The great musician Nina Simone found her voice by uniting two worlds that are rarely connected: the structure of classical music and the free expression of jazz. Alchemy often happens this way, with each element calling and responding to the other so naturally that an unexpected pairing begins to feel inevitable. Through jazz, Simone harnessed her magic and described it simply:

“Jazz is not just music, it’s a way of life, it’s a way of being, a way of thinking.”

—Nina Simone

Since 2021, jazz has been a meeting place for celebrating, amplifying, and supporting a shared commitment to affordable homeownership and sustainable rural development on Lopez Island.

JAS co-founders Joe Schneider and Kim Clements have both served as dedicated board members for Northwest nonprofit organizations: Joe with the Lopez Community Land Trust (LCLT), and Kim with Seattle JazzED.

Their work with these organizations—one focused on affordable homeownership, sustainable agriculture, and rural development, and the other opening the empowering, community-building world of jazz to K–12 students—inspired the idea for JazzBall.

At a Seattle JazzED gala, Kim and Joe were introduced to Sammy Miller and the Congregation, an NYC-based band known for bringing the deep soul of jazz and the joy of the American Songbook to audiences and students across the country and around the world.

Sammy and his bold, brassy musicians sparked a question: What if affordable housing, sustainable agriculture, rural development, and joyful jazz could come together at a Lopez homestead known as Rootball—creating a bit of magic while raising critical funds for LCLT?

Now in its fifth year, JazzBall welcomes more than 300 guests to swing to the sounds of Sammy Miller and the Congregation, enjoy some of the Northwest’s best tacos from local favorite El Taco ’Bout It, and join a shared commitment to making homeownership and sustainable agriculture possible.

In its first four years, JazzBall raised nearly $500,000 for Lopez Community Land Trust’s work. This milestone year promises to be the best one yet. Beginning in 2026, the event will move to a biennial schedule, with JazzBall No. 6 planned for August 2028.

What began as a small idea for a unique event has grown into a way of thinking about two urgent needs for communities of every size: how we house ourselves, how we feed ourselves, and how we build true community.

JazzBall brings that conversation to the table with joy and celebration through the art and heart of jazz. The people’s music calls to the work of Lopez Community Land Trust, and LCLT responds in kind—affirming that this work, whatever form it takes, comes from both the heart and the mind. It is also a lot of fun.

As JAS Design Build owners and Lopez Island residents, Joe and Kim are deeply inspired by Lopez Community Land Trust. Executive Director Sandy Bishop and her team make magic look easy. But much like jazz, affordable housing is not just a thing, it is a living practice, a dialogue, and a large-scale conversation that Joe and Kim are grateful to support, engage in, and host.