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The Krewe of Groove has been on fire over the holidays and emerging from our den are some of the most exciting feats ever attempted by the little station that could-- and does! For example, next Wednesday, January 23, WWOZ will be premiering the launch of the SFJAZZ Center, a $54 million dollar facility representing a major investment in the resurgence of jazz in this country.
I leave it to you to chase the link to see how magnificent this thing really is. Suffice it to say the opening night broadcast, which we will be airing on WWOZ as well as feeding to stations around the country, includes Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, Joe Hutcherson, Esperanza Spalding, Bill Frisell, Joshua Redmond, Joe Lovano, John Handy, Regina Carter, Bill Cosby host and a whole bunch more. WWOZ is co-hosting the broadcast with WBGO show host Josh Jackson (formerly of WWOZ!) and is partnering with NPR Music to provide a national video stream, also available at www.wwoz.org. This is one of the most ambitious projects 'OZ has ever undertaken and raises the station’s national prominence even higher. The costs of the broadcast are being underwritten by sponsors who support 'OZ and appreciate the importance of this event to the future of jazz.
Then, the following week, we’ll return to the Crescent City to fling ourselves into the height of the Super Bowl frenzy pulsing through the Football Zone. First, we’ll be joining the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation in their magnificent tent at Woldenberg Park the Thursday through Sunday of Super Bowl Weekend. Canal Plaza will be the site of a four-stage non-stop mini-fest produced by Quint Davis. 'OZ will be airing live interviews from the tent and live broadcasts of the performances from the stages.
On another front, WWOZ has been asked to create a special New Orleans edition three-day “pop-up” station for XM/Sirius’s Real Jazz Channel during Super Bowl weekend. It will give the station a chance to promote our local musicians on yet another national platform, while making some noise about WWOZ to folk who may not be familiar with the station.
And then, right back into Party Gras!
Yours in grace notes and Mardi Gras floats,
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