SCOTTSDALE, AZ — There’s no shortage of jazz music on Fat Tuesday, but there's a Valley musician who works to keep the music alive year-round, in part, by influencing the next generation of musicians.
William ‘Doc’ Jones embodies jazz.
From the fedora on his head to the shine in his shoes, Doc looks at every part of the timeless genre. His ability to play the complex intricacies of jazz comes naturally to the Chicago-born musician.
In the 80s, he moved his family to Arizona partly due to the warmer climate and to get his children away from “the slums” of Chicago.
In 2006, he found one of the best places in the city to open a jazz and supper club called, Doc’s Place. If you got lucky, you might see a famous face inside like one of the members of The Temptations.
The “straightforward” style of jazz he was familiar with got new flair when he came to the Valley. Doc said, “being in this part of the west, there’s some great Latina musicians out here.”
Mechanical issues with the venue’s air conditioning paired with the recession and lack of entertainment spending played key roles in Doc’s Place closing in 2012.
The closure and Arizona’s triple-digit heat led Doc to New Orleans where he started a publication and had an important conversation with jazz legend Herbie Hancock.
“He said, ‘Doc, you’re a musician, plus you got this publication, you need to utilize that to promote International Jazz Day," said Doc.
So for the past 11 years, with pauses during the pandemic, Doc has brought musicians in from around the world for International Jazz Day, April 30th, to the Scottsdale Jazz Festival.
Beginning this year, for the first time the celebration will be hosted held during multiple days from April 29-30, according to the website.
Doc has been instrumental in spreading jazz as he says 10 former Valley mayors and two former governors have recognized International Jazz Day. There was even a state resolution honoring the day that passed in 2019.
Perhaps his biggest impact is his influence on the next William ‘Doc’ Jones.
Doc helped form a foundation aimed to introduce the genre to children who may otherwise never have been exposed to jazz music.
With the help of the chairman of the festival, Alfred Molina, their goal is to put instruments in the hands of children around the world.
“You want children to have an instrument so they can have a purpose,” said Molina.
Doc says an instrument in your hands creates an opportunity – as it did for him.
“My job is to unite the entire state around International Jazz Day and Jazz appreciation month (April) – That’s what keeps me going,” he said.
