Search LJAC Website:
About Loves
Jazz & Arts Center (LJAC)
Welcome
Loves Jazz Executive Director, Neville Murray (left) and Loves Jazz Chairman of the Board, Earnest White (right) welcome NPR Senior Correspondent, Juan Williams (Center)
Welcome to the web site of the Loves Jazz & Arts Center, (LJAC). The center is located at 2510 North 24th Street in Omaha Nebraska. We are a non-profit 501 c3 dedicated to the Arts through exhibition, collection, documentation, preservation, study and the dissemination of the history and culture of African Americans in the arts.
As an educational institution, the Loves Jazz & Arts Center features state of the art digital media equipment enabling us to teach the latest media and engage in innovative new initiatives. Through exhibits, workshops, performances, educational programs, and special activities, the Loves Jazz & Arts Center explores the African American experience and celebrates accomplishments of the past and present to further advance the education of the future.
Omaha Jazz History
During the 1930's and 40s, Omaha was a booming regional center of jazz. In an era in which every small town had its own dance hall, countless bands toured incessantly to bring live music to every corner of the nation. In the vast territory of the upper plains — from Wyoming to Minnesota — those bands were likely to come from Omaha.
“We were centrally located,” Love said. “This was the hub, the booking center for the biggest dance territory in the world ... we played all the dance pavilions and ballrooms in the Midwest. Minnesota had thousands. Nebraska had hundreds ... all the bands were working six or seven nights a week. So therefore, to service these bands, we brought musicians from all over the country to Omaha because the employment was here.
“There were some other cities — like Kansas City, or Oklahoma City — where they had some bands, but Omaha was the hub because we were centrally located. So these hundreds of black musicians came here. From these were some great players. The proof of it is, where did they go, those who were good? Ellington, Basie, every band of any note had several ex-Omahans. They might not have been born in Omaha, but they lived here for several years while they played.”
Preston Love
2009 Summer youth Program
ENCAP / LJAC Partnership
Loves Jazz & Arts Center, in partnership with Eastern Nebraska Community Action Partnership, (ENCAP ) has successfully completed our 3rd Summer Youth Camp. Each year, LJAC brings expert artists to the Center to work with up to 25 youth participants in varying genres. The goal is to teach young people the value of artistic expression, a viable, marketable skill, and the numerous career paths available to artists. In the process, they learn about their culture, history and contributions of African Americans.
Opening 01 / 29 / 2010:
“Telling Our Stories”
4TH ANNUAL AFRICAN
AMERICAN ART EXHIBITION
Omaha, NE, January 15th 2010: Loves Jazz and Art Center in Omaha, Nebraska announces the annual group exhibition, “Telling our stories,” 4th Annual African American Art Exhibition.”
The exhibition opens 6:30 p.m. on January 29th and runs through May 22, 2010. Telling our stories is an invitational art exhibition that brings together over 25 artists both locally and regionally to exhibit their work at Love’s annual exhibition showcasing local and regional artists of African American Heritage.
Special events throughout the exhibit will highlight special local connections for Nebraska and Douglas County as well as just being a fun event for the whole family. Many of the artists will talk about their works during the exhibition and local musicians will be performing during the duration of the show.
Opening Reception
January 29th 2010 from 7-9 pm.
The exhibit explores the varied and diverse expression of the participating artist through Painting, Photography, Digital Media, Spoken Word, Ceramics, Sculpture and More.
Opening 01 / 29 / 2010:
“Telling Our Stories”
4TH ANNUAL AFRICAN
AMERICAN ART EXHIBITION
Featuring:
Pre-Opening Performance performancedThursday Oct 15
Jazz Performance Honoring
Dr. Martin Luther King
Dr. King with the Brown Family in Omaha, 1962
Pre Opening Jazz Performance by
Curley Martin 1/21/10
6:30 p.m.
Mr. Curly Martin, an Omaha Jazz Fusion legendary drummer who played with the late Preston Love his son, Terrace Martin of California who has produced music for Snoop Dog and, Sam Salamon are returning to Omaha for a single performance!!!
Also featuring:
LJAC Wordsmith
Members of LJAC Wordsmiths
The LJAC Wordsmiths with a heartfelt tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
(Clarence "Nabraska" Barbee, Ty Harper, Michelle Troxclair, & Felicia Webster)
Love's Jazz & Arts Center
Thursday, January 21st
6:30p.m.
FREE TO THE PUBLIC!
Food and beverages will be served!
Opening Performance 1/29/10
Rhythm Collective
Rhythm Collective is the recipient of the Omaha Entertainment Award (OEA) voted the best performing band in 2008.
Come listen to the music of RHYTHM COLLECTIVE! Original and cover tunes all done in a reggae style. Party with Frank, Joseph, Jason and John as they take you on a musical vacation!
reception
October 30th from 6-7 pm
Other Performances
New Harmonies
Celebrating American Roots Music
Upcoming Events
Call to Artists:
4th Annual African American Art Exhibition – December 15th 2009 deadline
Keeping in line with our mission: “To preserve and promote the unique history and cultural talents of local and national African American artists.”
The Loves Jazz & Arts Center is pleased to present this opportunity for local & regional African American Artists to exhibit their original fine art. This exhibit is open to artists of all mediums, including but not limited to painting, printmaking, sculpture, installation art, drawings, photography, new media and mixed media.