Lionel Hampton appears in...
Jazz Appreciation Month Kicks Off In Washington
April has once again been designated as Jazz Appreciation Month, and BMI is proud to again be an anchor sponsor, as it has been since the JAM’s beginnings seven years ago. The month-long celebration pays tribute to jazz as a true American art form and features a variety of activities, including performances, film and displays in venues around Washington, D.C. Pictured (l-r) are…
Jazz Composers Workshop to Showcase New Works at Annual Concert July 6
The highly lauded BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, now in its second decade, will highlight the best of new jazz compositions created during the last year at its 18th Annual Summer Showcase Concert. The concert is free to the public, and will be held on Thursday, July 6 at Merkin Concert Hall (Abraham Goodman House at 129 West 67th Street) at 8:00 p.m. The concert will feature…
5th Annual JAM Celebration Honors Jazz Pioneers
Jazz Appreciation Month, or JAM for short, kicked off this April with a special fifth anniversary ceremony held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by BMI and presented by the Smithsonian, the annual, month-long celebration pays tribute to this living art form by raising awareness of jazz and its history through performances, dance, film, programs and displays at the museum.…
Smithsonian Adds Ray Charles Memorabilia to Its Collection
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History received a braille keyboard, sunglasses, chess set, costumes and other memorabilia reflecting the storied career of BMI legendary artist Ray Charles in a special ceremony held September 21 in Washington, DC. A selection from the donation, which also includes items from his long-time friend and business manager Joe Adams, will go on view…
Herbie Hancock Joins JAM Celebration
BMI composer and music legend Herbie Hancock donated several of his instruments to the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in a special ceremony on March 30 that kicked off Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM). Sponsored by BMI, JAM is an annual event that pays tribute to jazz as both an historic and a living…
BMI Celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month
April is Jazz Appreciation Month! Launched in 2002 by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, Jazz Appreciation Month (or JAM for short) is a month-long celebration spotlighting jazz through concerts, programs and museum collections. Schools, colleges, museums, concert halls, libraries and public broadcasters are encouraged to offer special programs of their own every April. …
BMI Jazz Icon Lionel Hampton Dead at 94
Legendary vibraphonist, bandleader, and BMI jazz composer Lionel Hampton died of heart failure on Saturday, August 31 at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center. The 94-year-old "King of the Vibes" battled through several major illnesses including a cerebral hemorrhage in 1992 and two strokes in 1995 and was in failing health in recent years. In…
BMI to Sponsor Jazz Appreciation Month
The recent showing of Ken Burns's Jazz series on PBS brought attention to how much public interest there is in one of America's greatest art forms. And because of this interest, the National Museum of American History of the Smithsonian Institution has initiated a program that will focus that attention on an annual basis: Jazz Apprecation Month (JAM). The event will be held every April starting in 2002. BMI,…
At BMI, Black Music Month Is Celebrated All Year Long

At BMI, Black Music Month Is Celebrated All Year Long By Rob Patterson From the dawning days of rhythm & blues through today's multifaceted urban music scene, BMI has been at the forefront of music from the African American tradition, styles and community. A continuity of teamwork between BMI and Black music-makers extends from Aretha Franklin to…
Good Vibrations at Lionel Hampton Dedication Ceremony
Remarks by John Edward Hasse Curator of American Music National Museum of American History Smithsonian Institution Lionel Hampton Donation Ceremony Tuesday, January 30, 2001 In recognition of the importance of jazz in American history and culture, the Smithsonian Institution operates the world's most comprehensive set of jazz programs. We do eighteen different kinds of things in jazz-more than any…
