This year’s Summit theme, Awakening, was tailor-made for the moment

Awakening provided the forum to reveal the challenges we face as a creative community and the space to explore solutions. The two-day convening presented three Grammy-winning/nominated artists—Victor Wooten, René Marie, and Kirk Whalum—in open conversation. They revealed their awakenings about how music loses its way and how it can find the way back.

We invited jazz lovers to be awakened to the musical treasures we have in our city. Poet Pheralyn Dove performed a piece based on our theme, and a film of saxophonist Bobby Zankel with Nazir Eb conjured John Coltrane duets. Our perennial Homecoming Jazz Jam led by Luke Carlos O’Reilly was a stirring intergenerational event featuring Hometown Heroes Arnetta Johnson, Larry McKenna, Monette Sudler, Sherry Wilson Butler, Lee Mo, Hiruy Tirfe, and Orrin Evans. 

The Summit also invited the community to awaken to its power. How-to panels on social media, booking jazz festivals, song placement in film, entrepreneurship, and reopening venues and college programs offered actionable information. Meanwhile, we presented a call to action about preserving our history through the work of the Philadelphia Jazz Legacy Project and a compelling conversation about the influence of perhaps our greatest hometown hero, John Coltrane.

Did you miss the Summit? Good news – recordings of the sessions will be available for your viewing for 30 days after the Summit. More info below.

Finally, the event would not have been possible without the support of the Summit staff, speakers, sponsors, partners, and attendees. On behalf of Jazz Philadelphia, thank you all for supporting our work, which is the community’s work. We hope the Summit spurred you to awaken to new possibilities. As we start to leave the dark days behind us, we hope it encourages you to dream again.

With Appreciation,
Gerald Veasley

Log-in and view recordings or buy tickets to enter the event and watch recordings until December 6. Once you’re in the Virtual Event Hub, click on Lobby and then click on Agenda. Make sure “Show Past Sessions” is toggled on.