artoberVA Spotlight: Ms. B.J. Brown on the Richmond Jazz Society

Meet our artoberVA 2023 Spotlight, B.J. Brown. She is the Executive Director and one of the Founders of Richmond Jazz Society (RJS). CultureWorks partnered with RJS for its Sunday Serenade series at the Capital One Carytown and Short Pump cafes.

CW: Introduce yourself and your creative background in the Richmond Jazz Society! When did it all start for you?

B.J.: I am B. J. Brown, Executive Director and one of the founders of the Richmond Jazz Society, Incorporated (RJS). RJS is a 501c3 organization of musicians and music lovers, whose mission, since 1979, is to serve the Commonwealth of Virginia in the education, preservation, and advancement of Jazz as an American art form via performances, lectures, exhibitions, workshops, technical assistance, media projects, and publications.

RJS’ Education and Outreach Programs take Jazz performances to audiences who may not have access to quality programs with specific emphasis on area students and senior citizens throughout Virginia. RJS maintains The Joseph J. Kennedy, Jr. Jazz Scholarship Fund which awards scholarships to deserving music students studying Jazz at a Virginia college or university.

RJS has been the major clearinghouse for Jazz support and technical service for area arts organizations and presenters for the past 44 years. Our Artist Referral Service provides professional artists from soloists to big bands. RJS is proud to again partner with CultureWorks of Richmond to provide our ensembles during its artoberVA celebration.

CW: Tell me a bit about your relationship to your creative work! Are there certain themes when performing?

B.J.: I am a proud product of Richmond Public Schools and I had the opportunity to learn from teachers who were some of the most talented musicians in the region. They were also internationally renowned such as the late violinist, Joe Kennedy, Jr. Not only was Mr. Kennedy a Jazz musician, composer, and recording artist, he was also one of the first Black musicians admitted into the Richmond Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Kennedy instilled in us the importance of learning to appreciate all music, but he showed us empirically that Jazz is African American Classical Music. While it was indeed created by African Americans, it belongs to the world. There are no “certain themes” when performing other than maintaining the same quality of music whether performing for 8-year-olds or 80-year-olds.

CW: How have you felt your creative work at the Richmond Jazz Society connected to the community around you? Have you discovered anything new over the years, and/or do you have a special memory in your experience?

B.J.: For the past 44 years, RJS has been an integral part of the community by providing education and entertainment services throughout the Richmond Metropolitan area, surrounding counties, and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia. RJS received a Joint Proclamation from the Virginia General Assembly for its role as Virginia’s Jazz Service Organization. In addition, RJS maintains an archive of thousands of memorabilia, recordings, and photographs in an effort to preserve Richmond and Virginia’s historical contributions to the history and development of Jazz. I am especially proud to have curated 2 exhibitions featuring over 60 Virginia musicians who have made significant contributions to Jazz music. The exhibitions were installed at The Valentine in 2017 and at The Black History Museum and Cultural Center of VA in 2021. The exhibitions received high critical acclaim from visitors from around the world.

I am extremely proud of the breadth of nationally renowned artists that we’ve been able to bring to Richmond in affordable concerts for the community, including the iconic Miles Davis. We are just as proud of supporting Richmond’s own Jazz heroes such as Lonnie Liston Smith and James “Plunky” Branch.

CW: You are and have been participating in artoberVA’s Sunday Serenades. What can new attendees expect, and what are you most looking forward to about these events?

B.J.: The Sunday Serenades have been an excellent venue to entertain and, perhaps, attract new audiences to Jazz. These events showcase the wealth of talent that Richmond has to offer, musicians who perform straight-ahead Jazz; Smooth Jazz, and Afro-Caribbean Jazz – it’s all good, soulful music.

CW: Who would you like to thank on this journey so far?

B.J.: I have to thank our Advisors like RVA saxophonist/composer James “Plunky” Branch and Mrs. Dorthaan Kirk who was recently recognized as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts for her work in presenting and preserving Jazz in the New York area. And our board members, especially RJS Chairman Robert Payne who really is the Captain of the ship, and has steered a steady course through the organization’s ups and downs. The musicians who continue to venture into the community with me to spread love through Jazz like Desiree Roots, James “Saxsmo” Gates, Richard D’Abreu, Kevin Gaines, and too many more to mention.

I am not on this mission alone. We are one big family who truly believes in the positivity of our greeting “Bright Moments”.