Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC), founded in 1987 as part of New York City's prestigious Lincoln Center, is a prominent organization dedicated to representing the totality of jazz music through education, performance, and archival efforts globally. Led by artistic director Wynton Marsalis, JALC presents its resident orchestra and visiting musicians, streams concerts online, and offers extensive educational programs to approximately 3 million people of all ages annually. Its main venue, which opened in October 2004, is a vibrant hub where the music of jazz legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong continuously fills the building.
The organization's inception was not without challenge; in the mid-1980s, Lincoln Center initially resisted adding a permanent jazz program due to concerns about its viability. However, through the persistence of advocates like Alina Bloomgarden and Wynton Marsalis's involvement, the "Classical Jazz" concert series launched in 1987 amidst a polarizing cultural landscape. JALC ultimately succeeded in demonstrating jazz's profound cultural merit and commercial appeal, cementing its role as a vital advocate for the art form, emphasizing its historical connection to a "vision of freedom."