A longtime member of and influential figure in the Valley’s jazz scene recently hit the national spotlight.
Paul Arslanian, co-founder of the Northampton Jazz Workshop, has been named one of 33 “Jazz Heroes” by the Jazz Journalists Association. Since 2001, the Manhattan, New York-based nonprofit organization’s annual awards has celebrated “activists, advocates and altruists” who keep local jazz culture alive across the U.S.
Though appreciative, Arslanian, a pianist, composer and leader of the Green Street Trio, was characteristically low-key about the honor.
“It’s not that hard to do, really — I just sit at the computer, hire people and raise some money here and there,” he said.
Arslanian also co-founded the Northampton Jazz Workshop, a weekly jam session that brings musicians from larger cities’ jazz scenes to Spare Time Northampton and The Drake in Amherst.
The Workshop began at the former Green Street Cafe, where co-owner Jim Dozmati offered musicians a free meal and $50 to play once a week. Arslanian and the late Green Street Trio bassist Dave Shapiro launched the series for a mix of “selfish and altruistic reasons” — giving themselves a place to play while providing a platform for local talent.
When the Workshop began, “Maybe 30 or 40 people could fit in the place,” Arslanian said. “And it was right next to Smith College, so a lot of students would come over, and word got around. And the same 45 or 50 people, those who haven’t passed on yet, are still coming 16 years later. They get the bug, just like the musicians do.”
But for Ruth Griggs, president of the Northampton Jazz Festival, recognition for Arslanian is a long time coming.
“What he has done to elevate western Mass. as a viable legitimate jazz region is huge,” said Griggs, who nominated him. She credits him with transforming Northampton into a destination for world-class talent. Thanks to Arslanian and late Green Street Trio bassist George Kaye’s deep connections in New York City, Boston and Philadelphia, word traveled that Northampton was a good place for jazz musicians to play.
“On a Tuesday in the middle of February … they’ll look around to a full house and they’ll say, ‘Jeez! I don’t get an audience like this in New York on a Tuesday evening!’” Griggs said, noting that crowds are famously “educated and respectful”—the kind of fans musicians can’t wait to play for again.
Griggs and Arslanian both referenced jazz vocalist Avery Joi as an example of the Northampton Jazz Workshop’s impact. When Joi was a teenager, her mother would drive her from Westfield High School to participate. Arslanian could tell she was talented when she started out, but he wanted her to expand her repertoire. And she did — Joi kept coming back and learning more and more songs, he said.
Now, a decade later, Arslanian said, “She’s still living here, and she’s a fantastic singer. People love her. She’s got a good stage presence. She’s really warm. She does a wide variety of music.”
Such success stories are common at the Workshop. Teenage drummers who cut their teeth at the sessions have since gone pro in New York and L.A., while young pianists and horn players have turned these jams into lifelong friendships and mentorships with visiting legends.
Arslanian was also the executive producer of the Northampton Jazz Festival for 14 years and now serves as an advisor. In 2018, he founded the Jazz Artists in the Schools program at JFK Middle School and Northampton High School, which brings professional musicians in to work with students. Funded through donations, the program enables youth the opportunity to experience and play at a level not afforded in the normal classroom environment.
“One of the core ways that a jazz musician learns to play and to learn their craft is by playing with others sort of spontaneously,” Griggs said. In facilitating these opportunities for students, Arslanian is “totally passing down the art of jazz to the next generation — no question.”
Arslanian also recalled a Northampton Jazz Workshop with saxophonist Eric Lawrence that had a particular impact. While playing a piece by John Coltrane, “The music just went beyond what we thought could happen,” he said.
“We went to another level, and the audience all felt that, and they were all talking about it, even to this day,” he said.
Besides appreciating his work, Griggs also said that Arslanian is dependable, honest, humble and direct, among other good qualities.
“He knows his craft so well,” she said. “He has a sixth sense about musicians. He has incredible connections with musicians, so he’s incredibly resourceful. He’s intuitive, so he’s able to give you advice that is really grounded in his knowledge, his experience and his intuition.”
Griggs, herself a 2025 Jazz Hero, presented Arslanian with his Jazz Hero certificate at The Drake in Amherst on Wednesday alongside 2024 Jazz Hero Bonnie Johnson, host of the Worcester radio show “Colors of Jazz.”
Asked in an interview prior to the event what he looked forward to about the award presentation, Arslanian simply replied with a one-word answer and a laugh: “Embarrassment!”
Still, he added, “I’m excited. I’m glad when the excitement will be over and I get back to not feeling embarrassed. I have a hard time patting myself on the back or self-promoting, so thank you, Ruth.”
The day after the presentation, however, Arslanian said the ceremony went very well and that he was “basking in the glow of appreciation.” Was he embarrassed?
“Nah, not really,” Arslanian said. “Once I get up on stage, the fear goes away, and I just talk to the people!”
