was streamed live on YouTube. In parallel with the festivities in Istanbul, more than 100 countries registered events commemorating the second edition of International Jazz Day. Partners included regional and municipal governments, private citizens, jazz clubs, cultural centers and community organizations. Worldwide celebrations encompassed jam sessions, concerts, public performances, film screenings, showings of the All-Star Global Concert, and educational workshops and master classes. Among the parallel events organized in 2013 was a 12-hour program of free performances, master classes, and discussions on the Rue des Lombards in Paris. The program was spread among the jazz clubs Duc des Lombards, Baiser Salé, Sunset and Sunside. Participants included
Ray Lema Raymond Lema A'nsi Nzinga (born 30 March 1946), known as Ray Lema, is a Congolese (DRC) musician. A pianist, guitarist, and songwriter, he settled in France in 1982.
, Manu Dibango,
Gregory Porter Gregory Porter (born November 4, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He has twice won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album: first in 2014 for ''Liquid Spirit'' and then again in 2017 for '' Take Me to the Alley''. Early l ...
, Kelly Lee Evans, Leila Martial, Tony Tixier, Etienne Mbappé, Rémi Panossian, and Lou Tavano. French broadcaster Radio TSF Jazz covered the program.


Osaka

International Jazz Day 2014 was hosted by the city of Osaka, Japan. The principal local organizer was the Osaka Government Tourism Bureau. The 2014 education program was staged inside the Osaka School of Music. The free program opened with a performance of King Oliver's
West End Blues "West End Blues" is a multi-strain twelve-bar blues composition by Joe "King" Oliver. It is most commonly performed as an instrumental, although it has lyrics added by Clarence Williams. King Oliver and his Dixie Syncopators made the first rec ...
by Japanese duo Yoshio and Keiko Toyama. Modules included panel discussions, master classes, and film screenings, and included artists from the evening's All-Star Global Concert, including Herbie Hancock,
Toshiko Akiyoshi is a Japanese–American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Akiyoshi received fourteen Grammy Award nominations and was the first woman to win Best Arranger and Composer awards in '' Down Beat'' magazine's annual Readers' Poll. ...
, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini,
Chris Thomas King Chris Thomas King (born Durwood Christopher Thomas, October 14, 1962) is an American blues musician and actor based in New Orleans, Louisiana. History King was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. He is the son of blues musician Tabb ...
,
Earl Klugh Earl Klugh ( ; born September 16, 1953) is an American acoustic guitarist and composer. He has won one Grammy award and thirteen nominations. Klugh was awarded the “1977” Best Recording Award For Performance and Sound” for his album “Fin ...
, Marcus Miller, Thelonious Monk Jr., and Esperanza Spalding. Notable programming included a dance workshop with students from the Osaka school by choreographer
Hinton Battle Hinton Battle (born November 29, 1956) is an American actor, singer, dancer, and dance instructor. He has won three Tony Awards, all in the category of Featured Actor in a Musical. He was the first to portray the Scarecrow in the stage version ...
, a brass clinic for students and local musicians by trumpeter
Terumasa Hino is a Japanese jazz trumpeter. He is considered one of Japan's finest jazz musicians. His instruments include the trumpet, cornet, and flügelhorn. Early life He was born in Tokyo, Japan, and his father was a trumpeter and tap dancer. Hino start ...
, and a dialogue with saxophonist Wayne Shorter titled Philosophy of Life Through Jazz. The Global Concert took place on the grounds of
Osaka Castle is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Layout The main tower ...
in Nishinomaru Garden for around 10,000 people. The lineup featured 34 musicians from the United States, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Italy, Mali, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Performers included trombonist Steve Turre on conch shells with master
taiko are a broad range of Japanese percussion instruments. In Japanese, the term refers to any kind of drum, but outside Japan, it is used specifically to refer to any of the various Japanese drums called and to the form of ensemble drumming ...
drummer Shuichi Hidano; Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter with a rendition of Michiel Borstlap's Memory of Enchantment and Chris Thomas King,
John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in th ...
, and
Joe Louis Walker Joe Louis Walker, also known as JLW (born December 25, 1949) is an American musician, best known as an electric blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. His knowledge of blues history is revealed by his use of older material and playi ...
on Robert Johnson's " Ramblin' on My Mind". As part of the 2014 concert, astronauts
Richard Mastracchio Richard Alan "Rick" Mastracchio (born February 11, 1960) is an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He has flown on three NASA Space Shuttle missions as a mission specialist in addition to serving as a Flight Engineer on the Soyuz TMA-1 ...
and
Koichi Wakata is a Japanese engineer and a JAXA astronaut. Wakata is a veteran of four NASA Space Shuttle missions, a Russian Soyuz mission, and a long-duration stay on the International Space Station. During a nearly two-decade career in spaceflight, he has ...
delivered a video greeting from the International Space Station. The 2014 Global Concert inaugurated the tradition of performing the arrangement of the John Lennon song "
Imagine Imagine may refer to: * Imagination Music Albums * ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008 * ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002 * ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012 * ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971 ** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
" from Hancock's 2010 album '' The Imagine Project'' as the show finale. In 2014, International Jazz Day events took place in all 195 UNESCO member states, including
Mongolia Mongolia; Mongolian script: , , ; lit. "Mongol Nation" or "State of Mongolia" () is a landlocked country in East Asia, bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south. It covers an area of , with a population of just 3.3 million, ...
, where the U.S. Embassy hosted a jazz concert in its American Corner,
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, where the Jazz a la Calle youth development program sponsored performances by local groups, and
Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and To ...
, where a local
Alliance Française An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
organized concerts and education programs as part of the Live in Accra Jazz Festival. Also in 2014, the United Nations Postal Administration issued a series of postage stamps and a souvenir card to commemorate International Jazz Day. The stamps were designed by artist Sergio Baradat.


