Jazz Underground

Jazz Arts Group (JAG) is one of the nation’s premier jazz organizations, dedicated to performance, education, and community.
They wanted a fresh visual direction for their annual gala.
I served both graphic and physical artwork.
The final visuals became the backbone of the event, used across signage, presentations, digital channels, auction items, and guest takeaways.

Challenges &

Jazz Arts Group was shifting its identity and wanted to break from its usual style — photography-heavy layouts with classic, familiar typography.

The goal is to introduce a new graphic direction that feels rooted in their history, aligns with their audience, and elevates their signature fundraiser.

They weren’t struggling; they simply needed a fresh perspective and a creative partner capable of more than just design execution.

Insights

JAG’s strongest asset: They are relational.

Their connection with donors, musicians, and subscribers runs deep. Their performances are rich and their culture is alive.

We wanted to challenge the visual for this specific event to express that energy fully.

The solution wasn’t to replace their identity but to expand it.

The Concept

Nostalgia meets cool.
Smoke is in the air, laughter, clanging glasses, and fast-moving feet.

Imagine knowing where to experience jazz before software existed, when alcohol was illegal, and “marketing” was mostly hand-to-hand “combat”. I predict you heard about the event from a close confidant or came across a handcrafted flyer/poster, cut from textured paper, inked, painted, carved, and improvised.