In response to Columbus jazz fans’ confusion, Central Ohio’s 24 hour Jazz Radio Station, Jazz 98.5 FM, WSAX-LP, recently issued statements regarding their Jazz At The Amp series, which had a successful three-year run at the Westerville Alum Creek Park North Amphitheater. In a surprisingly audacious move, Westerville Parks and Recreation denied the station the ability to use the Amphitheater for the series in 2019 and instead decided to start its own separate series building on Jazz At The Amp’s success. This new series in Westerville is not supporting Columbus’ jazz radio station, and in my opinion, is not supporting the Columbus jazz community overall. WSAX’s Jazz At The Amp will return in 2020 at a new location, so stay tuned for details. In the meantime, see below for information on the station’s Saturday New Music Showcase, which offers listeners the chance to influence artist selection for the 2020 Jazz At The Amp and other concerts presented by the radio station. Keep reading for more information from WSAX, including ways to let Westerville know your opinions on their actions:
2019 Series Canceled
Response To Your Questions and Concerns
Thanks For Your Support
After three spectacular and successful years of presenting our Jazz At The Amp concert series, Westerville Parks and Recreation denied us the continued use of the Amphitheater so they could capitalize and take advantage of the success and popularity of our Jazz At The Amp concert series and present a separate jazz series. We’re asking our jazz fans and all others to join us in stopping this kind of behavior by Westerville or any other caretakers of public facilities that exclude certain arts groups from sharing in the piece of the pie.
Write to the Westerville Mayor, City Manager and Westerville Parks Foundation to express your opinion or concerns.
Craig Treneff, Westerville Mayor
craig.treneff@westerville.org
Phone: (614) 901-6400David Collinsworth, City Manager
David.Collinsworth@westerville.org
Phone: (614) 901-6410Jim McCann
Westerville Parks Foundation
westervilleparksfoundation@gmail.com
Phone: (614) 901-6517WE’RE MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION
Jazz At The Amp will no longer be held at the Westerville Alum Creek Park North Amphitheater.The Jazz At The Amp concert series was created by SEMM Foundation, owners of Central Ohio’s 24 hour Jazz Radio Station, Jazz 98.5 FM, WSAX and owners of the trademarked Jazz At The Amp name. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, SEMM Foundation and its Jazz radio station organized and presented this spectacular summer Jazz series at the Alum Creek Park North Amphitheater.
A Message from Jazz 98.5 FM, WSAX Management
We wish to thank all of our listeners and supporters that have both supported our station and attended our Jazz At The Amp concerts the past three years.
Many of our friends, listeners and supporters have encouraged us to speak out about a subject of which for many months we’ve chosen to take the high road and say nothing at all.
This summer in 2019, our organization will no longer present Jazz At The Amp in Westerville.
Since 2016, our non-profit organization, SEMM Foundation, and jazz radio station of dedicated and passionate volunteers, proposed, created, developed, implemented and managed the Jazz At The Amp summer concert series.
It’s often been said that imitation is the best form of flattery. Based upon the success and national acclaim received by our Jazz At The Amp series Westerville has chosen to exclude us, eliminate our involvement and present a separate jazz series.
We have been contacted by so many people that are either confused; are not aware of our non-involvement or misled to believe we continue to be involved; or have heard of our exclusion and want to take action to show their discontent.
Don’t be confused. If you’re planning to attend this summer’s concert series in support of our station, we will not be participating and therefore, we will not be there. By attending the new jazz series, you are not supporting us or those truly interested in keeping jazz alive. While we’re not suggesting you not attend their new jazz series, before attending, perhaps you should ask yourself how much longer should you allow others to take something away from you that you’ve worked so very hard to build, and why should you allow others to benefit from the sweat and fruit of your labor?
Central Ohio’s real Jazz At The Amp concert series will return again in 2020 at a new location.
Thank you!
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Saturday New Music Showcase
To all of our Jazz 98.5 FM listeners and jazz loving fans, here’s how you can be a part of choosing the artists you want to see and hear live in concert in our future concert events and especially at our 2020 Jazz At The Amp concerts. Start tuning in each and every Saturday from 3pm to 6pm and listen to our Saturday New Music Showcase where we feature only the New Music Releases from artists you know and from artists you’ll want to know and see in concert. Check our daily playlists (http://www.myjazz98.com/playlist) for the name of the song and artist that played from 3pm to 6pm during our Saturday New Music Showcase. You Make The Call!
