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Yearly, it presented concert series that featured performances by jazz performers of nation significance. The musicians we booked were considered masters of their art at the time that we booked them.

Monthly, we organized scheduled jazz jam sessions that featured local jazz musicians from Lincoln and Omaha. Those started at the Zoo Bar in early 1976. At the same time, we worked to cultivate venues around Lincoln, trying to demonstrate that there was sufficent jsupport for jazz in Lincoln to make it worthwhile to book local jazz ensembles.

After several years, jazz was being played at Jesse's Tavern across from the Zoo on 14th Street, at the Glass Onion the vegetarian restaurant that was located next to Dirt Cheap Records on 11th Street, a block from Kimball Recital Hall, the Saint Lawrence Hotel, Chesterfield's, and several other Lincoln establishments whose name's escape me 40 years later.

Lincoln Jazz Society timeline

In February 1976, applied for Grant with Nebraska Arts Council to acquire seed money so the inaugural concert series could be booked . We received approval for our grant proposal late in the summer of 1976.

First concert series (Fall 1976 through Spring 1977) - O'Donnell Auditorium, Nebraska Wesleyan campus:

November 9, 1976 -- Modern Jazz Quartet - John Lewis, piano, Milt Jackson, vibraphone, Percy Heath, bass, and CConnie Kay, drums

In December, presented the UNL Jazz Orchestra lead by Randy Snyder and an ensemble from Omaha

January 30th, 1977 -- McCoy Tyner - Tyner piano, Joe Ford, alto sax, Ron Bridgewater, tenor saxophone, Eric Gravatt, drums, Charles Fambrough, bass, Guilherme Franco (congas and percussion)

April 16th, 1977 -- Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra - 16 member orchestra lead by cornetist Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis. I remember that Rufus Reid was the bassist, and that tenor saxophonist Larry Schneider was featured prominently in that band.

Second Concert Series (Fall 1977 through Spring 1978) - O'Donnell Auditorium, Nebraska Wesleyan campus

October 13th, 1977 -- Dexter Gordon Quartet - Dexter Gordon, tenor and soprano sax, George Cables, piano, Rufus Reid, bass, Eddie Gladden, drums.

Gladden joined Dexter's band for the first time for our concert. This band stayed together as a unit for three or four years, and was the first band that Dexter was able to keep together in the U.S. during his long career. He started playing professionally when he toured with Louis Armstrong as late teenager in the early '40s.

December 16th, 1977 -- Dizzy Gillespie Quartet - Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet, Mickey Roker, drums, Rodney Jones, guitar, Ben Brown, bass

February 17th, 1978 -- Woody Shaw Quintet - Woody Shaw, trumpet, Carter Jefferson, tenor and soprano saxophones, Onaje Allen Gumbs, piano, Clint Houston, bass, Victor Lewis, drums

Victor Lewis graduated from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1973, and had moved first briefly to Minneapolis to gain playing experience, and then to New York City. He first played with David Sanborn and joined Woody Shaw's band in 1977. We were super excited to hear our local hero playing with such a great band.

March 16th, 1978 -- Bill Evans Trio - Bill Evans, piano, Michael Moore, bass, Phill Joe Jones, drums

In July 1978, the Society was able to book on short notice a performance of the David Friesen- John Stowell Duo, which was presented at the the Glass Onion Restaurant in Lincoln.

Third Concert series (Fall 1978 through Spring of 1979) - Kimball Recital Hall, University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus:

November 11, 1978 - Joe Pass - solo guitar concert

December 4, 1978 - Betty Carter Quartet - Betty Carter, vocalist, John Hicks, piano, Cameron Brown, bass, Kenny Washington, drums

Betty and her trio performed for the prisoners at the Lincoln State Penitentiary for a mid-afternoon show, and then performed for our concert at 8pm.

February 1979 - Max Roach Quartet - Max Roach, drums, Ron Bridgewater, trumpet, Odean Pope, tenor saxophone, Calvin Hill, upright electric bass

we were scheduled to present the Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band in April of 1979, but had to postpone that concert because we ran into funding difficulties.

We were able to book that Orchestra for a concert, to fullfill our obligations to them and our members, a year later in April 1980.

April 21,1980 - Toshiko Akiyoshi-Lew Tabackin Big Band - orchestra lead by pianist and composer Toshiko Akiyoshi and her husband, Lew Tabackin, tenor saxophone and flute

In summer 1980 or 1981, NETV produced a performance by Betty Carter that was recorded in the NETV studio on UNL East campus for later broadcast. The audience was largely Lincoln and Omaha residents who had in the past been Lincoln Jazz Society subscribers.