Community Lutheran Church and Jazz Outreach Initiative host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at New JOI HQ

Free Concert to Feature Clint Holmes and Kenny Rampton with the JOI Jazz Orchestra and the Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra.

On November 10, Community Lutheran Church and Jazz Outreach Initiative host a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at new JOI HQ Followed by Free Concert Featuring Clint Holmes and Kenny Rampton with the JOI Jazz Orchestra and the Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra.

Following the brief ceremony at 6:30 pm at the new JOI HQ office located at 3690 W TROPICANA AVE LAS VEGAS 89121. JOI will present a free “Thank You” concert, open to the public, at 7:30pm across the street in the main sanctuary of Community Lutheran Church located at 3720 E TROPICANA AVE, LAS VEGAS NV 89121, near the corner of E. Tropicana and Sandhill. Tickets are not required.

“The outstanding support for Jazz Outreach Initiative by Pastor Ben Bergren and the entire pastoral and leadership team at Community Lutheran Church affords us a unique opportunity to continue our outstanding programs connecting the language of music to the language of life for youth throughout our community,” said Donny Thompson, Executive Dir. for JOI.

Pastor Ben Bergren added, “We fully believe in and support the mission of the Jazz Outreach Initiative, and the deep impact JOI has for the youth in our community. Youth are our future, and the arts are vital to sustaining and improving the quality of life for everyone. Community Lutheran Church has always celebrated the importance of the arts, and we incorporate that fully as part of our core values, and in our message to our congregation.”

Community Impact

Community Lutheran Church has a long history of supplementing its pastoral ministries with the arts in Southern Nevada. When Jazz Outreach Initiative’s co-founder and V.P. of Programming, Gary Cordell, approached the church, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Cordell performs regularly for the congregation on trumpet and performs free military bugler services for fallen service members including those who attend CLC through his own charity, TAPPS. The ability to base out of the large open area located within the new “JOI HQ” space has already enabled the charity to rehearse both the Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra and the new professional JOI Jazz Orchestra in an environment which enables adequate distancing and other safety protocols including disinfectant spraying and more.

The Las Vegas Youth Jazz Orchestra is made up of talented student musicians from across the valley aged middle school through 19. The LVYJO was created in February 2020 just prior to the pandemic shutdown and recorded numerous YouTube performances throughout that year.

The JOI Jazz Orchestra was founded in late 2020 and is a professional big band made up of some of the finest musicians in the world. Many of these performers also serve as volunteer mentors with the LVYJO. The JOI Jazz Orchestra released two YouTube recordings in December and January, including a world premiere of Kenny Rampton’s arrangement of “Smile” featuring Clint Holmes and members of the LV Philharmonic strings, and “Merry Christmas Baby” arranged by Sherman Irby for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. JOI co-founder, Artistic Director, and President is Kenny Rampton, member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.

JOI Website is www.jazzoutreachinitiative.org