If everything is jazz, nothing is jazz.

What is JazzBelize?

JazzBelize is the premier source for the coverage, promotion, and performance of the great American music known as "jazz" in the Commonwealth of Belize.

The idea for this platform sparked many years ago when its founder, Loreto Pelayo Jr., noticed the severe lack of resources and opportunities both to learn and to listen to this music. A problem not only found in Belize, but internationally, "jazz" became a catch-all term that would refer to anything with a saxophone.

We speak of jazz in traditional terms, with music rooted in the tradition of the great early swing players of the 30s, to innovative bebop musicians like Bud Powell and Charlie Parker in the 40s, to the hip styles played by post-bop musicians in the 50s, to the music that is played and is alive today by great modern players. This is the music that we at JazzBelize love and cherish.

To an outsider, this specificity may seem close-minded, and some may shun us as being "anti-jazz" - stating that jazz is about innovation, moving forward, and playing with the times. We are pro-innovation with the music, and there are many great things being done in the modern jazz scene - however, everything cannot be labeled "jazz" - often, it's something else. We value music rooted and grown out of this great American tradition over the past 100 years.