Jazz Heroes

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The Jazz Journalists Association has named 24 Jazz Heroes, recognizing them as “activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz.” Among them is Jim Wilke (pictured on James Moody’s left), whose Sunday Jazz Northwest program we at Rifftides sometimes tell you about. It airs today at 2:00 pm PDT on KPLU-FM, 88.5 in Seattle and streams here on the internet. Jim features artists who will be playing at this week’s Ballard Jazz Festival, among them Sonny Fortune, Mimi Fox and Jay Thomas. For details about the festival, go here.

Below is the complete list of the JJA’s Jazz Heroes. Maybe you’ll find someone from your neighborhood.

Harold Battiste, New Orleans-based saxophonist, composer-arranger and producer 

John Bilotti, co-producer of the Wall Street Jazz Festival, Kingston NY 

Cephas Bowles, president and CEO of WBGO, Newark NJ 

Raymond Brown, trumpeter and head of jazz studies at Cabrillo College near Santa Cruz, CA
Faye Carol, vocalist and educator in the SF Bay Area
Bill Foster, founder of Detroit’s Jazz Network Foundation 

Bobby Hill, writer and broadcaster at WPFW, Washington DC

Joseph Jennings, saxophonist and retired educator in Atlanta
Jennifer Johnson Washington, director of programming for Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Dr. John Lamkin II, cross-genres trumpeter and educator in Maryland 

Emilio Lyons, the Sax Doctor of Boston 

Thara Memory, composer, trumpeter and educator in Portland OR 

Vita West Muir, founder and producer of the Litchfield Jazz Festival and Jazz Camp 

Thomas Pierce, activist for the Schenectady-based Swingtime Jazz Society and A Place for Jazz 

Jon Poses, founder and executive director of the “We Always Swing”® Jazz Series in Columbia MO 

Geraldine “Gerry” Seay, owner/operator of B Sharps Jazz Café, Tallahassee 

Meghan Stabile, founder of Revive Music Group 

Peggy Stern, pianist and co-founder/producer of the Wall Street Jazz Festival, Kingston NY 

Janis Stockhouse, trumpeter and director of bands at Bloomington High School North, Bloomington IN

Bill Strickland, founder of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild 

Patrick Taylor, founder and producer of the Toronto Jazz Festival 

Larry Reni Thomas, journalist and radio broadcaster working with Art of the Cool, Durham NC 

Wayne Thompson, writer and Portland Jazz Festival board member, Portland OR
Jim Wilke, Jazz After Hours radio show producer, Seattle