It’s official: Operation Bring Bird Home has been launched!

 

The Jazz Loft is proud to announce that it will be trying to bring to our museum a collection of Charlie Parker memorabilia. Longtime Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts was a lifelong jazz and Charlie Parker fan. Watts acquired what is arguably the largest and only surviving collection of Bird memorabilia which will be auctioned at Christie’s in London on September 28th. Charlie Parker was a pioneering innovator, the architect of Bebop, and an unrivaled composer and virtuoso performer. He is unquestionably one of the most important figures in the history of JAZZ.

 

Thanks to some very special donors TJL has raised $8500. The window for giving will continue through September 27th and we are excited to rally funds to acquire an impressive exhibit to celebrate Bird at TJL! Today is your chance to contribute to the Jazz Loft and its mission of advocating for Jazz through its mission of JAZZ PERFORMANCE, JAZZ EDUCATION, and JAZZ PRESERVATION.

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This past year we presented over 160 performances. Our Jazz Dispatch outreach program brought JAZZ to schools, community centers and music festivals throughout Long Island. Our Loft School of Jazz has seen its largest enrollment to date and over 85% of our students are continuing on the study music in college. Our museum celebrates over 100 years of the history of Jazz and constitutes 28 artist collections with highlights including the first Grammy Award, a John Coltrane manuscript, the bass that played the iconic baseline on Stand By Me, two Louis Armstrong letters, Oliver Nelson’s Stolen Moments manuscript, and so much more. Please join us in helping bring Charlie Parker’s legacy back to New York where it all happened and help us allow TJL to be the place to celebrate Bird and his music for generations to come.

 

All individuals who donate to Operation Bring Bird Home will have their name added to the nameplate on the Charlie “Bird” Parker exhibit. Thank you for helping us keep on keepin’ on!

We very much so need you to join the band and get involved with our mission.