Chicago Jazz Orchestra

What Chicago Jazz Orchestra does

The Chicago Jazz Orchestra Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional jazz orchestra founded in 1978 in Chicago, Illinois as the Jazz Members Big Band by Jeff Lindberg and the late Steve Jensen. The organization rebranded to its current name in 1999 and is governed by a 10-member Board of Directors plus an Honorary Board of jazz luminaries. Jeff Lindberg serves as Artistic Director, Mary Odin as Executive Director, and the staff comprises approximately six part-time support roles covering business management, grant writing, social media, videography, and administration.

The orchestra's product portfolio spans four areas: (i) live performance services for private and corporate events, ranging from small jazz combos to 40+ musician productions with strings, French horns, and harp; (ii) themed tribute concert programs (Sinatra/Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Frank Zappa, Kurt Elling, Wes Montgomery); (iii) recorded albums sold as CD, vinyl, and through streaming platforms; and (iv) charitable donation programs leveraging its federal tax-exempt status. Core operating technology is minimal: a Wix-hosted website (cjomusic.org), Instagram, and Facebook channels, with no proprietary software platform. The competitive positioning rests on Lindberg's note-for-note transcription capabilities and a content library of rare arrangements that allow note-accurate re-creations of historical performances.

Revenue is generated through four streams: customized performance fees from event bookings (professional services model), album and merchandise sales (one-time license), ticket sales from self-produced concert series including the annual summer residency at the Jazz Showcase (transaction fee), and tax-deductible charitable donations including Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs (recurring). Pricing for live bookings is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer segments include event organizers and planners (primary), jazz enthusiasts and concert-goers, and festival and venue programmers. Distribution is direct (website inquiry forms) plus selected institutional venue partnerships (Jazz Showcase, Chicago Jazz Festival, Symphony Center, Logan Center, Kennedy Center historically).

Name

Chicago Jazz Orchestra

Legal name

Chicago Jazz Orchestra Association

Website

https://cjomusic.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Chicago Jazz Orchestra Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional jazz orchestra, founded in 1978 in Chicago, that books a flexible 14-40 musician ensemble for galas, festivals, and corporate events, performs themed tribute concert programs, sells recorded albums, and operates an annual summer residency at the Jazz Showcase.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Performance Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

Keywords

• Live jazz performances
• Big band orchestra
• Jazz concert productions
• Event music booking
• Jazz album recordings

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Performance Fees and Event Bookings: The orchestra is hired for various events including galas, festivals, corporate events, and private celebrations. Clients can book the entire ensemble or customize the group based on their needs. Revenue generated from performance fees for these engagements.
2. Album Sales: The CJO generates revenue through album sales including CDs, vinyl records, and streaming. Recent releases include More Amor (2025), Live from Space (2017), Burstin' Out (2013), Keeping My Composure (2006), Porgy and Bess (2004), and Diggin' In (1993). Albums available for purchase through their store and streaming platforms.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra accepts tax-deductible donations from supporters. They offer various donation levels ($25, $50, $100) and accept Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) from Individual Retirement Accounts for donors age 70½ or older.
4. Concert Series and Ticket Sales: The orchestra runs its own concert series including a summer residency at the Jazz Showcase, performing every Monday evening through the end of August with featured guest artists.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Chicago Jazz Orchestra provides professional live jazz orchestra performance services for events ranging from small jazz combos to full 40+ musician big band productions with strings, harp, and French horns. The orchestra is hired for galas, festivals, corporate events, receptions, and private celebrations, and also produces themed tribute concert programs (Sinatra/Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Frank Zappa, Kurt Elling, Dexter Gordon). In addition, the organization produces and sells recorded music as CDs, vinyl, and streaming releases, and runs a recurring summer residency at Chicago's Jazz Showcase.

