Welcome to Summit Jazz

Summit Jazz Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that presents live jazz in Denver, Colorado, with an emphasis on traditional, classic, New Orleans, swing and mainstream styles of jazz. The best description of the philosophy of this organization is found in its Mission Statement.

SUMMIT JAZZ (October 9-10-11, 2009) is an annual event normally presented at the end of September. The unavailability of hotel accommodations required the dates to be changed. This jazz festival presents internationally renowned bands such as The Jim Cullum Jazz Band as well as all star greats such as Anat Cohen (clarinet and saxophone) playing music from Jelly Roll Morton and Fats Waller to Louis Armstrong to Benny Goodman and the vast numbers of others before and after. These styles of music were and are meant for dancing as well as listening and there are dance floors that do not obstruct viewing from the cabaret style seating. The venue for this event is the Grand Ballroom at the Four Points by Sheraton Denver Southeast.

The SWINGING JAZZ CONCERTS (February 27-28 and April 10-11, 2009) are presented in the prestigious Donald R Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Performing Arts Complex which is the perfect combination of cabaret seating, great views, exceptional acoustics and two dance floors to accommodate all the dancers including swing dancing. The all star lineups feature jazz musicians who are recognized as leading exponents of their instruments, i.e., trumpet/cornet, clarinet/saxophone, trombone, piano, guitar/banjo, bass, drums.

Mission Statement

To foster awareness and appreciation of traditional jazz through public concert performances by internationally recognized artists who have earned their reputation as dedicated exponents of this musical genre. Traditional jazz originated with African-American musicians in New Orleans at the beginning of the twentieth century who evolved a collective improvisational way of playing music that evinced a melding of African and Euro-American musical heritage and incorporated the influences of the blues, ragtime, hymns, marching band music, prison work songs and street vendor shouts of those times. We define contemporary traditional jazz as the music created today by those artists who emulate the collective improvisational approach of the art form's progenitors. Jazz is considered America's only original art form.