Scottsdale resident Dr. ‘Doc’ Jones leads statewide effort to honor jazz with an official holiday

The International Jazz Day AZ Foundation has announced its 15th Anniversary International Jazz Day Festival in Arizona, set for Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 3 to 10 p.m. at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix.

This milestone celebration honors UNESCO’s Herbie Hancock International Jazz Day, recognized in 196 countries worldwide.

For more than a decade, Executive Director Dr. William “Doc” Jones has united cities, schools and cultural organizations through jazz, using the art form to advance cross-cultural understanding.

Jones says that for the last 14 years, the Arizona festival has been successful in getting the Arizona House and the Senate to endorse the annual celebration, as well as

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