About the Seacoast Jazz Society
To become a member, please fill out and return this form: SJSMembership.pdf
The SEACOAST JAZZ SOCIETY (SJS) was formed in 1990 and currently has close to 100 members. The mission of the SJS is to promote an understanding of and enthusiasm for jazz, providing opportunities for listeners, students, and performers to hear jazz and to learn about its history and techniques. To further these aims the SJS organizes a regular jazz listening and discussion group, presents an annual lecture series, sends a regular email newsletter of upcoming local jazz events, supports guest artists at local jazz venues, and partners with other jazz organizations.
Notable present, past and ongoing activities include:
- A regular informal jazz listening and discussion group (featuring a changing theme) at local libraries, and including occasional jazz videos and presentations.
- A free-to-the-public annual lecture series for the past ten years covering topics such as Big Band Jazz, Jazz in Wartime Germany, Boston Jazz History, the History of Jazz Piano Trios, Art and Jazz, the History of Bebop, the Vibraphone in Jazz, a Tribute to Paul Verrette, and the music of jazz performers like Django Reinhardt, Billy Strayhorn, John Coltrane, Fletcher Henderson, & others.
- Financial support and partnership with Portsmouth’s Press Room for guest artists such as Dick Johnson, Brad Terry, Bob Wilber, Greg Hopkins, Herb Pomeroy, Ralph Norris, Don Doane, Scott Hamilton, Gerry Wright, Allan Chase, Amanda Carr, and a Tribute to James Williams.
- Partnering with other local organizations that support jazz: The Tommy Gallant Seacoast Jazz Festival and Scholarship Fund, the New England Jazz Alliance, and the New Hampshire Library of Traditional Jazz at UNH.
- Initiation of the new Seacoast Jazz Appreciation Project, with jazz artists explaining and discussing their performance with the audience.
- Regular email notification of upcoming local jazz events.
- Partnering with the UNH Dimond Library of Traditional Jazz on the “Looking At Jazz” film and discussion series developed by the American Library Association.
- Some current activities: development of an improved SJS website, expansion of the SJS Board of Directors, educational outreach and grant applications for projects that support our mission.
The Seacoast Jazz Society is registered with the state of New Hampshire and is recognized as an official nonprofit 501(c)3 tax-deductible organization with the Internal Revenue Service. Any interested person is invited to attend monthly Board meetings.