The Jazz Session #174: Redwood Jazz Alliance

If all you know about Humboldt County, California, is Firesign Theatre and, uh, “agriculture,” then it’s time you got to know the Redwood Jazz Alliance. Located behind the “Redwood Curtain,” the RJA is successfully bringing in major jazz artists to a community that wouldn’t otherwise have access to them. In this interview, three board members — Dan Aldag, Michael Eldridge and Eric Neel — talk about the origins of the Alliance; its early success in attracting top-flight talent; and how the local community has taken up the cause. Learn more at www.redwoodjazzalliance.org. NOTE:This interview was recorded in the summer of 2009, so please check the RJA site for a current list of events.