About US

PRESERVE AMERICA’S MUSIC FOUNDATION (PAMF) is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of The Great American Songbook, also known as "American Standards", and is the canon of the most important and influential American popular songs and jazz standards from the early to mid 20th century. Although several collections of music have been

PRESERVE AMERICA’S MUSIC FOUNDATION (PAMF) is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of The Great American Songbook, also known as "American Standards", and is the canon of the most important and influential American popular songs and jazz standards from the early to mid 20th century. Although several collections of music have been published under the title, it does not refer to any actual book or specific list of songs, but to a loosely defined set including the most popular and enduring songs from the 1920s to the 1950s that were created for Broadway theatre, musical theatre, and Hollywood musical film. They have been recorded and performed by a large number and wide range of singers, instrumental bands, and jazz musicians. 

The Great American Songbook comprises standards by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Harold Arlen, Johnny Mercer, and Richard Rodgers, among many others. 

Today, except for a few singers such as Tony Bennett, Barbra Streisand, Harry Connick Jr., Michael Buble', Diane Krall, and a few others (including several rock stars), The Great American Songbook has all but disappeared from the contemporary American scene. There are a few very pricey venues in Manhattan and a few other cities where one can listen to this great music, but even those venues only offer the music occasionally. In most cities such venues are non-existent. 

 PAMF was founded to reverse this trend.

Considering that today, the primary listeners to music of the Great American Songbook are people in their seventies, eighties and nineties, the goal of PAMF is to introduce this great music to younger generations. The challenge of course is how to introduce it. 

PAMF’s strategy is to accomplish in 

 PAMF was founded to reverse this trend.

Considering that today, the primary listeners to music of the Great American Songbook are people in their seventies, eighties and nineties, the goal of PAMF is to introduce this great music to younger generations. The challenge of course is how to introduce it. 

PAMF’s strategy is to accomplish in three ways:

1.) FREE (vocal and keyboard) music lessons to children ages 10 – 18. The premise behind this strategy is that if children are exposed to this music through FREE lessons (and since the lessons are FREE, parents will be compelled to get their children engaged), they will become passionate about this genre. In all probability, it’s anticipated that most of the FREE lessons will be for vocal instruction, as it can take many years of lessons and much practice, for a student to become proficient at the keyboard.

2.) Concerts featuring music from The Great American Songbook, and with enough funding many of the concerts will be performed by skillful vocalists and a big band. These concerts will be FREE to all children and students under the age of 22. This will provide exposure to large numbers of students AND to their parents, who may not be that familiar with this genre (since most parents would likely be in their late 20’s – 40’s and never had much exposure to this genre). Some of the vocalists and  pianists may very well be future parents of similar students (of this genre) as time goes on and so continue the PAMF strategy.

3.) PAMF Performance Centers – such performance centers would be in metropolitan area and fairly small venues, around 2000 sq. ft., These venues will feature local talent including students who have demonstrated a high skill set.