UNESCO’s International Jazz Day is the brainchild of Herbie Hancock, the revered jazz giant and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. It’s every April 30 in a different global host city, and last week’s 15th Anniversary edition was especially meaningful. It was the first time in (my and) Herbie’s hometown Chicago, and the last edition before the US is withdrawn from UNESCO again; I’m happy I was able to be present.

I’ve been a fan of UNESCO since 2020 —my DownNow Project. was awarded by Chicago DCASE, The International Center for Journalists, and National Geographic; and the Nat Geo award led to my invited participation and small feature in the UNESCO World Press Freedom Conference…

I’d been generally aware of the agency, but this was how I began to understand the scope of its mandate, relative to my own work. My profound interest manifested a visit to UNESCO HQ in Paris, during my 2022 Euro Grand Tour, for a great meeting that still informs my current, UNESCO-related media project for The City of Chicago.

It was great to finally meet Herbie, he remains a coveted interview and personal hero for his impact on jazz, electronic music (esp. hip-hop) and Afrofuturism —plus, I’m from the same south side Chicago neighborhoods (Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Kenwood). I also appreciated Kurt Elling’s tribute to Oscar Brown Jr. (1:40:00), another personal hero. And salute to fellow native son Jahari Stampley, he snapped with Bela Fleck (1:18:48) and set me up smooth with Herbie backstage.

The other major highlight was reconnecting with Robert Glasper (we’re still overdue a follow-up). His sublimely-dope, jazz and hip-hop set (59:50) was especially resonant for me, because I’m gradually getting back to my own “true-school”. roots for said media project, and refreshing my emcee/poet and sampling beatmaker skill-sets.