E X P L O R E
Our Heritage
January, 1976: A 10-member Board of Directors consisting of Monk Montgomery (founder), Jay Cameron, Frank Gagliardi, Ken Joy, John Lindner, Sari Phillips, Tom Severns, Dan Skea, Judy Tarte and John Unrue is formed.
The “Jazz Ambassadors at Large” is assembled to spread the word, the music and the dream. Members are Joe Williams, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Marlena Shaw, James Moody, B.B. King and Carl Fontana.
“A Place in the Sun” by Monk Montgomery
Las Vegas Jazz Society:
The Early Times
Compiled and contributed by Judy Tarte
Jazz bassist Monk Montgomery introduced the Fender Precision Bass to the genre in 1951 and was the elder brother of jazz guitarist, Wes, and vibraphonist/pianist Buddy). Upon his arrival to Las Vegas in 1966 he found the jazz scene sadly lacking, even though the town was full of fine musicians who were looking to play this kind of music. His dream was to provide more outlets for them to be able to play their music and to also draw nationally renowned jazz musicians to major venues on and off the “Strip.”
ADVISORY BOARD
PETE BARBUTTI CARL SAUNDERS GUS MANCUSO DAVE LOEB LORRAINE HUNT BONO TOM HALL
SHAWN WHITMER, PRESIDENT
CONTACT: info@lvjs.org
ANNOUNCEMENT
Las Vegas Jazz Society Scholarship
The Las Vegas Jazz Society is pleased to announce the establishment of an annual scholarship award program.
Each year two students will be awarded $250 scholarships to continue their studies in jazz performance, arranging or composition in a southern Nevada college or university.
READ MORE
SUPPORT YOUNG PEOPLE IN JAZZ
January 31st
The UNLV Honors Combo featuring outstanding student soloists and the UNLV Latin Jazz Ensemble featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center trombone artist Vincent Gardner perform in the first Essentially Ellington Festival concert.
February 1
The UNLV Jazz Ensemble I performs featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center trumpet artist Kenny Rampton and guest drummer Butch Miles in the second Essentially Ellington Festival concert.
February 19
Journey Through Jazz
Adam Schroeder presents this LVJS-sponsored event celebrating African-American History Month
Charles McNeal and his quartet will perform along with the Palo Verde High School Jazz Band under the direction of John Sorsen
Details on time and tickets prices can be found on the Events Calendar
LVJS Bootlegger Sunday Jazz Series
February 24, 2019 – Laura Taylor
Join us on Sunday, February 24th, when Laura Taylor takes the stage. Read about her amazing career here
Check out this great documentary about the Jazz Club at the Dispensary Lounge by filmmaker R. Alex Martinez “Dispensing Rawness” featuring Uli Geissendoerfer
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19th Annual Newport Beach Jazz Party
Chadwick Johnson Show – Chrome Showroom
The Uli Geissendoerfer Trio Featuring Toscha Comeaux – The Dispensary
Class Act with Marsha Ross – German American Social Club
Journey Through Jazz Celebrates African American Women In Jazz Featuring Toscha Comeaux- Windmill Library
Jonathan Karrant – Rocks Lounge
The John Abraham Band featuring Mariana Sobol – “A Night Of Brazilian Jazz” – The Dispensary
Jonathan Karrant – Piazza Lounge at the Tuscany Suites
Gus Mancuso – Smooze & Booze at Bootlegger Bistro
Joe Darro, Nik Mastrangelo and Jimmy Racey – Pizzeria Monzu
Joey Ugarte and the Jazz Vibrations – Featuring Rita Lim – El Cortez Hotel & Casino
Uli Geissendoerfer Trio – The Dispensary – Featuring Amanda King
Saturday Jazz at the E-String – Bruce Harper Plays the Music of Al Imbach with Elise Fiorello
Uli Geissendoerfer Trio – The Dispensary – Featuring Lisa Gay
Laura Taylor – LVJS Sunday Jazz Series at Bootlegger Bistro
Access the Events Calendar
SUPPORT LIVE JAZZ!
2019 Board of Directors
Shawn Whitmer, President
Ryan Baker
Evelyn Chavers
Betty Cleveland
Shawna Pennock
Molly Redfield
Michael Spicer
NOTES FROM THE BOARD
We would like to thank you for your support of this organization. Whether you are a brand new member or an LVJS veteran, your support makes our organization possible. The newly formed 2019 board of directors is focused on achieving the stated missions of this organization.
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NEW YEAR, NEW FOCUS
The new board of the Las Vegas Jazz Society is a great combination of artists with new ideas and enthusiasm and long-time members adding their expertise to the mix. The LVJS is taking a giant leap into the present – relying on this website for many functions:
Calendar of events (sent weekly to your inbox on SUNDAY).
Maintaining our member database
Posting and selling tickets for LVJS-sponsored events
Emailing renewal notices on a monthly basis. No longer will your membership expire on the last day of the year. Rather, it will expire one year from when you joined or last renewed.
In addition, the bimonthly magazine “JazzNotes” will now be emailed to members in pdf form. It will also be available, as before, on this website using the link below.
Our goal in the coming year is to increase our presence in the community by sponsoring, co-sponsoring and promoting jazz events. We also want to increase participation of our Artist Members by supporting them with our attendance.
Email Addresses
We encourage everyone to use the LVJS emails to correspond with us:
membership@lvjs.org – for membership questions or
events@lvjs.org – Our Artists use this to submit gigs for placement on the calendar. If you know of an artist performing somewhere but don’t see it on our calendar, ask that artist if it’s okay if you send the info to us (just this once)
jazznotes@lvjs.org – Artists, submit your gigs for inclusion in this bimonthly publication
treas@lvjs.org – Treasurer
info@lvjs.org – If none of the above apply to a question, concern or comment you may have, try this address
admin@lvjs.org – Used to correspond with the administrator of this website (things you would like to see here, questions about how to purchase tickets?)
FEATURED ARTISTS
VOLUNTEER
How can you help?
SEE
Images from the latest events
LISTEN: "Waltz for Debby"
OUR MISSION
SPONSOR
and co-sponsor live jazz performances
PROMOTE
Support the up-and-coming young musicians in our community and schools
PROVIDE
Opportunities for those who appreciate jazz to share their common interests in this uniquely American, constantly evolving art form
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
If you have suggestions or comments that would help make the LVJS bigger and better, send those to info@lvjs.org.
What performers would you like to hear and where? Is there information that could be added to the website?
Anything you can think of, we want to hear about it.
Attention High School Jazz Band Artists
Receive the latest information on all things jazz in Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Jazz Society is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation EIN 88-0281671
KEEP THIS UNIQUE AMERICAN ART FORM ALIVE
DONATE TODAY
