ABOUT
Vail Jazz Philosophy
Our Mission
To perpetuate jazz music through the presentation of jazz performances and educational programs.
Our Vision
To expand the audience for jazz and the performance opportunities for jazz
musicians by presenting entertaining and educational live and virtual jazz performances, while providing jazz education to youth and assisting in the development of aspiring jazz musicians.
Our Values
We cherish the bonds of community between musicians, workshop alumni, staff and patrons. We take pride in bringing the rich, cultural heritage of jazz to the forefront of the community.
“What made me want to come to Vail was when I first heard Lewis Nash. I totally fell in love with his drumming. A teacher of mine was friends with Nash, and I heard them discussing me: ‘How can we get him to Vail?”
Evan Sherman
“It’s amazing to get chances in life where there is nothing to worry about other than the art.”
Lakecia Benjamin
Vail jazz timeline
1995
Vj founded & 1st vj party
1996
1st vj workshop
1997
Creation of vj festival
1998
Vj goes to school introduced
1999
Vj @ the market introduced
2008
Vj @ Vail Square introduced
2012
Vj winter series introduced
2014
Vj 20th anniversary
2019
Vj 25th anniversary
2020
Vj Workshop 25th anniversary
Education Programs
Vail Jazz Workshop
Each year, a dozen of North America’s most dedicated, gifted and promising young jazz musicians are chosen from a broad field of talented applicants, receiving scholarships to participate in the 10-day Vail Jazz Workshop in Vail, Colorado.
Vail Jazz Goes to School
Vail Jazz Goes to School takes the basics of jazz education to 4th and 5th graders in Eagle County. VJ is exposing a whole new group of youngsters to the origins and history of jazz as well as the elements of modern jazz bands.
HOW VAIL JAZZ STARTED
Howard Stone is a life-long jazz fan, a retired real estate attorney and investor based in Santa Monica California, who has had a second home in Vail, Colorado for over 40 years. Stone loves jazz as much as he loves the Colorado lifestyle – and the Vail Jazz Foundation blossomed when he brought together these two passions. Stone had attended numerous “Jazz Parties” in Colorado through the years.
In 1995, he was inspired to put together the first Labor Day Weekend Vail Jazz Party in Vail. His vision was to do his part to carry on a then 30 year Colorado tradition of presenting great jazz in the unique “party” format over the Labor Day Weekend. After the success of the first Vail Jazz Party, Stone dreamed further and decided to create Vail Jazz as an organization dedicated to the perpetuation of jazz music through the presentation of jazz performances and educational programs. Vail Jazz grew to add a jazz Workshop for promising high school musicians, a school program in Eagle County called Vail Jazz Goes to School, free concert series, educational programs, and collaborations featuring all performances and educational programs with other non profits including Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, The Vail Symposium, and the Vail Valley Foundation.
Today, Vail and Colorado are the beneficiaries of Stone’s vision, which manifests itself in the annual Vail Jazz Festival, a summer long celebration of jazz and entertaining thousands of people, the Vail Jazz Workshop which has contributed to the jazz musicianship of over 300 outstanding jazz musicians, a school program that has educated over 25,000 students in Eagle County, CO and a Winter Series of jazz concerts and soirées.