Organization

The Jazz Composers Alliance was founded in 1985 to support, develop and promote the art of music composition in the jazz idiom. These goals have been realized by the initiation of an active, public forum for the presentation of new jazz works, the establishment two resident ensembles, the JCA Orchestra and the JCA Sax Quartet; the institution of a visiting composers program, and by having offered the Julius Hemphill Composition Awards. The JCA has presented the work of many important guest artists, such as Henry Threadgill, Sam Rivers, Anthony Davis, Maria Schneider and others, as well as having commisioned new work by Muahl Richard Abrams, Marty Ehrlich and Wayne Horvitz. The JCA has presented well over a hundred and twenty new jazz compositons, for big band and for sax quartet. Many of Boston’s finest young players and composers have been involved. The Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra has released 7 CD's. The Jazz Composers Alliance has recieved funding from the NEA, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Aaron Copland Fund, Reader’s Digest/Meet The Composer, and other.