Since our founding in 1975, Kuumbwa Jazz has grown from humble beginnings to presenting over 130 concerts each year, and serving over 1,000 students annually. Kuumbwa (pronounced koo-um-baa) is a Swahili word meaning “act of spontaneous creativity,” and in that spirit we envision a community where all people can experience the joy of music, and understand the value and legacy of jazz as an original American art form