Some of our accomplishments:
- Incorporated in June, 2004; received tax-exempt 501(c)3 status in March, 2012
- Formed a diverse steering committee (now a board) of musicians, jazz fans, presenters
- Established a partnership with Eubie Blake Center in 2003, which continues to this day
- Employed a part-time employee who has produced our monthly newsletter since 2004; the newsletter is sent to every member and 300 are distributed to jazz venues and music stores each month
- Received a start-up grant from Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and several grants for operating expenses from Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA)
- Co-sponsored (with Baltimore Composers Forum) the first Baltimore Jazz Composers Showcase in October, 2005, and a presented a second showcase in 2013
- Co-sponsored (with Peabody Conservatory) a Vocal Workshop in October, 2005
- Sponsored the Youth Jazz Congress, through a grant from BOPA, with six Baltimore City public school jazz bands, April, 2006
- Sponsored a booth at Artscape every year since 2005, reaching thousands of festival patrons with information on jazz in the Baltimore metropolitan area
- Developed Jazz for Kids in November, 2006. The program has reached over one thousand children and family members at cultural centers, museums, schools and summer camps. BOPA’s Free Fall Baltimore program has included Jazz for Kids every year since 2006.
- Released our first compilation CD—Baltimore Jazzscapes—in July, 2006, and second CD—Baltimore Jazzscapes II—in July, 2009. Thirty bands appear on the CDs, presenting a wide range of jazz styles.
- Sponsored a forum on The Business of Baltimore Jazz, involving business owners, radio announcers, media representatives and musicians (June, 2007).
- Published The Baltimore Real Book, with 54 compositions by 18 Baltimore jazz artists (November, 2007)
- Participated in the Baltimore Festival of Maps, spring, 2008. Historical and current maps of Baltimore jazz venues were displayed at City Hall, Eubie Blake Cultural Center, Reginald Lewis Museum, two City libraries and at a Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society concert.
- Since 2008 we have awarded scholarships to talented young musicians at Eubie Blake Cultural Center, Contemporary Arts’ summer music program, Douglass High School and Baltimore School for the Arts.
- In September, 2008 we added a user-friendly, free jazz calendar to our website; updated the website, baltimorejazz.com, in 2012 to be more socially interactive
- From 2008 to 2010 BJA presented live jazz series at Tremont hotels and Bertha’s restaurant.
- Presented 26 bands at Artscape, 2008 – 2011
- Since September, 2009 we have sponsored weekly jam sessions, under the direction of pianist Derrick Amin, at Randallstown Community Center.
- In 2011 we established a partnership with WEAA-FM. Among other activities, we co-sponsored Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance’s December, 2012 Happy Hour.
- In 2011 Dr. Anthony Villa, chairman of Loyola University of Maryland’s Music Department, started the BJA Big Band, which performs Baltimore-area artists’ compositions and arrangements. The band’s 2012 concert at Loyola was broadcast on WEAA-FM.
- BJA informs musician members of performance opportunities and offers discounts on concert tickets and music supplies/services.
- In 2014, released Left Bank 66, a remastering of a 1966 recording of a performance at Baltimore’s Madison Club by the Walter Namuth Quintet, featuring Baltimore saxophonist Mickey Fields.
- Presented the first Baltimore Jazz Fest in 2016, in partnership with Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks, and continued in 2019 and 2022 with St. John’s in the Village.
- Created the Baltimore Jazz Conference in 2019, continuing in 2020 and 2021 as virtual event due to COVID-19.
- Created BJA Member Grants in 2020 to provide our members with support for their jazz projects.
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