Vail Jazz closes the curtain after nearly three decades of high notes – Vail Daily

Internationally renowned jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson once said, “change is always happening, that’s the wonderful thing about jazz music.” But for the Vail Jazz Foundation, an organization-altering change forced the Vail-based nonprofit to close the bulk of its operations in late October after 29 years.

The seismic shift? The passing of beloved founder Howard Stone, who died on Aug. 3, 2022, from post-surgical complications. Stone’s passing left a huge void, and his deep fundraising reach and managerial acumen have left the foundation with a substantial financial burden. 

“When Howard died in the summer of 2022, we knew that replacing him would tax the organization on many levels. However, the staff rose to the occasion and in 2023 pulled off a terrific summer festival, workshop, and Labor Day Party,” said Sarah Valente, the vice president of the foundation’s board.

“It wasn’t until we started to reconcile the revenue and expenses in September that the gravity of our challenges began to come to light. After many discussions and an in-depth planning session, the Vail Jazz board voted on Oct. 23 to suspend operations,” Valente said.

Stone was passionate about jazz and about Vail and started the first Vail Jazz Party in 1995. He launched the Vail Jazz Foundation the following year. Over time, the festival grew and so did the relationships that were forged here, with many jazz artists and patrons returning year after year. Howard and his wife, Cathy, would welcome everyone back each summer.

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In an article for the 28th Annual Vail Jazz Festival program book, Stone tells the story of how the second and subsequent Vail Jazz Parties came about. Stone was going to say goodbye to the musicians before they returned home and ran into jazz bassist, John Clayton. When Stone thanked him for his participation, Clayton asked Stone if he would do the event the following year.

“I was so high from the three days of music and the feeling of community we engendered, that my subconscious took over and I blurted out, ‘I know what I’m going to do with the rest of my life!” Stone said in the article.

“It has been an incredibly emotional decision and one we wish we did not have to make,” Valente said. “Although very disappointed, Cathy Stone understands the difficulties we faced without Howard.”

The mission of the Vail Jazz Foundation wasn’t just to bring great jazz musicians to Vail each year. Stone wanted to share his beloved art form with many audiences, including the next generation. The Vail Jazz Workshop invited the top high school jazz players to the valley each summer for 10 days of personalized instruction with some of the jazz music’s biggest stars.

Clayton, a co-founder and director of education of the Vail Jazz Workshop, has spoken with each of the Vail Jazz Workshop’s instructors about the Vail Jazz Foundation shutting down.

“They were saddened and somber. Several of them have expressed an interest in relaunching the Vail Jazz Workshop at some point in time, should the possibility present itself,” Valente said. 

The other educational arm of the Vail Jazz Foundation was the Vail Jazz Goes to School program which exposed hundreds of Eagle County elementary school children to the art form of jazz for more than 25 years.

Valente said that the Vail Jazz Goes to School program will continue at least through the 2023-2024 academic year.

Stone’s passing isn’t the only obstacle standing in the way of Vail Jazz’s future, and Valente pointed out that these are very hard times for arts organizations across the country.

“Audiences have not returned to pre-pandemic levels, inflation has had a negative impact on every aspect of our business, and finding steady venues we can afford and rely upon has become challenging,” Valente said. Another challenge the Vail Jazz Foundation faced was recruiting and retaining staff who could afford to live in the Vail Valley.

“Taken together, it was very apparent that the long-standing Vail Jazz business model was no longer tenable,” Valente said. “The decision to close was in no way easy, but it was clear to the Vail Jazz board that this was the only responsible option.”

The great American trumpeter and vocalist, Louis Armstrong said, “The memory of things gone is important to a jazz musician.” It’s hard to believe that this annual event that grew to many weeks of concerts throughout the summer will now only be a memory.

“Vail Jazz provided live musical performances that complemented the classical, rock, bluegrass and acoustic concerts in Vail. The town will miss this fabulous festival and is committed to continuing to offer diverse musical experiences in Vail,” said Mia Vlaar, economic development director for the town of Vail.

Vlaar not only knows the economic impact the festival had on the economy of Vail, but she also was the executive director of the Vail Jazz Foundation from 2011 to 2017.

“The extraordinary relationships and unique performances Howard created were a hallmark of Vail Jazz. He also worked to ensure the future of the art form through programming like Jazz Goes to School and the Vail Jazz Workshop. Despite the efforts of a dedicated board and staff, without Howard the model was not able to self-sustain,” Vlaar said.