Welcome to the Mo Jazz Music Festival. Here at Jazz Forward Initiative, Inc., we have expanded our search to include local, regional, and truly national bands performing live at our FREE, OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, and family-friendly event.

“Ghost-Note”
Dallas’ funk-fusion group Ghost-Note graces the Rose Park Stage in Columbia, Missouri, for the 2022 Mo Jazz Music Festival. Snarky Puppy drummer Robert “Sput” Searight combines with Grammy-winning Snarky Puppy percussionist Nate Werth, bassist A.J. Brown, trombonist Daniel Wytanis, keyboardist Dominique Xavier Taplin, alto saxophonist Jonathan Mones, and guitarist Xavier Lynn to bring some serious funk and fun to the stage.

“Dawn Weber and Good Company” (2023) St. Louis’ Dawn Weber and Good Company fill the Mo Jazz Music Festival stage with soulful funk, fusion, jazz, blues, and R&B! Dawn Weber – trumpet, flugelhorn, vocals,
John King – bass, Des Jones – drums, Jason Swagler – alto sax, Nick Schlueter – keyboards, Vince Varvell – guitar. Recorded Saturday, September 9, 2023.

“Jonathan Scales Fourchestra” (2023 ) Jonathan Scales Fourchestra of New York returns to the Mo Jazz Music Festival to share their unique and creative sound with the citizens of mid-Missouri. Jonathan Scales on steel pans, E’Lon JD on bass, and Maison Guidry on drums.

“Paa Kow And His Afro-Fusion Orchestra” (2019) Originally from Ghana, West Africa, Paa Kow (pronounced like taco) brings his Denver-based eight-piece orchestra to the Mo Jazz Music Festival. Mixing funk, soul and African rhythms for a fantastic hour of great tunes. The audience was UP for this one.

“James Ward Band” (2018) The James Ward Band returns to the stage.