Grantee: Imagine Jazz

Imagine Jazz is launching an expanded performance and community-building initiative beginning in April—National Jazz Appreciation Month—to uplift Spokane’s jazz scene and create meaningful opportunities for local artists, students, and audiences. Anchored by guest artists Michael Mayo (April 5) and Jahari Stampley (April 26), the initiative includes a citywide festival kickoff featuring live performances, workshops, and jam sessions. Through collaborations with venues like The Bad Seed, Hamilton Studio, Holy Names Music Center, Spokane Public Library, and more, Imagine Jazz will continue its Community Building series through the summer and fall, funding permitting. Monthly or bi-monthly events will include Imagine JOY (Jazz Opportunities for Youth), which pairs student and amateur performers with professionals in an apprenticeship model.

Additional efforts include a community jazz newsletter, radio features on KPBX’s Afternoon Jazz, and free public concerts supported by the Musicians Union’s MPTF fund—potentially including a Juneteenth pop-up festival. Imagine Jazz, led by founder Rachel Bade-McMurphy, has presented over 27 guest artists and nearly 100 musicians since 2018, emphasizing a strong connection to jazz’s cultural lineage and supporting BIPOC touring artists often overlooked by mainstream booking. This year’s programming continues their mission: to ignite new collaborations, foster education, and deepen Spokane’s relationship to the rich, living tradition of jazz.