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The American Jazz Institute

The American Jazz Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the enrichment and enhancement of the appreciation of jazz music. From its humble beginnings in New Orleans at the turn of the century, jazz evolved into one of America’s enduring world contributions, a “universal language” understood by all.

Jazz is our life…

Continuing in this spirit, AJI seeks to preserve this national treasure as well as expand upon it by spotlighting America’s great jazz composers, arrangers and musicians — both firmly established and newly discovered, from traditional to avant garde.
  • To advance and promote jazz music throughout the world.
  • To maintain a repertory orchestra to play new and archival jazz music.
  • To educate and expose the public to jazz by live performances and panel discussions
  • To support charitable endeavors that promote and advance jazz music.
The American Jazz Institute is an I.R.C. 501(c) (3) corporation.
  • To seek and attract donations of jazz works with an emphasis on original compositions, scores, arrangements, and recordings.
  • To make jazz works available for research study and education.
  • To physically house, archive and preserve jazz music: compositions, scores, arrangements, recordings, artwork, photographs, film and other jazz works.

Our Live Programs

KAJI Jazz Radio/FM95.3 is still in the process of adding live broadcasting programs to its schedule and we will keep you informed as we add new and special programs.

The Alan P. Schultz Show

Tuesday, Thursday. and Sunday from 9:00AM to 11:AM

KAJI Jazz Radio/FM95.3 is proud to have Alan P Schultz not only broadcasting daily on our station but also assuming the responsibilities of Program Director. 

The Doug MacDonald Show

Mondays From 2PM to 4PM

Freelance Guitarist, Arranger and Composer, Doug MacDonald broadcast on Mondays from 2PM to 4PM. Doug is internationally recognized as one of the most talented musicians performing today in venues across the USA and Europe. For music lovers here in the Coachella Valley, Doug is a musical gift from heaven! Doug's talents include Arranging and Composing and he has recorded over 20 CDs performing as the primary artist and over 50 CDs joining multi-talented artists.

The Bruce Kamolnick Show

Wednesdays from 5PM – 8PM

Bruce Kamolnick’s career as a professional musician is behind him, but also possibly ahead of him. He is a lifelong jazz fan and is deeply grateful to be able to share his love of (and occasional musings on) “America’s Classical Music” over the KAJI airwaves. As a CPA he also helps handle some of AJI’s administrative responsibilities. You can hear a sample of his jazz (and classical) piano at kamolnick.bandcamp.com

The Lee Hartley Show

Daily From 10:00AM to Noon

Lee Hartley hosts a daily radio program on KAJI Jazz Radio/FM95.3 where she loves to play Jazz Classics that few stations in the US play today. Lee has has a long, successful and continuing performing career as a vocalist and has performed with some of the best names in American Jazz. Most recently, she performed and toured with the legendary Les McCann. Lee moved back to the Palm Springs area 6 years ago and has worked with Ted Herman, Paul McDonald, Charles Owens and Ladd Macintosh's Big Bands.

Michael Dees Joins Alan Schultz

Saturdays from 10:30 to Noon

World-class Vocalist, Michael Dees discusses all aspects of the music business with KAJI Program Director Alan Schultz on Saturdays from 10:30 AM to Noon.

The Mark Masters Show

Wednesdays from 2PM to 5PM

Composer and Arranger, Mark Masters host a live weekly Jazz show.

Biographer Michael G. Nastos had this to say about Mark Masters, "Mark has emerged as one of the great Jazz Arrangers of the 20th and 21 Century". Mark has worked on many fabulous Jazz projects including publishing many CD's including the few listed below.

The Clifford Brown Project (Capri 2003) Porgy and Bess: Redefined (Capri 2005)
Farewell Walter Dewey Redman (Capri 2008)
Ellington Saxophone Encounters (Capri 2012)

Mark is President of the Board of Directors of the American Jazz Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to the enrichment and enhancement of the appreciation of Jazz Music and parent of KAJI Jazz Radio.

The Shelley Yoelin Show

Saturdays Noon to 2:00PM

Tenor player, Composer, Educator and Arranger, Shelly Yoelin broadcasts his music show every Saturday from Noon to 2:00PM. A great Jazz musician playing his favorite Jazz cuts.

September 25, 7:00-8:45 pm –Free Concert at Palm Desert High — hope you can make it.

FIND YOUR OWN VOICE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Mark Masters
American Jazz Institute
626-497-5359
Palm Desert, Ca., September 6, 2021 On September 25, 2021 the American Jazz Institute will host an afternoon mentoring clinic at Palm Desert High School, 74910 Aztec Road, Palm Desert.

The FIND YOUR OWN VOICE mentoring clinic will bring together high school and middle school music students and give them an opportunity to have their jazz ensembles rehearsed and evaluated by professional musicians working in both the jazz and classical areas of the music industry in Southern California.

In addition to the ensemble clinics, students will also attend a master class specifically designed for their instrument and an improvisation clinic where students will interact with world-class improvisers.

The day will conclude with an evening concert, free and open to the public, that will feature the Palm Desert High School Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Guy Lake and the American Jazz Institute Ensemble, featuring Kirsten Edkins and Jerry Pinter (saxophones), Dave Woodley (trombone), Nate Kay (trumpet), Ed Czach (piano), Putter Smith (bass), and Mark Ferber (drums).

Palm Desert High School:
Master classes: 12:15-1:15
Improvisation clinic: 1:30-2:15
Ensemble clinics: 2:30-4:00
Concert: 7:00-8:45

The Alan Schultz Jazz Lecture Series
The Rancho Mirage Library

Charlie Parker: Bebop and the Bird

 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Rancho Mirage Public Library
Community Room

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Board of Directors

Mark A. Masters, President
Alfred Bryman
Pete Carlson
Scott Ellsworth
Alan P. Schultz
Sue Townsley
Ronald Teeples (1935-2008)
Audree Coke Kenton (1922-2012)

Advisory Board

Andrew Cyrille
Ray Drummond
Scott Evans
Gary Foster
Reed Gratz
Tim Hagans
Billy Harper
Nat Hentoff
Clay Jenkins
Lee Konitz
Stephanie O’Keefe
John LaPorta (1920-2004)
Gene Lees (1928-2010)
Kirsten Edkins
Director of Community Outreach
Real Music Comes from Musicians SM
Stephanie O’Keefe, Director