Paris

Paris, France served as the Global Host City for International Jazz Day 2015. The local celebration was co-coordinated by the City of Paris with municipal and private partners including the governments of multiple
arrondissement An arrondissement (, , ) is any of various administrative divisions of France, Belgium, Haiti, certain other Francophone countries, as well as the Netherlands. Europe France The 101 French departments are divided into 342 ''arrondissements ...
s, SNCF, TSF Jazz and the Paris Jazz Club. In contrast to the previous edition, the 2015 education program took place in venues across 14 of the 20 Paris arrondissements. Daniel Humair, Gregory Privat, Sonny Troupé, Olivier Bogé, Lisa Cat-Berro, and Tricia Evy, with Herbie Hancock, Al Jarreau, Marcus Miller and steel pannist Sean Thomas. There were master classes, discussions, and performances at clubs, conservatories, and cultural centers. Vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and guitarist Sylvain Luc performed for children at a local homeless shelter, while multiple artists—including pianist and songwriter André Manoukian and Bridgewater's daughter, vocalist
China Moses China Moses (born January 9, 1978, in Los Angeles) is an American singer and television host. Life and career Born in Los Angeles, California, China Moses is the daughter of jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater and director Gilbert Moses. She r ...
, gave surprise showcases for passersby at the five main terminus stations for the French national railway. Saxophonist Wayne Shorter tested instruments for students at the Conservatoire à Rayonnement Régional de Paris. The River's King, a 450 m2river barge, served as a "jazz boat" that traversed the Seine while musicians performed for audiences on board. Many of the city's jazz clubs, including those on the Rue des Lombards, offered free admission on April 30 in recognition of the Day. UNESCO Headquarters hosted the 2015 Global Concert. Participating musicians represented 13 countries. John Beasley was musical director with performances by Mino Cinelu, Avishai Cohen, Kellylee Evans, Hugh Masekela, Marcus Miller,
Guillaume Perret Guillaume Perret (; born 21 June 1980 in Annecy) is a French jazz musician (tenor saxophone and soprano saxophone, also keyboard Keyboard may refer to: Text input * Keyboard, part of a typewriter * Computer keyboard ** Keyboard layout, the so ...
, and Lee Ritenour on Mandela's anti-apartheid protest song "
Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela) "Bring Him Back Home (Nelson Mandela)", also known as "Bring Him Back Home", is an anthemic anti-apartheid protest song written by South African musician Hugh Masekela. It was released as the first track of his 1987 album '' Tomorrow''. It was ...
";
Femi Kuti Olufela Olufemi Anikulapo Kuti (born 16 June 1962), popularly known as Femi Kuti, is a Nigerian musician born in London and raised in Lagos. He is the eldest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti and a grandchild of political campaigner, women's ri ...
with an ensemble rendition of his Afrobeat hit " No Place for My Dream"; and Igor Butman,
James Genus James Genus (January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, hav ...
, Avishai Cohen and Herbie Hancock on the latter's composition "The Sorcerer". After the concert, the
Louis Vuitton Foundation The Louis Vuitton Foundation (French: ''Fondation d'entreprise Louis-Vuitton''), previously Louis Vuitton Foundation for Creation (''Fondation Louis-Vuitton pour la création''), is a French art museum and cultural center sponsored by the group LV ...
hosted a reception which included a solo performance by Hancock. The independently organized global events in 2015 included programs on all seven continents. In Antarctica, research staff at
Palmer Station Palmer Station is a United States research station in Antarctica located on Anvers Island, the only US station located north of the Antarctic Circle. Initial construction of the station finished in 1968. The station, like the other U.S. Antarcti ...
formed a four-piece band and recorded a performance of Mike Shapiro's "Spooky". In The Bahamas, the Bahamas National Commission for UNESCO coordinated a daylong concert series in downtown Nassau and conducted outreach to local schools. In Latvia, organizer Wise Music Society produced more than 30 jazz events in seven cities across the country, as well as the Latvian Embassy in London. Over 50 cities throughout Italy participated by holding their own events on or around April 30, including a performance by guitarist
John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in th ...
at the
Museo del Violino __FORCETOC__ The Violin Museum (in ) is a musical instrument museum located in Cremona. The museum is best known for its collection of stringed instruments that includes violins, violas, cellos and double basses crafted by renowned luthiers, incl ...
in Cremona and a concert featuring drummer
Antonio Sanchez Anthony Sanchez, Antonio Sanchez or Tony Sanchez may refer to: Sports * Antón (footballer) (1914–2005), Spanish footballer born ''Antonio Sánchez Valdés'' * Antonio Sánchez (boxer) (1905–?), Spanish boxer * Antonio Sánchez (footballer, ...
at Fano's Teatro della Fortuna.


