The KU Interdisciplinary Jazz Studies Group

Sunrise over the silhouette of KU's Lawrence campus

About

The KU Interdisciplinary Jazz Studies Group was founded in 2002 by eight KU faculty members from different departments, whose research, writing, and teaching interests intersect in the interdisciplinary field known as Jazz Studies.

The KUIJSG, strives to capitalize on a unique set of resources and circumstances, including:

  1. A core faculty from across the university committed to and qualified to teach Jazz Studies courses.
  2. A strong emphasis on jazz performance in the KU Department of Music and Dance. 
  3. The Wright Memorial Jazz Archive.
  4. Proximity to Kansas City, which along with New Orleans, Chicago and New York, was a key incubator of jazz. Resources include the American Jazz Museum, an Mutual Musicians Foundation.
  5. KU's commitment to racial/gender diversity. Given that jazz has often served as a metaphor for freedom, and has functioned as a critical arena for contesting and gender issues, the study of jazz (in its production, reception and evaluation) is significant in terms of probing the goals and assumptions of a society aspiri democracy and equal opportunity.

See History to learn more.