Who We Are
Jazz4Justice Mission: Jazz4Justice raises public awareness and funds for Legal Aid and music scholarships. We do this by forming collaborative partnerships with the legal community, the business community, the music community, and Universities. Jazz4Justice History: Jazz4Justice is the brainchild of Fairfax, Virginia, attorney Edward L. Weiner, conceived in 2000 while he attended a Jazz recital by the George Mason University (GMU) School of Music. He was very impressed by the music, but distressed by the small audience. As a Past President of the Fairfax Law Foundation (FLF), he saw an opportunity for these two organizations to work together on a mutually beneficial project that would also strengthen connections with the local community. Professor Jim Carroll, Founder of Jazz Studies at GMU, partnered with Ed, and the first Jazz4Justice concert was held at GMU in 2002. Jazz4Justice is truly a unique event. From the beginning, attorneys, judges, students, and fellow members of the Northern Virginia community have gathered in a friendly environment where Jazz admirers could congregate and celebrate their love for the music. Today, through partnerships with 6 universities and numerous local Bar Associations, over 60 Jazz4Justice concerts have been held across the Commonwealth: George Mason University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Christopher Newport University, Northern Virginia Community College, the University of Virginia, and the University of Mary Washington as well as a new festival format in Falls Church and DC. These concerts have raised over $600,000 for jazz programs and an array of educational and charitable legal services benefiting Virginia's local communities. Each J4J event requires a tremendous amount of planning and coordination across multiple non-profits, volunteers, and musicians. The money raised at each event goes back into the community it serves, and the events will continue to be replicated in new communities across the Commonwealth through our partnerships and volunteer committees.
What We Do
Jazz4Justice events take place across the Commonwealth of Virginia, and we are looking to grow into Warrenton in partnership with Legal Aid Works in Fauquier County. For over 20 years, Jazz4Justice (J4J) has built collaborative partnerships between university music programs, business communities, and local legal communities, producing over 60 concerts while advocating for access to justice and supporting music education. Each J4J concert is a unique event: in addition to fabulous music, events may include a reception, a jam session where anyone can bring their instruments to play with the “pros”, and a local celebrity as a guest ‘conductor.’ Attorneys, judges, students, and community members gather in a friendly environment where Jazz admirers can congregate and celebrate their love for the music.