Washington, D.C.

The 2016 International Jazz Day host celebration took place in Washington, D.C. Daytime programs on April 30 spanning the eight wards were largely free and open to the public, including performances, film screenings, jam sessions, discussions, and workshops with local and visiting musicians. The Day opened with a ceremony in Washington's
DuPont Circle Dupont Circle (or DuPont Circle) is a traffic circle, park, neighborhood and historic district in Northwest Washington, D.C. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is bounded approximately by 16th Street NW to the east, 22nd Street NW t ...
with remarks from UNESCO Director-General Bokova, Herbie Hancock, and International Rescue Committee Chairman David Miliband, followed by performances by Hancock and Dee Dee Bridgewater. Other highlights included a panel on "Jazz, Human Rights, & Cultural Diplomacy" at the National Museum of American History with Hancock, Director-General Bokova, French Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira, and Hugh Masekela; a performance by Dianne Reeves and
Cyrus Chestnut Cyrus Chestnut (born January 17, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for '' Time'', wrote: "What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon note ...
at local homeless services center Thrive DC; and a discussion on women in jazz with Reeves, Bridgewater, and
Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and ma ...
at the
National Museum of Women in the Arts The National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), located in Washington, D.C., is "the first museum in the world solely dedicated" to championing women through the arts. NMWA was incorporated in 1981 by Wallace and Wilhelmina Holladay. Since openin ...
. The 2016 program also included a walking tour of the history of jazz in Washington, DC; a 900-foot canvas paint jam; activities for patients at
Howard University Hospital Howard University Hospital, previously known as Freedmen's Hospital, is a major hospital located in Washington, D.C., built on the site of the previous Griffith Stadium. The hospital has served the African-American community in the area for over ...
, a senior center, food distribution centers and
food truck A food truck is a large motorized vehicle (such as a van) or trailer, equipped to cook, prepare, serve, and/or sell food. Some, including ice cream trucks, sell frozen or prepackaged food; others have on-board kitchens and prepare food from scratc ...
stops; pop-up performances throughout the city, including in metro stations; and a children's jazz show at the Petworth Recreation Center. First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a workshop and performance for public school students in the State Dining Room of the White House. The 2016 All-Star Concert took place on a stage erected on the South Lawn of the White House with musical direction by John Beasley. Hosted by President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
and First Lady Michelle Obama, the concert included more than three-dozen musicians representing twelve nationalities. Notable among the performances was a medley paying tribute to singer-songwriter
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
, who had died the previous week, featuring vocalist Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Terri Lyne Carrington, guitarist
Lionel Loueke Lionel Loueke (born 27 April 1973) is a guitarist and vocalist born in Benin. He moved to Ivory Coast in 1990 to study at the National Institute of Art. Biography Loueke grew up in what he has described as a family of poor intellectuals in the ...
, pianist Robert Glasper, bassist Ben Williams, and rapper
Rapsody Marlanna Evans (born January 21, 1983), better known by her stage name Rapsody, is an American rapper. Her second album, ''Laila's Wisdom'' (2017), which was critically acclaimed, received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Rap Album and Be ...
. Making their first appearance at an International Jazz Day event were pianists Joey Alexander, Chick Corea,
Jamie Cullum Jamie Cullum (born 20 August 1979) is an English jazz-pop singer, songwriter and radio presenter. Although primarily a vocalist and pianist, he also accompanies himself on other instruments, including guitar and drums. He has recorded nine stu ...
,
Diana Krall Diana Jean Krall (born November 16, 1964) is a Canadian jazz pianist and singer known for her contralto vocals. She has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide, including over six million in the US. On December 11, 2009, ''Billboard'' maga ...
, and
Chucho Valdés Jesús Valdés Rodríguez, better known as Chucho Valdés (born October 9, 1941), is a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger whose career spans over 50 years. An original member of the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, in 1973 he fo ...
, drummers Brian Blade and
Kendrick Scott Kendrick Scott (born July 8, 1980 in Houston, Texas, United States) is an American jazz drummer, bandleader, and composer. He is the founder of the record label World Culture Music. Biography Kendrick A.D. Scott was born and raised in Houston. ...
, saxophonists Paquito D'Rivera, David Sánchez, and
Bobby Watson Robert Michael Watson Jr. (born August 23, 1953), known professionally as Bobby Watson, is an American saxophonist, composer, and educator. Music career Watson was born in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and grew up in Kansas City, Kansas. He ...
, guitarists
Buddy Guy George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaugh ...
and
Pat Metheny Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He is the leader of the Pat Metheny Group and is also involved in duets, solo works, and other side projects. His style incorporates elements of progre ...
, trumpeter James Morrison,
Trombone Shorty Troy Andrews (born January 2, 1986), also known by the stage name Trombone Shorty, is an American musician, producer, actor and philanthropist from New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known as a trombone and trumpet player but also plays drums, ...
, and Sting. Morgan Freeman served as host. The evening concert was filmed live on April 29 and broadcast the following evening on ABC. The live footage was interspersed with recorded performances by cast members from spaces in the White House, including the Grand Foyer, the Blue Room, and the State Dining Room. In the lead-up to International Jazz Day 2016, on April 26
U.S. Secretary of Education The United States secretary of education is the head of the U.S. Department of Education. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States, and the federal government, on policies, programs, and activities rel ...
John King presided over the unveiling of Math, Science and Music, an online STEAM learning platform, at the
Department of Education An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
headquarters in Washington, D.C. In attendance were Hancock and cognitive scientist Jeanne Bamberger and pianist
Vijay Iyer Vijay Iyer (born October 26, 1971) is an American composer, pianist, bandleader, producer and writer based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' has called him a "social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, histori ...
, both of whom consulted on the project. More than a thousand parallel events were organized around the world for Jazz Day 2016. In Port-au-Prince, Haiti, the Norwegian educational nonprofit Prosjekt Haiti organized a performance and education program for 300 of its students. In South Korea, music venues like Jazzda, the Royal Anchor, and Old Blue participated in a "Korea Jazz Club Day." In Benghazi, Libya, the International School Benghazi assigned students to research jazz music and make a presentation to their classmates. For the third consecutive year, the
United States Antarctic Program The United States Antarctic Program (or USAP; formerly known as the United States Antarctic Research Program or USARP and the United States Antarctic Service or USAS) is an organization of the United States government which has presence in the A ...
participated by organizing a staff performance at the
South Pole Station South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...
.


