April 30, 2027 — International Jazz Day
By: Doc Jones.
What if a jazz celebration could also become a classroom, a history lesson, a cultural tribute, and a message of unity to the world?
That is the vision for the final stop of the 2027 Arizona Jazz Appreciation Month Tour in Flagstaff.
Northern Arizona is home to one of America’s most important cultural stories. Legendary Navajo artist R.C. Gorman attended Northern Arizona University and maintained a lifelong connection with the university.
That connection also tells the story of his father, Carl Gorman, one of the original Navajo Code Talkers of World War II.
On the NAU campus stands a monument created by R.C. Gorman honoring the Navajo Code Talkers and modeled after his father—a powerful reminder of Native Americans whose language, courage and service became part of American and world history.
Now imagine bringing a new generation to that monument.
Imagine Native American elders and artists standing alongside NAU students, musicians, educators, veterans and community leaders to tell the story of the Code Talkers.
Imagine celebrating the artistic legacy of R.C. Gorman.
And then imagine connecting those stories through another language understood around the world:
JAZZ.
Jazz was born in America but belongs to the world. It has crossed borders and generations, bringing people of different cultures together through creativity, improvisation and freedom of expression.
That spirit led jazz legend and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock to champion the creation of International Jazz Day, celebrated around the world every April 30 as a vehicle for peace, education, dialogue and understanding among cultures.
On April 30, 2027, we envision Flagstaff bringing these extraordinary stories together.
R.C. Gorman and Native American Art.
Carl Gorman and the Navajo Code Talkers.
Northern Arizona University and the education of the next generation.
Herbie Hancock and the worldwide language of jazz.
International Jazz Day and its message of peace and cultural understanding.
This can be much more than the final concert of an Arizona tour.
Our vision is to create a day of music, history, art, education and cultural exchange—one that honors those who came before us while inspiring young people to understand how their own culture and creativity can influence the world.
From the sacred language that helped protect a nation during World War II to the musical language that now brings nations together, Flagstaff has a remarkable story to tell.
On International Jazz Day 2027, we want to help tell that story to Arizona—and, we hope, to the world.
FLAGSTAFF 2027
Honoring the Past. Educating the Future. Uniting the World Through Art & Jazz.
