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A “Yeah” For Mary Bishop’s Legacy

by Jana Bommersbach

Everyone knew when Mary Bishop was in the House.

Her love of jazz wasn’t just complete, it was loud, as she’d yell out an  approval “yeah” for a great riff. When someone once tried to shush her, she shot back, “I’m not in church, I’m in a jazz club.”

It was her favorite place to be. From 1979-1982, she managed the Century Sky Room on Washington Street—the launching pad for young men and women who’d go on to jazz greatness, like Lewis Nash, Allan Chase, Margo Reed and Francine Reed.

Then she solidified her place in Phoenix’ jazz history by producing a seven-part concert series called the “Roots of Jazz,” that is beloved to this day,

So when Mary died in July, a day short of her 81^st birthday, her jazz friends in  Phoenix sought an appropriate way to honor her memory and her legacy.

That has resulted in the Mary Bishop Perret Jazz Education Fund at the Nash.
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