Havana

The 2017 Global Host celebration was held in Havana, Cuba. The program took place over a week from April 24 – 30. The 2017 celebration spanned venues including the Pabellón Cuba in
Vedado Vedado ( es, El Vedado, ) is a central business district and urban neighborhood in the city of Havana, Cuba. Bordered on the east by Calzada de Infanta and Central Havana, and on the west by the Alemendares River and Miramar / Playa distric ...
, the
Instituto Superior de Arte The University of Arts of Cuba / Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) was established on September 1, 1976, by the Cuban government as a school for the arts. Its original structure had three schools: Music, Visual Arts, and Performing Arts. History ...
on the grounds of the former Habanero Country Club, the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, and the municipal amphitheater in the eastern township of
Guanabacoa Guanabacoa is a colonial township in eastern Havana, Cuba, and one of the 15 municipalities (or boroughs) of the city. It is famous for its historical Santería and is home to the first African Cabildo in Havana. Guanabacoa was briefly the capital ...
. Conservatories throughout the city were included, as were jazz clubs such as the Jazz Café, La Zorra y el Cuervo, and El Tablao. The educational and service component included Esperanza Spalding, Marcus Miller, Antonio Hart, and Regina Carter. There was a panel discussion on jazz and cinema at the
Hotel Nacional de Cuba The Hotel Nacional de Cuba is a historic Spanish eclectic style hotel in Havana, Cuba, opened in 1930. Located on the sea front of Vedado district, it stands on Taganana Hill, offering commanding views of the sea and the city. History Design ...
, which included UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, Herbie Hancock,
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
, and
Chucho Valdés Jesús Valdés Rodríguez, better known as Chucho Valdés (born October 9, 1941), is a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger whose career spans over 50 years. An original member of the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, in 1973 he fo ...
. The 2017 program included several instances of interaction between Cuban musicians and students and the visiting musicians. Cameroonian bassist Richard Bona performed with his group Mandekan Cubano for students and parents at the
Guanabacoa Guanabacoa is a colonial township in eastern Havana, Cuba, and one of the 15 municipalities (or boroughs) of the city. It is famous for its historical Santería and is home to the first African Cabildo in Havana. Guanabacoa was briefly the capital ...
Amphitheater. Saxophonist Melissa Aldana, pianist Tarek Yamani, and trumpeter Takuya Kuroda conducted master classes for students at the Superior and National Schools of Art. Graduate fellows of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Performance, a master's program at the
UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music The UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, located on the campus of the University of California, Los Angeles, is “the first school of music to be established in the University of California system.” Established in 2007 under the purview of the U ...
, participated in workshops and jam sessions with musicians at Havana conservatories. Performers included pianist Alejandro Falcón, trombonist Eduardo Sandoval, saxophonist Michel Herrera, drummer Yissy Garcia, flautist Orlando "Maraca" Valle, drummer Oliver Valdés, and violinist William Roblejo. A concert featuring over a dozen Cuban musicians took place on April 28 at Cuba's National Theater hosted by Cuban percussionist Ruy López-Nussa. The 2017 All-Star Global Concert took place at the Gran Teatro de La Habana Alicia Alonso and featured 55 musicians representing fifteen nationalities. Actor
Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his acting career starring as a fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom '' The Fresh ...
served as host along with
Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
, Herbie Hancock, and
Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984) is an American bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Award, and a Soul Train Music Award. A native of Portland, Oregon, Spalding ...
.
Ivan Lins Ivan Guimarães Lins (born June 16, 1945) is a Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music (MPB) and jazz for over thirty years. His first hit, "Madalena", was recorded by ...
performed "Lua Soberana" with Marcus Miller, trumpeter
Till Brönner Till Brönner (born 6 May 1971 in Viersen, West Germany) is a jazz musician, trumpeter, flügelhorn player, singer, composer, producer and photographer. History From 1989–1991, Brönner was a member of the Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combin ...
, pianist A Bu, and an all-Cuban rhythm section; Spalding, Korean vocalist
Youn Sun Nah Na Yoon-sun ( ko, 나윤선; born August 28, 1969), also known as Youn Sun Nah, is a South Korean jazz musician. Life and career Na Yoon-sun was born on August 28, 1969, in Seoul. Her parents are musical: her father, Na Young-soo (나영수) ...
, and
Regina Carter Regina Carter (born August 6, 1966) is an American jazz violinist. She is the cousin of jazz saxophonist James Carter. Early life Carter was born in Detroit and was one of three children in her family. She began piano lessons at the age of t ...
performed "
Bésame Mucho "Bésame Mucho" (; "Kiss Me A Lot") is a bolero song written in 1940 by Mexican songwriter Consuelo Velázquez. It is one of the most popular songs of the 20th century and one of the most important songs in the history of Latin music. It was re ...
"; and pianists
Chucho Valdés Jesús Valdés Rodríguez, better known as Chucho Valdés (born October 9, 1941), is a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger whose career spans over 50 years. An original member of the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, in 1973 he fo ...
and
Gonzalo Rubalcaba Gonzalo Rubalcaba (born May 27, 1963) is an Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer. Early life Rubalcaba was born Gonzalo Julio González Fonseca in Havana, Cuba into a musical family. He adopted his great grandmother's name for professional use, ...
delivering a duet version of "
Blue Monk This is a list of compositions by jazz musician Thelonious Monk. 0-9 52nd Street Theme A contrafact based loosely on rhythm changes in C, and was copyrighted by Monk under the title "Nameless" in April 1944. The tune was also called "Bip Bop" ...
". The 2017 concert was broadcast simultaneously outside the Gran Teatro for free public viewing. Numerous independent musicians, organizations and local governments organized International Jazz Day observances in 2017. The number of events again topped 1,000. Activities included a benefit concert in Ebersburg, Germany to raise awareness of a German-Mongolian student exchange, a street festival in Iwakuni City, Japan, and a free education program and concert for students in the rural outskirts of
Antananarivo, Madagascar Antananarivo (French: ''Tananarive'', ), also known by its colonial shorthand form Tana, is the capital and largest city of Madagascar. The administrative area of the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Ant ...
.


Saint Petersburg

In October 2017, UNESCO announced the selection of St. Petersburg, Russia and Sydney, Australia as International Jazz Day Global Host Cities for 2018 and 2019, respectively. The 2018 celebration took place in St. Petersburg from April 28–30 and included education and performance programs at the Saint Petersburg State Jazz Philharmonic Hall and the
Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre ( rus, Мариинский театр, Mariinskiy teatr, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music th ...
. Russian saxophonist and bandleader Igor Butman served as Artistic Co-director along with UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock. The culminating All-Star Global Concert included performances by
Till Brönner Till Brönner (born 6 May 1971 in Viersen, West Germany) is a jazz musician, trumpeter, flügelhorn player, singer, composer, producer and photographer. History From 1989–1991, Brönner was a member of the Peter Herbolzheimer Rhythm Combin ...
,
Terri Lyne Carrington Terri Lyne Carrington (born August 4, 1965) is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and ma ...
, Gilad Hekselman,
Robert Glasper Robert Andre Glasper (born April 6, 1978) is an American pianist, record producer, songwriter, and musical arranger with a career that bridges several different musical and artistic genres, mostly centered on jazz. To date, Glasper has won fou ...
,
Rudresh Mahanthappa Rudresh Mahanthappa (born May 4, 1971) is a New York-based jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Biography Mahanthappa is the son of Indian emigrants to the U.S. He was born in Trieste, Italy as a result of his father's job in academia, but spent ...
,
Danilo Pérez Danilo Pérez (born December 29, 1965) is a Panamanian pianist, composer, educator, and a social activist. His music is a blend of Panamanian roots with elements of Latin American folk music, jazz, European impressionism, African, and other music ...
,
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer. Biography Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mother played trumpet, her uncle is bassist Charles Burrell, and h ...
and Lee Ritenour, among others.


