Common Chord and the Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Society have announced a merger of the two organizations.
After years of a close partnership, the Bix Society programs will officially join Common Chord’s suite of programs. The merger, which is now in place, was announced in a news release and on the Common Chord Facebook page on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
The merger will preserve the core mission of the Bix Society – “to perpetuate the music and memory of Bix Beiderbecke and music of the traditional jazz era” – while joining Common Chord’s broader mission to improve the Quad Cities through the power of music, according to information from the downtown Davenport-based Common Chord.
The programs will be guided by the newly formed Bix Society Advisory Board, a committee of volunteers passionate about building a strong future for the Bix Jazz Festival and Youth Band.
“This partnership ushers in an exciting new era for Bix’s legacy, traditional jazz, and the Quad Cities community,” said James Beiderbecke, board member of the Bix Jazz Society and great-grandnephew of Bix Beiderbecke. “Uniting with Common Chord allows opportunity to explore new programs, events, and ambitions for a bright future. Together, we will fulfill our mission to an even greater extent. Bix Lives.”
“Common Chord is delighted to provide a new home for the Bix Jazz Festival and Bix Youth Band,” Tyson Danner, executive director of Common Chord, said in the release. “Through our close partnership, we have found perfect alignment in our missions. We are eager to bring Common Chord’s skills to the table to carry forward the proud history of the Bix Jazz Society.”
The organizations extended a special thanks to The Cultural Trust, a core mission supporter of Common Chord which also is providing support for this special collaborative effort.
“For nearly two decades, The Cultural Trust has invested in deeply-rooted institutions like Common Chord because we believe in the power of experts doing what they do best,” said Jen Lewis-Snyder, president and CEO of The Cultural Trust. “When we strengthen the people and places already trusted by the community, we don’t just preserve what’s worth saving, we build the systems that keep it thriving.”
She added: “Innovative solutions like this are perfect examples of how our Legacy Partners think creatively, creating more impact in our community while dissolving barriers that otherwise might hold the Quad Cities back from being the creative capital of the Midwest we know it can be.”
The historic Bix Jazz Festival will benefit from Common Chord’s capacity and staff, as well as broadening the festival’s reach to the more than 50,000 community members Common Chord serves annually and to the untapped audiences of the Quad Cities community, information from Common Chord said.
Here are some of the upcoming Bix Society programs:
- The Bix Jazz Festival: The 2026 Bix Jazz Festival is scheduled for July 30 through Aug. 1. The festival will feature top-tier traditional jazz bands from around the country and many special events throughout the week, including jam sessions, a concert at Bix’s gravesite, and a lunch-time riverboat cruise. Tickets will go on sale in late winter.
- The Bix Youth Band: An audition-only jazz band composed of high school students from around the Quad Cities. Led by a professional jazz musician and educator, the Youth Band gives students an opportunity to explore traditional jazz, gain performing experience in a variety of concert settings, and earn scholarship funds to support their future educational endeavors. The Bix Youth Band is a featured performer at the Bix Jazz Festival.
