Gene Harris Legacy
Bringing Jazz Education and Enrichment to the Treasure Valley
In 1998, the first Gene Harris Jazz Festival began. It was a tremendously popular event and brought both big names and big crowds to Boise, Idaho. GHJF eventually integrated an educational component and was integrated with Boise State University as a fully-funded signature event. Over time, and with the popularity and realities of large-scale jazz tours, the festival lost its permanent funding and, along with it, staff. The festival was then run by a Boise State University faculty member and, due to the magnitude of the event, went through several evolutions. This included the downsizing of the public performances along with a restructuring of the traditional contest-style school jazz festival. Over the past 6 years, the festival has eliminated the downtown aspect and focused on the educational side. Since 2023, the festival has lost the support of the Morrison Center and so the final performances were held in the Student Union Building.
As times change, so must our mission and approach! Moving forward and starting with the 2025 festival, we will no longer be holding the contest-style jazz event on campus. This event will be submission-based and the winners will be invited to perform as a part of TreeFort South, our Boise State University-based Treefort Venue.
The legacy of Gene Harris continues with our monthly jam sessions and after-school All-Star jazz combo program. These events truly honor Gene Harris by supporting improvisation-based jazz education, experiential learning of jazz, and performing opportunities for all.