Michael Fitzgerald

Our nation’s capital has played an integral role in the development of jazz going back all the way to James Reese Europe.

The early career of Duke Ellington, the introduction of bossa nova to the United States, and the recognition of jazz as a national treasure all happened in Washington. There has also been a vibrant local scene with top-level players, only some of whom are known outside of the region.

This online encyclopedia is an attempt to document the people, places, and organizations involved in jazz in Washington, DC.

If you can contribute information, you are encouraged to do so.

Recently, the first book devoted to jazz in Washington, DC was published. I contributed the final chapter “Researching Jazz History in Washington, D.C.,” which looks at the institutions, archives, libraries, and collections in the area that are working to preserve jazz materials.