Sydney and Melbourne

2019 host celebrations took place in Australia, with an extensive program of educational activities taking place in the lead-up to April 30. Programs were split between the Sydney Opera House and the
Melbourne Conservatorium of Music The Melbourne Conservatorium of Music is the music school at the University of Melbourne and part of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music. It is located near the Melbourne City Centre on the Southbank campus of the University of Melbourne. Degree ...
. The Sydney program included master classes by Herbie Hancock, James Morrison, Antonio Hart, Michael Mayo, faculty from the
Sydney Conservatorium of Music The Sydney Conservatorium of Music (formerly the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music and known by the moniker "The Con") is a heritage-listed music school in Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the old ...
and students from the
Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is a non-profit music education organization founded in 1986. Before 2019, it was known as the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, but was then renamed after its longtime board chairman, Herbie Hancock. The i ...
Performance. In Melbourne, artists including Eli Degibri, A Bu, Tarek Yamani, William Barton and Eric Reed offered workshops. Other education and performance programs took place in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. The festivities in Australia culminated in the 2019 All-Star Global Concert at Melbourne's Hamer Hall. Artists from 13 countries participated, including Herbie Hancock, James Morrison, William Barton, Brian Blade, Igor Butman, Theo Croker,
Joey DeFrancesco Joey DeFrancesco (April 10, 1971August 25, 2022) was an American jazz organist, trumpeter, saxophonist, and occasional singer. He released more than 30 albums under his own name, and recorded extensively as a sideman with such leading jazz perfo ...
, Eli Degibri,
Kurt Elling Kurt Elling (born November 2, 1967) is an American jazz singer and songwriter. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church. He sang in cho ...
,
James Genus James Genus (January 20, 1966) is an American jazz bassist. He plays both electric bass guitar and upright bass and currently plays in the Saturday Night Live Band. Genus has performed as a session musician and sideman throughout his career, hav ...
, Aditya Kalyanpur,
Ledisi Ledisi Anibade Young (; born March 28, 1972), better known simply as Ledisi, is an American R&B and jazz recording artist, songwriter, music producer, author and actress. Her name means "to bring forth" or "to come here" in Yoruba. Ledisi AllMus ...
,
Jane Monheit Jane Monheit (born November 3, 1977"Jane Monheit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 33. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2001. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 2017-05-07.) is an American jazz and pop singer. Early life Monheit was bo ...
, Chico Pinheiro, Tineke Postma, Eric Reed, Antonio Sánchez, Somi, Ben Williams,
Lizz Wright Elizabeth LaCharla Wright (born January 22, 1980) is an American jazz and gospel singer. Life and career Wright was born in the small town of Hahira, Georgia, one of three children and the daughter of a minister and the musical director of t ...
and Tarek Yamani. International Jazz Day 2019 included celebrations in 195 countries on every continent.


