About Us

417Jazz.com was first envisioned by my pops, Mark Brueggemann, a trumpet player in the area. As a kid, I’d tag along to his gigs, experiencing everything from rock to Creole Dixieland. However, jazz was always the standout.

Our mission is simple: Connect the community to live jazz and showcase the talented musicians in the area.

The local jazz scene excels thanks to the hard work and leadership of people like Jeff Gouge, whose grassroots efforts have ensured gigs are both successful and well-coordinated. Much of this local talent has been nurtured by Randy Hamm, the long-time jazz band director at Missouri State, whose influence has helped shape many of the musicians performing today. We are forever grateful to Chuck Susan Ortinau for their dedication to the local music scene and for providing hours of awesome videos featured on our youtube page.

This is our way of giving back—by helping musicians expand their audience, informing you of when and where their gigs take place.

-Todd Brueggemann