The Rio Grande Jazz Society

Other Jazz Activities in the Southwest

Jazz Festivals within a day's drive from Albuquerque

Summit Jazz, Denver. Info: www.summitjazz.org

Roswell Jazz Festival.

Arizona Classic Jazz Festival, Chandler. Info: www.azclassicjazz.org

There are lots of jazz festivals and jazz cruises going on a bit further afield from Albuquerque, particularly on the West Coast. A good source of information about upcoming events, as well as about jazz clubs and organizations, is Don Jones' The American Rag. See www.americanrag.com or contact Don for subscription info.

Local jazz activities

The New Mexico Jazz Workshop (www.nmjazz.org) offers classes in improvisation (vocal and instrumental), hosts the NMJW Community Big Band, and sponsors concerts in the summer at the amphitheater of the Albuquerque Museum.

The Outpost Performance Space (www.outpostspace.org) is notable for bringing to town extremely talented and well known (at least in jazz circles) artists. The New Mexico Jazz Festival, a collaborative project of the Outpost Performance Space, the Lensic, Santa Fe’s Performing Arts Center, and the Santa Fe Jazz Foundation, brings big-name bands and artists to venues in Albuquerque and Santa Fe during two weeks each July.

The local newspaper, the Albuquerque Journal, has a Venue section on Fridays listing musical activities for the upcoming week.