Cape Town and Virtual Celebrations in 2020

In November 2018, Cape Town, South Africa was announced as the 2020 Global Host City, "marking the first time the celebration is hosted by an African city." The festivities were officially cancelled in March 2020 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, along with programs planned in cities across South Africa. In lieu of an on-site celebration, the 2020 edition of International Jazz Day took place virtually, with virtual master classes featuring
Danilo Pérez Danilo Pérez (born December 29, 1965) is a Panamanian pianist, composer, educator, and a social activist. His music is a blend of Panamanian roots with elements of Latin American folk music, jazz, European impressionism, African, and other music ...
, Igor Butman, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Oran Etkin and others offered for free on Facebook. The program also included a panel discussion with Marcus Miller and South African vocalist Sibongile Khumalo hosted by jazz journalist Nate Chinen. The 2020 Global Concert consisted of pre-recorded performances and greetings submitted by artists around the world, including Miller, Khumalo, Bridgewater,
Lang Lang Lang Lang (; born 14 June 1982) is a Chinese pianist who has performed with leading orchestras in China, North America, Europe, and elsewhere. Active since the 1990s, he was the first Chinese pianist to be engaged by the Berlin Philharmonic, ...
,
John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to: Arts and entertainment * John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra * Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter * John McLaug ...
,
John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in th ...
,
Cécile McLorin Salvant Cécile McLorin Salvant (born August 28, 1989) Kaplan, Fred"Cécile McLorin Salvant's Timeless Jazz" '' The New Yorker'', May 22, 2017. is an American jazz vocalist. She was the winner of the first prize in the Thelonious Monk International Jaz ...
, A Bu and
Youn Sun Nah Na Yoon-sun ( ko, 나윤선; born August 28, 1969), also known as Youn Sun Nah, is a South Korean jazz musician. Life and career Na Yoon-sun was born on August 28, 1969, in Seoul. Her parents are musical: her father, Na Young-soo (나영수) ...
, as well as clips from previous Jazz Day concerts. Herbie Hancock offered a tribute to jazz artists who lost their lives due to COVID-19. In parallel, as part of the worldwide commemorations, International Jazz Day organizers invited musicians from around the world to create their own at-home performances,
livestreamed Livestreaming is streaming media simultaneously recorded and broadcast in real-time over the internet. It is often referred to simply as streaming. Non-live media such as video-on-demand, vlogs, and YouTube videos are technically streamed, but no ...
concerts, and other tributes in honor of the 2020 edition. Musicians including
Gonzalo Rubalcaba Gonzalo Rubalcaba (born May 27, 1963) is an Afro-Cuban jazz pianist and composer. Early life Rubalcaba was born Gonzalo Julio González Fonseca in Havana, Cuba into a musical family. He adopted his great grandmother's name for professional use, ...
,
Anat Cohen Anat Cohen ( he, ענת כהן, born 1975) is a New York City-based jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and bandleader from Tel Aviv, Israel. Biography Cohen began playing clarinet and saxophone. In 1996, she studied at the Berklee College of Mus ...
, Louiz Banks,
Chucho Valdés Jesús Valdés Rodríguez, better known as Chucho Valdés (born October 9, 1941), is a Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger whose career spans over 50 years. An original member of the Orquesta Cubana de Música Moderna, in 1973 he fo ...
and many others contributed submissions.


Celebrations in 2021

Jazz Day's 10th anniversary celebration took place largely online due to continued concerns about COVID-19. A series of workshops and panels were streamed throughout the day on April 30 in the lead-up to the All-Star Concert, including master classes with
Lionel Loueke Lionel Loueke (born 27 April 1973) is a guitarist and vocalist born in Benin. He moved to Ivory Coast in 1990 to study at the National Institute of Art. Biography Loueke grew up in what he has described as a family of poor intellectuals in the ...
, Antonio Sánchez,
Billy Childs William Edward Childs (born March 8, 1957) is an award-winning American composer, jazz pianist, arranger and conductor from Los Angeles, California, United States. Early life When he was sixteen he attended the Community School of the Performing ...
and
Linda Oh Linda May Han Oh (born 25 August 1984) is an Australian jazz bassist and composer. Biography Oh was raised in Western Australia. When she was 11, she started to play the clarinet and at the age of 13 bassoon. She went to Churchlands Senior Hi ...
. Herbie Hancock participated in panel discussions with UNESCO Director General
