Jordan Jazz
"Advancing vocal jazz locally, regionally, and globally
while celebrating the cultural values of those with whom we
share."
Jordan Jazz (a.k.a. "The JJ Fam") promotes vocal jazz awareness,
education, and entertainment through local, national and global
outreach activities. Membership in Jordan Jazz is open to all
Butler students by audition. Jordan Jazz works with Clowes Memorial
Hall to co-host such artists as Butler's own Four Freshmen,
The Real
Group from Stockholm, Sweden, and the gospel groups Take 6 and Mighty
Clouds of Joy. Collaborating with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Jordan Jazz
has worked with such jazz legends Cleo
Laine, John Dankworth, Manhattan
Transfer, Rockapella, New York
Voices, Bobby McFerrin, Marvin
Hamlisch, Elvis Costello, Dr. Ron
McCurdy and Naturally 7. Jordan Jazz has performed
throughout the USA, Brazil, Hong Kong, Jamaica and on aboard cruise
ships in the Caribbean and West Indies. In Brazil, Jordan Jazz
worked with Gran Finale, Canto Ma Non Presto and Instituto Bacarelli (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Grupo
Arte Consciente(Salvador, Brazil). In Hong Kong, they joined Dr.
Brimmer to headline the 2010 International Jazz Educators
Conference. Each summer, they host Butler's Vocal Jazz Camps (July
21-26, 2012). In November 8-10, they'll be working with Street
Corner Symphony, Dr. Kirby Shaw and invited directors for the
Butler Vocal Jazz Fest '12.
The history of vocal jazz at Butler University is rich and
far-reaching. Jordan Jazz' roots can be traced back as far as the
1960s, when the Butler "Swing choir" performed both vocal jazz and
show choir repertoire. However, long before Jordan Jazz was a
mainstay on the Clowes Hall Stage, even before Clowes Memorial Hall
existed, "The
Four Freshmen" were music students at Butler. These four vocal
& instrumental musicians never became sophomores! In 1948, they
left Butler to perform and study jazz under the tutelage of Stan Kenton and his orchestra. The rest is
history, which you can learn about at www.amdest.com/stars/freshmen.html.
For more information and booking information, please contact Dr. Tim Brimmer, Director of Choral Jazz
Activities at Butler University's School of Music by email at tbrimmer@butler.edu.
Learn more about jazz studies at Butler University (PDF).