“THE MILWAUKEE JAZZ VISION IS AN ORGANIZATION OF BUSINESS AND MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS, MUSICIANS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND LISTENERS WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE GOAL OF ADVANCING JAZZ AND CREATIVE MUSIC IN THE GREATER METRO-MILWAUKEE AREA.”
The Milwaukee Jazz Vision (MJV) is dedicated to advancing the development and growth of the JAZZ COMMUNITY in Milwaukee, WI – while honoring it’s rich and storied past. MJV was responsible for the biannual Eastside Jazzfest, which presented six concerts between 2010-2012. The Eastside Jazzfest garnered much attention for presenting national & international artists such as Brian Lynch, David Hazeltine, Godwin Louis, Dan Nimmer, Russ Johnson, George Braith and Bill Carrothers.
In 2011, MJV in cooperation with the Riverwest Artists Association, helped revitalize the historic Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood as an active venue – presenting concerts, clinics, and jam sessions once again.
In 2013, MJV partnered up with Milwaukee World Festival Inc. (Summerfest) to present a FREE one-day, community event that showcased local jazz musicians at Henry Maier Festival Park – Visions on the Lake. The event provided music fans the opportunity to kick back, relax and enjoy the sounds of live jazz along the shores of Lake Michigan. This event ran five consecutive years from 2013 until 2018.
In 2014, MJV in cooperation with Bay View Gallery Night, founded the annual “Bay View Jazz Fest” – a one day, multi-venue, jazz festival representing the best of Milwaukee Jazz. The first BVJF featured 13 bands at four venues in the thriving Bay View neighborhood on Milwaukee’s near-south side.
MJV has also partnered with other community organizations to help in promoting jazz events in several arenas including the Milwaukee Film Festival and Pabst/Turner/Riverside’s Backroom at Colectivo Series.
MJV is also responsible for the Milwaukee Jazz History Archive Project – documenting and preserving the deep history of jazz in Milwaukee in an online digital photo, video, article, and interview archive; as well as an interactive map “Jazz Clubs of Milwaukee”. The project was spun into the book “Milwaukee Jazz” authored by Joey Grihalva, published in 2019 by Arcadia Publishing.
MJV has provided an outlet for Milwaukee based musicians to promote their performances and/or the sales of their recordings through print and social media, ultimately facilitating the growth and development of the Milwaukee Jazz Community at large. MJV has assisted in promoting the venues providing jazz music to the city’s cultural landscape through, TV, radio, social media and web-based promotions.
MILWAUKEE JAZZ VISION MISSION STATEMENT
The Milwaukee Jazz Vision will…
- Contribute to the community’s cultural landscape by increasing visibility and appreciation for this significant part of Milwaukee’s heritage, through performance, publication, and promotion.
- Increase jazz awareness through the inclusion and support of school jazz education programs both public and private.
- Create opportunities for local jazz artists and increase support of the art form from the public and private sector.
MKE Jazz Vision 