Jazz is America’s music, a form birthed in New Orleans from myriad influences, among them the blues, African music, various folk idioms, and a daring reconfiguring of classical music tropes. But rather quickly, jazz became the world’s music too, to the point that, in the present day, America’s music is an international sound, owned by no one and shared by all.
It’s fitting, then, that the 2024 edition of International Jazz Day – that’s today, Tuesday, April 30th – finds the city of Tangier, Morocco, acting as Global Host of UNESCO’s yearly celebration, which was birthed by a 2011 UN proclamation.
What does the UN have to do with jazz? Well, more than simply a dazzlingly sophisticated and endlessly inspiring form of musical dialogue and interplay, jazz is also a deeply ingrained soundtrack to humankind’s seemingly endless battle against racism and the ongoing struggle for equality, civil rights, and the basic tenets of Democracy, the whole world over.
The dialogue between musicians engaged in playing jazz – on the bandstand, in the recording studio, on a street corner, or in a high school auditorium- offers an indelible lesson in how to listen, how to respond and offer counterpoint with grace, how to add the voice of the individual into the greater chorus of free human expression, and how harness one’s gifts to contribute to the greater good. As Nina Simone once said, “Jazz is not just music, it is a way of life, it is a way of being, a way of thinking.”
“This day is intended to raise awareness of the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for empathy, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people,” UNESCO’s statement reads.
“Many governments, civil society organizations, educational institutions, and private citizens currently engaged in the promotion of jazz music will embrace the opportunity to foster greater appreciation not only for the music but also for the contribution it can make to building more inclusive societies.”
Overseen by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador (and jazz legend) Herbie Hancock, Artist for Peace (and jazz legend) Marcus Miller, and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoula, the globe-spanning International Jazz Day events will culminate in an all-star global concert at the new Palace of Arts and Culture of Tangier – called “an architectural masterpiece’ by UNESCO – to be broadcast via YouTube, Facebook, and UNESCO’s site, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time tonight, Tuesday, April 30.
Here in Buffalo, a free-to-all International Jazz Day celebration will take place in Tellers Lobby Bar, Seneca One Towers, beginning at 6 p.m. A program dubbed Straight Ahead with My Cousin Toné – that’s Andy Peruzzini, Dalton Sharp, Bill Basil, Bill Savino, Jim Matteliano, Tony Zambito, and Pete Dauphin – will run from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m. The International Jazz Day Global All-Star gig from Tangier will be streamed on the big screen in the lobby concurrently.
It’s my belief that every day should be International Jazz Day. But take some time on this particular day to dig into the ever-growing, ever-evolving and ever-inspiring music that is jazz. I spun John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme with my morning coffee, and I’ve got albums picked out to take me right up until I head out the door for tonight’s Todd Rundgren show at the Riviera Theatre. I’ve been listening to most of these albums for more than 30 years, and I’m still learning something new in them, every time I listen. That’s surely a testament to the form’s enduring resonance.
Happy International Jazz Day, music lovers!
(Below is the youtube feed for the international concert. Starts about 56m in.)