Audrey Azoulay Audrey Azoulay (; born 4 August 1972) is a French civil servant and politician who has been serving as the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) since 2017, becoming the second female le ...
and film composer
Kris Bowers Kristopher Bowers (born 1989) is an American composer and pianist. He has composed scores for films, video games, television and documentaries including ''Bridgerton'', '' Green Book'', ''Madden NFL'', '' Dear White People'', and ''Kobe Bryant's ...
. The 2021 All-Star Global Concert was pre-taped and streamed online, with contributions from artists in cities around the world, including New York,
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
,
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...
,
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
,
Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
and
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
. Participating musicians represented 17 nationalities and included Melissa Aldana, John Beasley, Dee Dee Bridgewater, A Bu, Igor Butman,
Cyrus Chestnut Cyrus Chestnut (born January 17, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for '' Time'', wrote: "What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon note ...
,
Jacob Collier Jacob Collier (; né Moriarty; born 2 August 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. His music incorporates a combination of jazz with elements from many other musical genres, and often features extensive use of reha ...
,
Andra Day Andra may refer to: People * Andra (singer) (born 1986), Romanian singer * Andra (musician), Zimbabwean-American musician * Andra Karpin (born 1979), Estonian footballer * Andra Neiburga (1957–2019), Latvian writer * Andra Day (born 1984), Am ...
, Mandisi Dyantyis, Amina Figarova, Roberta Gambarini,
Kenny Garrett Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) is an American post-bop jazz musician and composer who gained recognition in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and for his time with Miles Davis's band. His primary instruments are alto and ...
, Herbie Hancock,
Angélique Kidjo Angélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo (; born July 14, 1960), known as Angélique Kidjo, is a Beninese singer-songwriter, actress, and activist who is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. ...
,
Ivan Lins Ivan Guimarães Lins (born June 16, 1945) is a Latin Grammy-winning Brazilian musician. He has been an active performer and songwriter of Brazilian popular music (MPB) and jazz for over thirty years. His first hit, "Madalena", was recorded by ...
,
Joe Lovano Joseph Salvatore Lovano (born December 29, 1952)"Joe Lovano." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 13. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 1994. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, May 5, 2017. is an American jazz saxophonist, alto clarin ...
,
Rudresh Mahanthappa Rudresh Mahanthappa (born May 4, 1971) is a New York-based jazz alto saxophonist and composer. Biography Mahanthappa is the son of Indian emigrants to the U.S. He was born in Trieste, Italy as a result of his father's job in academia, but spent ...
,
Dianne Reeves Dianne Elizabeth Reeves (born October 23, 1956) is an American jazz singer. Biography Dianne Reeves was born in Detroit, Michigan, into a musical family. Her father sang, her mother played trumpet, her uncle is bassist Charles Burrell, and h ...
and
Veronica Swift Veronica Swift (born May 14, 1994) is an American jazz and bebop singer. Early life Swift was raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, as part of a family of musicians. Her parents are late jazz pianist Hod O'Brien and singer Stephanie Nakasian. ...
, among others. The concert was hosted by American actor
Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the A ...
and included remarks honoring the 10th anniversary celebration by UNESCO Director General Azoulay along with
United Nations Secretary General The secretary-general of the United Nations (UNSG or SG) is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations and head of the United Nations Secretariat, one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. The role of the secretary-g ...
António Guterres. Following the All-Star Global Concert, PBS in the United States broadcast a special two-hour retrospective titled "International Jazz Day 10th Anniversary Celebration." The program showcased highlights from the previous decade of Jazz Day festivities, including performances by Herbie Hancock,
Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter (born August 25, 1933) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Shorter came to prominence in the late 1950s as a member of, and eventually primary composer for, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. In the 1960s, he joined Miles Dav ...
, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin,
Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birt ...
, Chaka Khan, Annie Lennox and Sting.


