Just Jazz Foundation
Scholarship Recipients
Cultivating Community
The Just Jazz Foundation stands as a vibrant force in the world of jazz, dedicated to fostering community, supporting artists, and enriching the cultural landscape. Under the guidance of Frederick "Freddy Hoops" Smith Jr. and LeRoy "The Jazzcat" Downs, the Just Jazz foundation has created a nurturing space that transcends the boundaries of age and experience, bringing together jazz enthusiasts, seasoned professionals, and aspiring talents alike.
At the heart of the Just Jazz Foundation is a commitment to preserving and advancing the art of jazz. Through a myriad of initiatives such as the Just Jazz Concert Series, the KCRW and KRML radio shows, as well as the Just Jazz Student Jam, the Just Jazz Foundation has curated environments where the essence of jazz thrives. This community-building approach not only serves to entertain but also to educate, ensuring that the spirit of jazz is passed on to the next generation.
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The Just Jazz Foundation's support extends to emerging artists, providing a stage for them to share their talents and connect with a wider audience. By cultivating an inclusive, yet diverse community, the Just Jazz Foundation along with the Just Jazz Concert Series and Student Jam have become a vital hub for collaboration and creativity in Los Angeles, where musicians and enthusiasts can engage, learn, and celebrate the diverse expressions within the jazz idiom.
Just Jazz is guided by an ambitious goal oriented landscape that cultivates a vibrant interconnected community. Please donate to the Just Jazz Foundation using the form below. The non-profit Just Jazz Foundation is a 501c3, EIN #84-4817227. Your donation is tax-deductible. You will receive a receipt for your one time or monthly donation.
Just Jazz Foundation * Board of Directors
Frederick Smith Jr * Just Jazz Foundation * Executive Director
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A seasoned television production professional who dedicated 44 years to the CBS Television Network as a Video Editor. His impactful career at CBS Sports, spanning 1978 to 1996, included creating some of the most iconic video images in the history of televised sports. In 1990 he helped launch NBA's Inside Stuff on NBC and in 1995 contributed to the launch of CBS' Late Late Show franchise. Fred is a five-time Emmy Award winner. In early 2018 he and LeRoy Downs created Just Jazz TV. In May of 2018, Fred, LeRoy and Sam Milgrom created the Just Jazz Concert Series @ Mr Musichead Gallery. On April 21 of 2021 they received IRS 501c3 status and created the non-profit Just Jazz Foundation.
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LeRoy Downs * Just Jazz Foundation * Founding Board Member
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LeRoy, known as “The Jazzcat,” is an icon in the jazz industry, boasting a 25-year broadcasting and hosting career with the likes of the “Just Jazz” radio show on 89.9 FM KCRW and 94.7 KRML in Carmel. LeRoy is a host at the Monterey Jazz Festival and is co-founder of Just Jazz and a founding board member of the Just Jazz Foundation.
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Sam Milgrom * Just Jazz Foundation * Founding Board Member
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A deeply embedded love of music and art has led Sam Milgrom to build a nationally acclaimed music store, turn a historic movie house into Detroit’s premiere live music showcase nightclub, and launch an innovative gallery concept in Hollywood, California. Born and raised in the Motor City, this urban rocker has spent his entire life exploring every facet of the music industry and has spent his career bringing the best into the spotlight​​​​​​​​​​​.​
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Jim Brock * Just Jazz Foundation * Board Of Directors
Jim is a seasoned music photographer that focuses on his love of jazz, blues and roots music. He has provided coverage for the innovative Just Jazz concert series since it launched in Los Angeles in 2018, as well as ongoing coverage for such legacy events as the Newport Jazz Festival, the Newport Folk Festival, the Monterey Jazz Festival and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (for which he was jury selected 13 years to shoot for the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive, one of the richest historical collections in the country). He was the only US photographer included in the 2021 Jazz World Photo exhibition and a contributing photographer to the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Jazz Omnibus: 21st Century Photos and Writings”, a 600+ page anthology recently released by Cymbal Press with a very select and limited number of photos from JJA photographers. Recent film credits include ”Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story” from Sony Pictures Classics and co-directed by Frank Marshall, and “Take Me to the River New Orleans”, from filmmaker Martin Shore (which launched a global concert tour). Jim’s work is also found in other print, films, album art, books, on walls across many time zones, and, of course, online. Jim is a proud Angelino, born, raised and residing in the City of Angels. His camera rarely leaves his side, whether traveling across far-flung borders, or exploring the culture of Southern California.