A New Beat in the Heart of Aspen

Fund:

JAS Capital Campaign Donation

Amount to Donate $ 0

The Re-imagining of a Historic Aspen Gem

Join us in our mission to create an intimate, world-class venue & permanent home for Jazz Aspen Snowmass

THE VISION

Reigniting memories of musical greats

The mindset of “The Aspen Idea: Mind Body & Spirit” has radiated from every aspect of life in modern Aspen since the 1940s and will be the driving force behind the new JAS Center.

In the early 1950s when great classical artists like Stravinsky were performing at the early Aspen Music Festival, Chicago businessman and impresario John Silber was presenting performances by Billie Holiday, Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and other American musical legends at the historic Red Onion.

Today, the memories of these musical giants will re-ignite as the JAS Center re-imagines this iconic structure.

Inspired by these storied jazz artists and JAS’s history of presenting other musically diverse icons, from Tony Bennett to Sting, and Black Eyed Peas to Stevie Wonder, the JAS Center will become a vibrant, intimate performance and gathering space. This bustling, year-round hub of cultural, educational, and special events will inject Aspen’s downtown core with new vitality in harmony with Aspen’s post-war aspirations.

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A vibrant & bustling cultural hub

impact

Transforming the iconic Aspen gem

By transforming this iconic Aspen gem into a lively community gathering place for cultural, educational and special events, it will became a vital, year-round asset.

A Creative Hub for diverse musical performances, educational programming and both public & private community gatherings
A unique Aspen Core venue for the community to connect
Up to 300+ days and nights of annual usage
Flexible layouts for gatherings of 100 to 300 people
A 600-square-foot terrace overlooking the Cooper Avenue Mall
A Skylight for natural light that can be blacked out when needed

community-space

A new heartbeat for the downtown core

Provides increased cultural and performance capacity in town
A one-of-a-kind intimate-sized venue complementing existing larger venues
Provides the community with much needed meeting and gathering place
Impacts and serves diverse generations for years to come
Enhancing core vitality with 300+ days & nights annually

club

From supper club to nightclub – live jazz, blues, soul, funk & more

A permanent, intimate, world-class 150-175 seat capacity venue for JAS Cafe performances, including jazz, blues, soul, world and other related forms of music
Sophisticated supper-club experience (full dinner & performance) available early & late shows
A venue for JAS musical collaborations with other not-for-profit organizations
Expanded dates from the current 36 nights winter and summer to ultimately 60-75 nights per year
A consistent year-round program of performances featuring more weekend nights, holidays and prime time performances (currently not feasible with existing venue partnerships)
A new, late night scene and venue with accessible pricing to expose younger audiences to all types of music
An elevated stage with ideal sight lines throughout the venue

classroom

A permanent, creative learning environment for students of all ages

A space where students and adults can listen, learn, rehearse, experiment, debate, perform & exchange ideas
A venue to enhance and expand JAS local student music education initiatives
A permanent home for the JAS Academy, a prestigious, all-scholarship summer program presented in collaboration with Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, under the direction of JAS Artistic Director Christian McBride and Frost Dean Shelly Berg
A world-class recording studio that supports both local & JAS Academy students eager to learn about the business of recording and broadcasting
A place to host adult music education initiatives, including Listen Up pre-concert artist interviews, plus additional workshops and lectures

studio

A studio for recording, teaching & broadcasting

The unique juxtaposition of a “live room” (The JAS Cafe) with an adjacent recording studio under one roof.
A recording, mixing and finishing studio with 21^st century broadcast capability.
Opportunities for artists ranging from visiting pop stars and JAS Cafe performers, as well as emerging students from the JAS Academy.
An enticing environment for local student engagement and learning about the recording and production business.
A magnet for great artists to work in an inspired setting while polishing material for their current projects.
Realization of the Jazz Aspen Snowmass aspiration to create the same world-wide reputation for excellence in its recording projects it has achieved during its 30 years of live concert programming, leveraging the power of the JAS and Aspen brand.

events

A flexible event space for gatherings of 100 – 300 people

Ideal space for corporate, private, community and government meetings or gatherings, with full A/V Capabilities.

One-of-a-kind, intimate-sized Aspen core venue: airy & light, indoor and outdoor.
A flexible venue for gatherings of 100-300 people: special events, meetings and diverse, community gatherings
A new nerve center of the community
A venue that can be rented for corporate, municipal or private gatherings including during prime time holidays
An event space for affordable rentals by other not-for-profit organizations
A downtown gathering spot to welcome thought leaders from business, government, education and the arts

Renderings