Welcome to Jazz.com

Jazz guitarist Bruce Forman and his western cowboy jazz band Cow Bop, will be hitting the road this summer traveling on America’s most storied road, Route 66, for the upcoming 2008 Route 66 Challenge. Starting in Chicago, on May 12, 2008, CowBop will be playing a mix of impromptu and pre-arranged concerts as well as the street corners, dives and honky tonks they frequented on their first three Route 66 Challenges. All the while bopping their way back west to the grand finish concert at Southern California’s Jazz Bakery on May 26th.

All of the proceeds from performances, per-mile pledges, grants, and part of the CD revenue will benefit JazzMasters Workshop (JMW), a non-profit that Forman started in 2000. JMW recruits veteran musicians to mentor kids who otherwise might not have access to music lessons. Funds raised in 2008 will support two new programs for Boys & Girls Clubs in underserved areas. Cow Bop also hopes to inspire and challenge musicians and other communities along the way to begin programs with the help of JMW. “I expect and invite many musicians to find us out on the open road to come and play along says Bruce Forman. I’m throwing down the gauntlet here… it’s time to stop complaining come on out and do something!”

For donation information and the complete Route 66 itinerary and history go to http://playroute66.blogspot.com/