Friends of Big Band Jazz

Biography

Friends of Big Band Jazz (FBBJ) is a California corporation whose mission is to perpetuate big band jazz music as an American art form.  We accomplish this by supporting The Mike Vax Jazz Orchestra (an 18-piece jazz band) and the Stan Kenton Alumni Band through an annual series of public concerts. The proceeds of these performances and the sales of the band’s CDs support jazz education and our scholarship programs. This nonprofit corporation sends students to summer jazz camps on scholarships, donates funds to high school music programs and youth orchestras, and raises money for many good causes that have to do with music and education. They also sponsor the Prescott Jazz Summit, which brings students and professional musicians together for performances and workshops.   Membership in FBBJ provides the financial and network resources vital to accomplishing our goals.