Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society (NAJS)

The Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society is a nonprofit membership organization that seeks to present, preserve, promote, and celebrate jazz music through education, concert presentation, and artist promotion. The organization’s musicians primarily play jazz for a living or on a gig-to-gig basis, and the NAJS offers a way to connect with other players.

The NAJS was founded by Robert Ginsburg in 1992. Since that time, it has presented world-class jazz performers in venues across northwestern Arkansas. Notable players the NAJS has brought in from across the country include Pat Metheny, Joey DeFrancesco, Ray Anderson, Lucy Woodward, the Yellow Jackets, Greg Osby, Sheila Jordan, Bobby Watson, David Sanchez, Claudia Acuña, Kenny Barron, Eliane Elias, Bill Frisell, Bob Dorough, and Kevin Mahogany, among others. They have played at venues such as the Walton Arts Center and George’s Majestic Lounge in Fayetteville (Washington County), Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville (Benton County), the Eureka Springs Auditorium in Eureka Springs (Carroll County), and performance spaces at the University of Arkansas (UA) in Fayetteville.

Andy Green—who was the tour manager for REO Speedwagon, Amazing Rhythm Aces, and Levon Helm—is the president of the NAJS and has had a substantial presence in the project. Ginsberg and UA professor Rob Wells operate radio stations dedicated to jazz.

In 2017, the NAJS began offering a youth jazz program called the Jazz All Stars Youth Ensemble. Students are selected by audition and have an opportunity to apply techniques they learn in rehearsals to concert performances and professional recordings. As part of the program, students receive one-on-one training from professional jazz musicians, participate in a professional studio recording session with bandmates, and perform with the All Stars at the Walton Arts Center and other venues. High-profile jazz players such as Conrad Herwig, Victor Goines, and Bobby Watson have been part of the program.

Memberships to the NAJS are tax-deductible, and members enjoy discounts at NAJS events.

For additional information:
Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society. https://digjazz.com/ (accessed November 29, 2023).

William Courtney
Arkadelphia, Arkansas