As the vibrant city of Miami Gardens takes center stage this March, we celebrate the cultural impact of the highly anticipated “Jazz in the Gardens” festival. “Jazz in the Gardens” is more than just a music festival; it’s a beacon of community, uniting people from all over to immerse themselves in the best jazz, R&B and soul.

Boasting 16 years at the Hard Rock Stadium, this bastion of music not only adds to the thriving artistic and cultural scene but also boosts the thriving economic landscape of Miami Gardens. The home to a population of over 111,000 residents and over 7000 businesses, this majority Black city has a proud history of prosperity and progress. Miami Gardens is home to the largest city of Black residents in Florida, a culmination of neighborhoods of Andover, Bunche Park, Carol City, Lake Lucerne, Norland, Opa-Locka and Scott Lake which came together in incorporation on May 13th, 2003. From “Jazz in the Garden’s” inception in 2006, under Mayor Shirley Gibson, to the current administration of Mayor Harris in 2020, the event continues to evolve and expand, shining a spotlight on the city of Miami Gardens. This year’s festival contains some of the greatest in R&B, soul, gospel, hip-hop and jazz, making for two days of soulful evoking entertainment.

Whether it’s Lauryn Hill, New Edition or any of the many dynamic artists included in this year’s lineup, each of us has a concert memory or special moment when the music touched us. Maybe it was the rich bravado of Toni Braxton getting you through your first heartbreak, or Xscape’s harmonies playing during a school dance etching a lasting memory.

One of my first concert memories began with Busta Rhymes, who amazed me with his versatile vocals and rapid-fire delivery. As an avid lover of words, I admired his dynamic and bold style, one I couldn’t quite imitate in my brief teenage attempts at music. While I may not have been musically inclined, the last chair in saxophone in fact, music was my world transporting me to a realm where my creativity could reign free. Those moments after school having the solace of the house to myself with “106 & Park” blasting and music pumping on my parent’s stereo until they got home was bliss.

Embrace the nostalgia of “Jazz in the Gardens,” reminisce on your favorite hits while creating new experiences that revitalize and stir the soul. Looking forward to connecting with you for a weekend of Black brilliance and beauty. See you soon!

Nikki Svec
M•I•A Magazine |
Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]