© The contents of this finding aid are the copyright of the University of Chicago Library
© 2009 University of Chicago Library
The Jazz Institute of Chicago Records were processed and preserved as part of the "Uncovering New Chicago Archives Project," funded with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Series IV, Musicians and Photographs, does not include access copies for part or all of the audio material in this series. Researchers will need to consult with staff before requesting material from this series.
The remainder of the collection is open for research.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Jazz Institute of Chicago. Records, [Box#, Folder#], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
The Jazz Institute of Chicago (JIC) was founded in 1969 by members of the jazz community to help preserve the history of jazz in Chicago. Founding members include Art Hodes, Muhal Richard Abrams, Harriett Choice, Joe Segal, Bob Koester, Don DeMicheal, Penny Tyler, and John Steiner. As part of the effort to preserve the history of Chicago jazz, the Jazz Institute of Chicago helped found the Chicago Jazz Archive, located at the University of Chicago.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago created numerous ongoing events and festivals, including the Annual Jazz Fair, Chicago Jazz Festival, and Jazz Club Tour, as well as many individual concerts and performances. In 1997, the Jazz Institute of Chicago partnered with the Chicago Park District to promote the JazzCity concert series and also partnered with the American Composers Forum in 1999 to create the Chicago Composers Project.
Though the original focus of the Jazz Institute of Chicago was to preserve the history of jazz in Chicago, over time the scope has broadened to not only preserve that history but to also bring jazz and other types of music to new audiences. One program is Jazz Links, a forum for young musicians to play. The Jazz Institute of Chicago also works with the Chicago public schools and other organizations for educational programming.
The Jazz Institute of Chicago Records is organized into five series: Series I, Administrative; Series II, Events; Series III, Publications; Series IV, Musicians and Photographs; and Series V, Oversize. The Jazz Institute of Chicago Records contains administrative material, publications, articles, ephemera, and audio material, which document the institution's events, board meetings, and involvement in the Chicago jazz community.
Series I, Administrative, contains meeting minutes, agendas, budgets, and correspondence from board of directors and committee meetings. There are copies of the by-laws as well as grant information and applications, news releases, brochures, and documentation about website development. Also included are correspondence and other documents with and/or about other jazz related institutions.
Series II, Events, contains a guestbook, articles, fliers, brochures, posters, invitations, postcards, buttons, and other ephemera about Jazz Institute of Chicago sponsored events, performances, conferences, and festivals. Material about the Chicago Jazz Festival include correspondence, press kits, release forms, budgets, articles, reviews, fliers, buttons, and programs. Articles are mostly obituaries of musicians as well as announcements and reviews of performances, exhibits, and other events. See Series V, Oversize, for additional event material.
Series III, Publications, contains newsletters and magazines from jazz societies, organizations, and Chicago jazz publications.
Series IV, Musicians and Photographs, contains articles, photographs, press kits, audio cassettes, and a compact disc of musicians, primarily for auditions of the 1986 and 1987 Chicago Jazz Festivals. There are also photographs and slides of Jazz Institute of Chicago sponsored events. See Series V, Oversize, for additional photographs.
Series V, Oversize, contains posters and ephemera about jazz events in Chicago, and a copy of "Jazz at the Philharmonic" by Norman Granz. Also included are photographs of Tommy Bridges, Billy Brimfield, Doc Cheatham, John DeFauw, Franz Jackson, Steve Jenson, Billy Perry, Bill Rank, Paul Serrano, Joel Spencer, and Mr. Wonderful.