Jazz Near You Origin Story

Back in 2010, a spark of inspiration hit me that would change the course of my work and vision for AAJ: it was Jazz Near You. At the time, the music industry was reeling from a collapse in CD sales, and musicians were reaching out, asking how All About Jazz could help them promote their concerts to bridge the gap. It was a lightbulb moment and my most significant idea since, well... All About Jazz (1995). Not only did I want to help these artists promote their shows, but I also saw an opportunity to connect them with students. By 2011, that vision became reality with the launch of Jazz Near You.

It all began in my hometown, Philadelphia—a city with a proud legacy of firsts and a deep connection to jazz. For me, it was the old Ortlieb's Jazzhaus and Zanzibar Blue (on Pine). Times have changed, venues have since passed, but the scene is still vibrant thanks to the extraordinary work of Chris' Jazz Cafe, the Clef Club, Jazz Bridge, Penn Live Arts, Ars Nova Workshop, the Kimmel Center, South Jazz Club and other non traditional jazz-presenting venues including Ardmore Music Hall, Keswick Theatre and World Cafe Live. Jazz Near You started here, and over the past 14 years, it has grown into a global platform, delivering jazz concert calendars in 343 cities and towns worldwide. Yet, Philadelphia will always hold a special place as the birthplace of this dream.

That's why it stings to hear about another organization launching a jazz calendar here in Philly, claiming to fill a gap we've been passionately serving for well over a decade. Jazz Near You isn't just a calendar—it's a platform that builds community and helps sell tickets. It's a website, an app, a weekly newsletter and an embeddable calendar plug-in, all built with smart technology and tailored specifically for our respective communities. It's always been free, designed to make it easy for artists to share single gigs, recurring jam sessions, jazz brunches, and multi-venue tours. It accommodates venues like SMOKE, Village Vanguard, Ronnie Scott's, Sunset-Sunside as well as coffee shops and places of worship—it doesn't matter to us, we'll promote jazz wherever it is presented. And don't let the name fool you—Jazz Near You is easily one of the most sophisticated music calendar platforms out there, and it improves constantly. Our event pages are also optimized for Google searches. I say all this because the more jazz calendars that vie for your attention, the more likely you'll throw up your arms in frustration, because where you spend your time uploading your events should always be a strategic decision.

As a small business rooted in Philadelphia, I'm reaching out with a heartfelt plea for your support. This isn't about financial contributions—it's about listing your events with us and subscribing to our newsletter. So please continue to make Jazz Near You your go-to platform and while you're at it, share this newsletter with a jazz concert-going friend in the Philadelphia area or in your hometown.

As the late Homer Jackson of the Philadelphia Jazz Project once said, "Jazz Near You is a gift to everyone," and he was right.

Thank you for believing in this vision and for standing with us.

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Posted to Publisher's Desk IN THE Jazz Near You GROUP
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Location: Philadelphia