Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame

The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, founded in 1978, is an archive and museum dedicated to preserving and honoring the accomplishments of Alabamians in the history of jazz music. Since 1993 the Hall of Fame has maintained a 2,200 square foot exhibit in the Carver Theater on 4th Avenue North in Birmingham's Civil Rights District. The Hall of Fame also sponsors jazz performances for schools and for the public, and maintains a roster of active jazz musicians and ensembles.

Free Saturday Jazz Classes

Every Saturday morning, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame offers jazz classes, available free to any resident of the state of Alabama. These classes are taught by a faculty of professionals. Collectively, the members of the faculty form a performing ensemble known as the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars. These free classes are supported by grants from the Jefferson County Cultural Alliance and other sources. In the classes, students learn to read and improvise jazz.

The "Fun With Jazz" Educational Program

The "Fun With Jazz" Educational Program is an educational program sponsored by AJHoF and presented in schools. Beginning in 2006, founder Ray Reach and a faculty of jazz professionals have presented free one-hour lessons introducing jazz through live performance and interactive activities. The program, which was originated under the auspices of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Alys Stephens Center, includes four basic but customizable presentations.

AJHoF Annual Student Jazz Festival

Every year, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame sponsors a Student Jazz Festival, open to middle school, high school and college jazz bands. The competition is non-competitive, and bands are invited to play and be adjudicated by noted jazz authorities. Awards for "Band of Distinction" and "Outstanding Soloist" are made in each of the categories: Middle School, High School, Junior College and College.

Past Award Recipients at the AJHoF Student Jazz Festival

• 2004 - University of Alabama Jazz Ensemble A, "College Band of Distinction" - Tom Wolfe, Director
• 2005 - UAB Jazz Ensemble, "College Band of Distinction" - Ray Reach, Director
• 2006 - Jacksonville State University Jazz Ensemble, "College Band of Distinction" - Chip Crotts, Director

Annual "Taste of 4th Avenue" Jazz Festival

During the fall of each year, the "Taste of 4th Avenue" outdoor jazz festival takes place, jointly sponsored by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame and Urban Impact of Birmingham. For more information about the festival, click here.

Musical Instrument Recycling Program

Every year, the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame accepts contributions of used, but repairable, instruments, donated by generous supporters of jazz in Alabama. Numerous instruments have been donated, many by famous musicians such as Lou Marini, Erskine Hawkins, Sammy Lowe and Haywood Henry. These recycled instruments are put to good use by students of the AJHoF educational programs.

Inductees

• 1978: Frank Adams, Amos Gordon, Erskine Hawkins, Haywood Henry, Sammy Lowe, Fess Whatley
• 1979: Paul Bascomb, Dud Bascomb, John Bell, Jothan Callins, Charles H. Clarke, Cleveland Eaton, Johnny Grimes, Richard Harris, Johnathan Jo Jones, James H. Mitchell, Avery Parrish, Sun Ra, John C. Reed, Laura Washington
• 1980: Walter Blythe, Babe Clarke, Peter F. Clarke, Jimmy Colvin, Charles Daniels, Wilson Driver, Jerry Grundhoefer, Calvin Ivory, Henry Kimbrell, Jesse Larkins, Shorty Long, Rushton Miller, Walter Miller, Fletcher Myatt, C. Julian Parrish, Hampton Reese, Alwilda Smith, John S. Springer, Sr, Newman C. Terrell, Iva B. Williams
• 1981: John Anderson, Henry Blankenship, Melvin H. Caswell, Richard Clarke, Victor Cunningham, Murray Harper, Jimmie Harris, Theodore Hill, George Hudson, William Johnson, III, Warren Parham, Avery Richardson, Richard Sanford, E. W. Williams, Ivory Williams.
• 1982: Joe Alexander, Esau Coleman, Alton Davenport, Joseph Guy, Leon Hines, George Hudson, Lovell Litton, James Powell, Sam Ranelli, Tolton Rosser, Joseph Sanford, John Santoro, Roszetta Johnson, William Stewart, Robert Summers
• 1983: Hooper T. Abrams, Leroy Allen, Leatha Bell, Frank Carpenter, Paul B. Coman, LaVergne Comer, Dolly Brown Gibson, Marcellus Green, Frank Greer, Monroe Kennedy, Robert McCoy, Neal McLean, Bull Simpson, Jesse Taylor
• 1984: Doris Adams, Carl Atkins, Lucius Daniels, Ella Fitzgerald, Shelton Gary, James McDaniels, Robert Moore, H. T. Raleigh Randolph, Johnny Smith, Arthur Stringer, Sam Taylor
• 1985: Bo Berry, Edward A. Brown, Henry Caffey, Andrew Fair, Howard Funderburg, W. C. Handy, Jerome Hopkins, Everett Lawler, James Lowe, Willie Richardson, Lee Stanfield, Jonny Williams (Honorary inductees: Richard Arrington, Jr, Gloria Curry, J. Garrick Hardy, C. W. Hayes, David Vann, Lewis White)
• 1986: Lucky Davis, Henry Glover, Hortense Henderson, Thomas Lyle, Mary Alice Marable, Jack Marhsall, Ellis McClure, Lucky Millinder, Jerry Reed, Dinah Washington, H. T. Ward, Zelpha Wells, Harry Young
• 1987: Guitar Allen, Donald Crawford, Jesse Dandy, Ted Galloway, Jerry Greene, Tommie Harris, Aldolphus Williams
• 1988: Horace Carney, Roosevelt Hatcher, James Henderson, Nathaniel Miller, Bobby Owens, Rose Marie Rushin, Bonna Mae Perine Samuels, Thomas Stewart
• 1989: Emerson Able, John Carlton, Eddie Castleberry, Samuel Fisher, John McAphee, Jr, Henry Pugh, J. B. Sims, Cornelius Aikens
• 1990: James Reese Europe, Joseph Giattina, William W. Handy, J. Earl Hensley, Nuncie LeBerte, William Lee, Irene Monroe, William Nappi, Jimmy Randolph, Evelyn Wallace
• 1991: Pat Cather, Andre Ford, Ann Graham, Eric Essix, Alex Gulas, Wilbur Harden, Cliff Nation, DeWitt Shaw, Pinetop Smith, James Swyne, Cootie Williams
• 1992: Earlie Billups, Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, Trenton Harris, Samuel Lay, Consuela Lee
• 1993: Nat King Cole, John Collins
• 1994: Cholly Atkins, Mary Ogletree, Willie Ruff
• 1995: Jim Bell, Countess Felder, Urbie Green, Henry Panion, Hassan Ralph Williams, Bobby Smith
• 1997: Victor Atkins, Jesse Champion, Foxxy Fatts, Thomas Lindsey, Johnny O'Neal
• 2001: Rickey Powell, Charles Ard

External links

• Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame website
• Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame at Wikipedia.com