The Tucson Jazz Music Foundation is governed by the Board of Directors. Each director draws on their expertise to make decisions that help fulfill the Foundation’s mission and is expected to make generous contributions and represent the Foundation at music events in Tucson, across the state, and at regional and national festivals and conferences. Individuals interested in applying for a director position or volunteering may download the application here: Director / Volunteer Application Form. Questions may be directed to treasurer@tjmfdn.org or call 520-743-1349.
We mourn the loss of our president who left us December 26, 2018.
Yvonne Ervin, President, Artistic Director, Tucson Jazz Festival. Yvonne C. Ervin, CFRE, worked in development for a dozen years in NYC, where she held the top development positions in health, education and social services agencies and was Executive Director of the Candies Foundation. Before moving to NYC, she spent a decade as executive director of the Tucson Jazz Society, which she grew into the largest jazz society in the country and where she produced “Jazz on the Border: The Mingus Project.” After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Arizona, Yvonne spent five years as marketing director for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. She served as secretary of the board of the International Association for Jazz Education for four years and she currently sits on the board of the Santa Cruz Advocates for the Arts. Since 1989 Yvonne has been the Executive Director of the Western Jazz Presenters Network. Yvonne is currently Artistic Director of Jazz In January, a nonprofit that produces the Tucson Jazz Festival which began in 2015.
Krystyna Parafinczuk, Treasurer, treasurer@tjmfdn.org ~ Krystyna Parafinczuk has a background in public relations (5 years), banking administration (planning and organization / Harris Bank Chgo), securities lending (Harris Bank Trust Dept), and was an insurance agent (Equitable)/broker (life, health, annuities) for more than 20 years. While she worked in the business environment by day, during the evenings and weekends she pursued dance arts and became a dance studio owner in Northfield, IL: DancInc, Inc since 1991. She continues to be a free-lance dance educator, producer and consultant. Krystyna has many, many, many years experience in dance education, production, performance, marketing, administration, and consulting. She produced “school shows” collaborating with violinist/composer Michael Fan and dancers, and organized and produced History of Jazz and ‘jazz legends’ themed educational concerts for School Districts, plus founded, organized and produced four major dance festivals in Tucson. In 2019 Krystyna conceived of, organized and produced the Foundation’s all-girls jazz music intensive in partnership with Pima Community College Performing Arts Department — Girls Jazzin’ It Up (June 2019) — funded by the Foundation’s Yvonne Ervin Jazz Music Memorial Scholarship for Girls.
Krystyna was treasurer (2005-2022) of the Arizona Dance Coalition (ADC), a membership-based statewide nonprofit organization and editor/writer/designer (2011-2022) of the Arizona Dance e-Star, a monthly e-publication of the ADC. She set up the policies, bylaws and job descriptions for ADC and for the Tucson Jazz Music Foundation, and secured their nonprofit 501(c)(3) status. From administrator to producer to fundraiser, she creates events and opportunities for dancers, musicians, and the general public, and advocates for the arts and arts education in Arizona and the nation.
Scott Black, Director, scottblackbass@gmail.com ~ Scott Black is co-owner/co-director of the Tucson Jazz Institute, a private community jazz music school producing national award-winning students, big bands and combos. He is a professional jazz musician (trumpet/bassist) and has enjoyed living and performing in New York, Milwaukee, Chicago and now Tucson. He has more than 45 years experience as an educator, adjudicator and clinician. Scott authored BEBOP SCALES: How to understand, practice and use (an instructional improvisation book) and is founder of the Tucson Hard Bop Quintet and Jump Swing Sextet. In 2023 Scott began teaching Jazz Ensemble and Improvisation at Pima Community College. He served as a director for the Tucson Jazz Society for several years.
Arthur Vint, Director, arthurvint@gmail.com ~ Arthur Vint, Tucsonan, moved to New York City in 2007, where he became an in demand jazz and session drummer, performing and recording regularly in the Tri-State area with bands such as Postmodern Jukebox, Vince Giordano & The Nighthawks, Mike Davis & The New Wonders, Scott Tixier, The Candy Shop Boys, Kelli Scarr, Zephaniah O’Hora, GaDaDu, Arthur Vint & Associates, and a good deal more. While there, Arthur earned his bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from William Paterson University of New Jersey where he studied with Bill Goodwin, Kevin Norton and Rich DeRosa and his master’s degree in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music where he studied with John Riley, Bobby Sanabria and Jim McNeely. Arthur moved back to Tucson and since 2020 he has been on faculty at the University of Arizona School of Music where he teaches jazz drum set, jazz studio and recording studio production.
Arthur worked at the world famous Village Vanguard jazz club from 2010-2020 and based on his experiences there, Arthur designed and opened The Century Room in February of 2022. Tucson’s first and only jazz club is located inside the historic Hotel Congress in Downtown Tucson and Arthur serves as its Artistic Director and General Manager. The club presents live music six nights a week including a Friday night Signature Concert series that has attracted artists like Bill Charlap, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Donny McCaslin, Christian Sands, Joel Ross and many more. Arthur performs regularly at the club with the 17-piece Century Room Jazz Orchestra, his own band Arthur Vint & Associates and has also backed up touring solo artists like Ethan Iverson, Geoff Keezer, Armen Donelian, Emmet Cohen, and Benny Benack III, among others.
Professional background: Arthur has toured throughout North America, South America, the UK and Europe and has performed at some of the world’s finest venues including the Olympia Theater in Paris, the Hammersmith Apollo in London and Vivo Rio in Rio de Janeiro and has appeared at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz @ Lincoln Center, The 55 Bar, Cornelia Street Cafe, Barbés, Joe’s Pub, Le Poisson Rouge and countless other venues in New York City. Additionally Arthur has performed on screen in episodes of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Cinemax’s The Knick, and the
blockbuster film John Wick, to which he also contributed to the soundtrack.
Arthur appears on dozens of recordings as a sideman and has two albums under his name available on Ropeadope Records. His first album as a leader, “Through The Badlands”, was named as one of the “best jazz albums of 2016” by the Huffington Post. Arthur Vint & Associates’ second album on Ropeadope, entitled “Death Rides A Horse”, is a salute to the Spaghetti Western soundtracks of Ennio Morricone. Arthur rearranged Morricone’s often symphonic works for his 9-piece ensemble making them vehicles for improvisation. The band’s instrumentation includes chromatic harmonica, violin, tenor sax, bass clarinet, two guitars, piano, bass and drums. Arthur Vint & Associates have a new album in the works that will be released soon.
Arthur is proud to endorse Paiste Cymbals, Remo Drumheads, Canopus Drums, Protection Racket Cases, RTOM Accessories and Vic Firth Sticks.