Some people consider Jazz as America’s classical music and rightly so. The roots of jazz run from the Deep South, particularly in New Orleans, the city of diverse flavors. It was in the Crescent City that this art form developed in the early part of the 20th century. The evolution of jazz has its many contributors with worldwide appeal, love and admiration.

Created in 2009 by co-founders Na’im Rashid and Wayne Barlow, the Jacksonville Jazz Society (JJS) is a volunteer, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, membership organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion and presentation of traditional and contemporary jazz music. JJS produces and supports, in collaboration with various other jazz and educational organizations, live events, including those via streaming and other digital broadcast platforms. Through the establishment of our Wayne Barlow Scholarship Award, we offer annual financial scholarships to talented high school seniors and college students pursing excellence in jazz performance and studies.