Freedom Jazz Festival

Presenting, preserving and promoting Jazz through the African American experience, building community diversity and cultural appreciation.

The Freedom Jazz Festival, Inc (FJF), a community based, volunteer group that preserve, promotes and presents Jazz, highlights African American artists and musicians in Minnesota and beyond. Since 1999, the Freedom Jazz Festival kicked off a growing production of free outdoor jazz festivals and community jazz workshops. Sam Favors (d) was a great musician and the main force in connecting black musicians in the Twin Cities area in order to bring them together for performances and to build their business acumen. In 2002 Sam died of Multiple Myeloma, yet he wanted the jazz festival to go on. For 5 years after his death, the musicians continued to perform for no or little payment.

In 2001, we incorporated as a non-profit organization. Our mission is to:

- Further the appreciation of Jazz music and the awareness of its African American origins and influences.
- Enhance the Twin Cities' Jazz culture and various jazz communities in Minnesota.
- Stimulate the interest of the youth audience in Jazz.
- Create an interaction between Jazz musicians and enthusiasts as a way to connect communities.
- Promote positive community and family events.

The Freedom Jazz Festival is a cultural journey. The goal of the festival is simply to tell the story of Jazz music from its West African origins through the journey of the African American experience. The journey highlights the talents of many in Minnesota's Jazz community. Artists with solid roots in Jazz history well know locally and nationally, were legends in the nightclubs frequented by African Americans in the Twin Cities. Every artist, audience member and participant experiences Jazz as a sense of freedom of expression. Plus, Jazz is a community event that must engage young jazz musicians to preserve the legacy of jazz.

One of our most memorable highlights was our first festival in 1999 where the senior jazz members of the Twin Cities played on stage together for the first time in their history. It was like a family homecoming celebration! These past and present artists are a part of the rich history and lifeline of Jazz that keeps our Minnesota Jazz scene grooving! We hope you join to help keep the Freedom Jazz Festival alive wherever jazz is - in your own backyard or around the world.

* The AABCA, Inc is a friend of the Freedom Jazz Festival.