Celebrations in 2022

Marking 10 years since the inaugural concert in 2012, in 2022 International Jazz Day celebrations centered around United Nations Headquarters in New York and were themed around peace and unity in recognition of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic and other global crises. Artists including Ravi Coltrane,
José James José James (born January 20, 1978) is an American vocalist who combines jazz and hip hop. Biography José James attended The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. In 2008, he debuted with his first album, ''The Dreamer'', on the Brownsw ...
,
Gregory Porter Gregory Porter (born November 4, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He has twice won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album: first in 2014 for ''Liquid Spirit'' and then again in 2017 for '' Take Me to the Alley''. Early l ...
,
Hiromi Uehara , known professionally as Hiromi, is a Japanese jazz composer and pianist. She is known for her virtuosic technique, energetic live performances and blend of musical genres such as stride, post-bop, progressive rock, classical and fusion in her ...
,
David Sanborn David William Sanborn (born July 30, 1945) is an American alto saxophonist. Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album ''Taking Off'' in 19 ...
, Erena Terakubo and
Youn Sun Nah Na Yoon-sun ( ko, 나윤선; born August 28, 1969), also known as Youn Sun Nah, is a South Korean jazz musician. Life and career Na Yoon-sun was born on August 28, 1969, in Seoul. Her parents are musical: her father, Na Young-soo (나영수) ...
gave performances from the General Assembly Hall. The Global Concert was hosted by Herbie Hancock and streamed live. In a memorable moment, Hancock performed his original composition “ Maiden Voyage” alongside Coltrane, James Genus, Zakir Hussain, Brian Blade and Randy Brecker. The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,
Linda Thomas-Greenfield Linda Thomas-Greenfield (born 1952) is an American diplomat who is the United States ambassador to the United Nations under President Joe Biden. She served as the U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs from 2013 to 2017. Thomas- ...
, delivered remarks at the UN as part of the program, recalling of famed American jazz ambassadors Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington: "In the mid-twentieth century, they were part of a State Department program to share jazz with the world.  In Eastern Europe, in the Middle East, in Asia.  A form of 'cultural diplomacy' amid the Cold War. In their performances, they shared the creativity, the diversity, and the freedom of jazz." 2022 saw independent celebrations in more than 180 countries worldwide, including extensive programs in Chile, Slovenia, Armenia, Ghana, Mexico, the United States and Italy.


References


External links

*
International Jazz Day

30 April, International Jazz Day (UNESCO)
* {{YouTube, FKgCN9UR3Ls, 2016 President Obama Speaks at the International Jazz Day Concert Jazz culture April observances United Nations days