our mission

Jazz Bridge’s main focus is assisting Jazz and Blues musicians in times of crisis. We provide emergency grants as well as helpful referrals to other resources.

CRISIS ASSISTANCE FOR JAZZ MUSICIANS

Since its inception, Jazz Bridge has confidentially helped local Jazz and Blues musicians and singers with a variety of needs, including medical, dental and legal aid, along with advocacy services, home repairs, unpaid bills, and instrument repair. In addition to serving as a valuable safety net, Jazz Bridge connects these performers to other available resources.

Each request for help is evaluated on a case-by-case basis and all requests are handled with complete confidentiality.

our history

Founded in 2004 by Suzanne Cloud and Wendy Simon, Jazz Bridge was created to address the lack of support for professional jazz and blues musicians in crisis living and working in the Greater Philadelphia Metro Area. 

As professional jazz vocalists, Cloud and Simon witnessed their fellow musicians’ struggles and the desperation felt by some when the traditional jam session was the only way to raise money to deal with hardships or times of trouble.

Seeking a more permanent and secure support system, Simon and Cloud assembled like-minded musicians and fans to form Jazz Bridge Project, the organization’s official name.

Jazz Bridge incorporated in Pennsylvania in May 2005 and was awarded tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) public charity by the IRS in 2007.  In addition to Cloud and Simon, the members of its founding Board of Directors were jazz promoter and producer Sue Ford; jazz radio host and historian Bob Perkins; jazz club owner Pete Souders; bassist Mike Boone; and guitarist Kevin Eubanks.

The founding Board recognized a special opportunity to develop a unique, regional model that could provide help to musicians during hard times,  while also increasing public awareness of the tradition, history, and current state of original music in the Philly area by presenting neighborhood concerts hosted and curated by notable musicians from the region. This dual focus still drives Jazz Bridge today.

our community

Harmonizing Art & Life

The Jazz Bridge family is rich in diversity and talent and has thrived with the support of the Philadelphia community. Despite this, challenges remain when musicians face serious illness, financial hardships and personal tragedies.

As a service organization in the arts & culture community, we are uniquely positioned to address the suffering resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite new challenges, we remain committed to assisting Jazz and Blues artists of all ages and backgrounds.

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Emergency Services
Since its inception, Jazz Bridge has confidentially helped Jazz and Blues musicians and singers with a variety of needs, including medical, dental and legal aid, home repairs, unpaid bills, and instrument repair. In the last 10 years alone Jazz Bridge has provided emergency services grants for over 500 of these artists. We’ve helped other performers by connecting them to other available resources. Do you need support? Click here for a full list of emergency services.

Our Support
Jazz Bridge is funded primarily through individual and corporate donations, foundation and non-profit grants, and special events (some of which receive funding from the City of Philadelphia). Any money raised by our concerts is used to fund our programs. Jazz Bridge owes its growth over the past 16 years to loyal donors, volunteers, grant-making organizations, and music lovers.

Sharing Jazz with the City of Brotherly Love
Thanks to our loyal donors and partners, Jazz Bridge is able to share the art of music with the Greater Philadelphia Metro Area. An important part of this growth comes from our incredible volunteers. To learn more about individual and group opportunities for volunteering, Click here.

partnerships


Jazz Bridge is proud to partner with organizations to present some of the Philadelphia area’s finest Jazz and Blues artists in public spaces, including City of Philadelphia parks, recreation centers, libraries and senior centers:

  • Art-Reach

  • City of Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE)

  • Drexel University Jazz Orchestra

  • Friends of Hawthorne Park

  • Manayunk Development Corporation

  • Office of Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. (4th District)

To learn how Jazz Bridge can partner with you to present artists for your organization’s special function, please contact us at 215-517-8337 or info@jazzbridge.org.

Jazz Bridge greatly appreciates major support for our programs provided in recent years by:

  • Keswick Theatre (AEG Presents PA LLC)

  • City of Philadelphia, Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy

  • Sandy and Altron Cleveland Charitable Trust

  • IL Cohen Foundation

  • Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation

  • Samuel S. Fels Fund

  • Friends of Curtis Jones

  • Friends of Hawthorne Park

  • Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

  • Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation

  • MKM Foundation

  • Office of Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr.

  • William Penn Foundation Special Gifts Program

  • Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

  • Pew Center for Arts and Heritage

  • Philadelphia Activities Fund, Inc.

  • Philadelphia Cultural Fund

  • Philadelphia Foundation

  • Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

  • PNC Arts Alive (PNC Financial Services Group)

  • Roja Interactive

  • Temple University, Fox School of Business & Management’s Institute for Business & Information Technology

  • Grover Washington Jr. Protect The Dream Foundation Fund

  • WRTI 90.1 FM Public Radio Station

  • Young Scholars Charter School