Product overview

The Chicago Jazz Orchestra operates as Chicago's oldest continuously operating professional jazz orchestra (founded 1978), offering a portfolio of live performance services and recorded music products. Core offerings include full big band performances ranging from 14-40 musicians for events and festivals, album recordings available as CDs, vinyl, and streaming, and themed concert programs such as the annual Summer Residency at the Jazz Showcase. Performance packages range from intimate jazz combos to full orchestras with strings, and the organization produces themed tribute shows to legendary jazz artists. The nonprofit also accepts charitable contributions through its 501(c)(3) status.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Live Performance Services Professional jazz orchestra performance services bookable for galas, corporate events, festivals, receptions, and private celebrations. Ensemble configurations scale from small jazz combos to a full big band with strings, harp, and French horns (14 to 40+ musicians), with each performance tailored to the specific needs of the occasion.
• Sinatra/Basie: Live at the Sands Tribute A themed 17-piece orchestra concert program featuring vocalist Paul Marinaro that re-creates the legendary Frank Sinatra/Count Basie recording Sinatra at the Sands using note-for-note transcriptions. Designed for gala events, special celebrations, and festival/concert series.
• Kurt Elling with The Chicago Jazz Orchestra A 19-musician headline concert program featuring Grammy-winning vocalist Kurt Elling performing new arrangements and classics from his Kennedy Center appearances with the CJO.
• "Exquisitely for Ella": A Songbook Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald A large-scale tribute concert featuring three jazz vocalists performing Ella Fitzgerald's Great American Songbook repertoire, backed by an expanded 40-musician CJO including 17 strings, harp, and French horns. Can be downsized with fewer strings.
• A Tribute to Ray Charles A tribute performance featuring original vintage Ray Charles arrangements and charts from the Genius + Soul = Jazz album, with a Hammond B-3, three Raelettes-style vocalists (The Chi-JO-lettes), and a 23-musician big band.
• "The Grand Wazoo and Other Delights": A Tribute to Frank Zappa A 15-piece CJO tribute program featuring saxophonist Ernie Watts performing Frank Zappa's "The Grand Wazoo" and related repertoire.
• More Amor - A Tribute to Wes Montgomery 2025 album release featuring guitarist Bobby Broom performing Wes Montgomery repertoire, distributed as CD, vinyl, and streaming. Originally developed from a 2004 concert project at Harold Washington Library.
• Live from Space 2017 live album recorded at SPACE in Evanston, IL, featuring original compositions and arrangements by CJO musicians.
• Summer Jazz Showcase Residency Annual summer concert series at Chicago's Jazz Showcase featuring the full CJO performing every Monday evening through the end of August with featured guest artists. Tickets available through the Jazz Showcase website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Five-star rating from DownBeat Magazine for Porgy and Bess (2004)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Jazz Institute of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Jazz Institute of Chicago invited the Jazz Members Big Band (CJO's predecessor) to be the first band on the first night of the inaugural Chicago Jazz Festival in 1979. This long-standing relationship continues as the CJO participates in the annual Chicago Jazz Festival.
• SPACE (Evanston, IL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPACE (Evanston, IL) served as the recording venue for the CJO's 2017 live album Live from Space. The partnership provided a performance venue for this significant recording project.
• Harold Washington LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Harold Washington Library in Chicago originally hosted the More Amor concert project in 2004, which later evolved into the successful 2025 album release featuring Bobby Broom.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra: The flagship U.S. professional jazz orchestra, resident at Lincoln Center and led for decades by Wynton Marsalis. Directly comparable to CJO: a continuously operating professional jazz orchestra that performs live concerts, tours nationally and internationally, releases albums, and operates as an artistic-director-driven repertoire organization.
• Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra: A Seattle-based professional big band jazz orchestra performing concert series and educational events. Directly comparable to CJO: regional professional jazz orchestra with concert series, guest-artist programming, and a small-staff nonprofit operating model.
• Maria Schneider Orchestra: An independent, artist-led professional big band that records and performs original compositions. Directly comparable to CJO as a self-directed professional jazz orchestra with a Grammy-winning album catalog, themed concert programming, and a leader-driven artistic identity similar to CJO under Jeff Lindberg.
• Mingus Big Band: A 14+ piece performing big band operating under the Charles Mingus estate with a long-running live residency, multiple album releases, and themed concert programming. Directly comparable to CJO as a performing big band with recurring live performances, recording output, and a small paid roster model.
• Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: A professional jazz orchestra in residence at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Directly comparable to CJO as a professional big band that performs historically informed repertoire, records albums, and partners with major venues — a parallel 'institutional' big-band model.
• Count Basie Orchestra: The continuing legacy big band formed by Count Basie, currently touring under a designated musical director. Directly comparable to CJO as a continuously operating professional big band orchestra that sells live performances at galas, festivals, and concert series and retains a name-driven repertoire identity.
• Vanguard Jazz Orchestra: A long-running professional big band that has held a Monday-night residency at New York's Village Vanguard since the 1960s. Directly comparable to CJO under the same event-driven model with a recurring Monday-evening residency (parallel to CJO's Jazz Showcase Monday nights), a stable album catalog, and a stable artistic-directorship.
• Columbus Jazz Orchestra: A nonprofit regional professional jazz orchestra based in Columbus, OH, with a similar vintage to the CJO. Directly comparable in size and operating posture: regional performance focus, 501(c)(3) funding, recurring concert series, and album output at a similar scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/chicagojazzorchestra
• Instagraminstagram.com/chicagojazzorchestra/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cjo

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Jazz Orchestra