Draft:Kuumbwa Jazz Center

Kuumbwa Jazz Center is a non-profit music venue located in Santa Cruz, California. It was officially opened at its current location on May 25th, 1977 by a group of three young philanthropists. Since Kuumbwa's beginnings in 1975 the club has become a location for music arts and education. The club has presented musicians such as Art Blakey, McCoy Tyner, Dizzy Gillespie, Pharoah Sanders, Chick Corea, Bobby Hutcherson, Roy Haynes, Betty Carter, Joe Henderson, Max Roach, Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw, Ron Carter, Henry Threadgill, Chick Corea, Houston Person, Charles Lloyd, Kenny Barron, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman, Christian McBride and many more.

Education
In 1981, Kuumbwa began its jazz summer camp, along with free masterclasses. Kuumbwa also has an honor band that rotates every year.

Funding
Kuumbwa, as a non-profit organization, has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council, the Packard Foundation, the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, and the Santa Cruz City Arts Commission.

Awards
In 2011 Kuumbwa was recognized by Downbeat Magazine as one of the "Great Jazz Venues in the World".

Jazz Alley Mural
In 2010 local Santa Cruz artist Marvin Plummer painted a mural titled "Jazz Alley" on Birch Lane next to the center. The mural includes paintings of Christian McBride, Roy Hargrove, John Scofield, Betty Carter and Regina Carter.