For the past several decades, an interdisciplinary cohort of scholars have explored a wide range of historical, cultural, and theoretical issues surrounding jazz as an improvisational practice (broadly defined). The Jazz and Improvisation Study Group aims to provide a focused venue for the interdisciplinary community of jazz scholars, with an emphasis on what musicologists bring to these robust conversations.

A principal focus of this SG is to create a welcoming space for junior scholars and graduate students while also shifting the demographics of jazz studies to include more women, first generation scholars, performers, members of LGBTQIA+ communities and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.