Jazz Appreciation Month Celebration

Jazz Appreciation Month Celebration in Port Louis, Mauritius
April 13, 2012

An important part of the work of an American Embassy overseas is to educate and inform  host country citizens about the United States and its culture.  As diplomats, we each take part in the Embassy's activities to proudly show off our country.  Where possible, we show how the U.S.A. has impacted other countries or cultures.  Last week, I was honored to emcee our Embassy's celebration of jazz, as a uniquely American art form that has been adopted throughout the world.  We recruited local musicians and groups to show their stuff as part of Jazz Appreciation Month.  What was so impressive is how many excellent Mauritian jazz artists have been inspired by Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and other legends of American jazz.  One group of young artists had learned to play their instruments from a talented and dedicated teacher, who himself was self-taught in each instrument and jazz itself.  I was proud to be part of a celebration of an art form that started in America, but has become a cherished gift to the world.