Presented by local musician and teaching artist, J.J. Pattishall, in partnership with the St.
Petersburg Arts Alliance and the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association. ‘ Roots Azul: Sound,
Culture, & Community in Tampa Bay’ is an immersive musical performance and listening
experience. With original compositions performed by a live seven-piece collective ensemble of
Tampa Bay Area musicians, Roots Azul shines a light on the musical relevance and multicultural
history of the Tampa Bay region; its music, its people, and their relationship with their
environment. Understanding and awareness are needed now more than ever and music is a
powerful vehicle for dialog as it often illuminates surprising relationships within our shared
humanity. Music inspires conversation, cultivates empathy, and fosters a deeper sense of
community.

Within Florida and the Gulf South region at large, stretching roughly from Key West along the
Gulf Coast to the Yucatán peninsula and the Caribbean, the social function of music is integral
to public life in places like New Orleans and Cuba. Certain aspects of these communities also
exist within the Tampa Bay region through our parallel histories, shared ecologies, and similar
cultural influences.

The foundation of this dynamic project is built on cross-cultural collaboration through research,
creative production, and public engagement, and aims to bring together musicians and
community members from all walks of life. The hope is that by enlisting the talents of local artists
and partnering with inclusive spaces such as The Studio @620, Roots Azul will serve as a
catalyst for future projects, laying the groundwork for a creative model rooted in education,
community building, and social solidarity.