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The Jazz Heritage Center in San Francisco has announced the unveiling of a groundbreaking new exhibit that chronicles a time when the U.S. government used American jazz musicians — instead of traditional symphony orchestras and ballet companies — as the nation's front-line cultural diplomats.

"Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World," showcases nearly one hundred photographs culled from various archives and collections from across the country. 

Get an exclusive peek at highlights from the exhibit!

The exhibit, organized by the Meridian International Center, explores various historic exchange programs operated by the U.S. Department of State during the 1950s, 60s and 70s. American jazz legends — names synonymous with jazz culture, including Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, and Benny Goodman — all participated in these tours as cultural ambassadors, and are featured in the exhibit.

To kick off the exhibit, the Jazz Heritage Center invites the public to a special celebration on Sunday, May 17, from 3 pm to 5 pm, with a live musical performance by the Dave Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet from the University of Pacific in Stockton.

"Jam Session" is part of an international tour which made its premiere at Washington, D.C.'s Meridian International Center, and most recently enjoyed a showing at the legendary Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The Jazz Heritage Center is the exhibit's only West Coast showing, and will run from May 17 to June 25, 2009; the exhibit is open daily from noon to 10 pm.

"Jam Session" is a free exhibit brought to the San Francisco community through the generosity of the Koret Foundation and Friends of the Jazz Heritage Center.

"The Jazz Heritage Center is proud to bring this historic exhibit to California," said Peter Fitzsimmons, executive director of the Jazz Heritage Center. "Jazz has long played a role in cultural exchange and diplomacy, whether through official programs or simply due to its nature as a distinctly American, flexible art form that has both absorbed influences from across the globe, and in turn impacted music internationally."

The New York Times in 1955 — and again in 2008 — referred to our country's jazz diplomats as America's "Super Sonic Weapon." Visitors to "Jam Session" will have an opportunity to see and learn why. Several VIP and community events are planned throughout the duration of the exhibit, including a performance and talk with jazz legend Randy Weston, visits with local schools, and a special event with the World Affairs Council's young professional division, and the Business for Diplomatic Action group.

The Jazz Heritage Center, located at 1320 Fillmore Street, is the only permanent cultural and educational complex dedicated to the long history of Jazz in San Francisco and the Fillmore District. Located within the new Fillmore Heritage Center in the heart of the Historic Fillmore Jazz Preservation District, the non-profit Jazz Heritage Center is part jazz museum, part jazz cultural center, and part jazz art gallery.

For more information, call 415.377.4565 or visit the Jazz Heritage Center website.