Jordan Aquila – Buffalo Graffix – Charlotte County Jazz Society Spotlight: Inspiring Music and Community Growth


September 23rd, 2025

Charlotte County Jazz Society

Charlotte County Jazz Society at the Heart of Elevate Charlotte

Charlotte County thrives when business and culture move together. In the debut episode of Elevate Charlotte – Behind The Business – Jordan Aquila & The Charlotte County Jazz Society, that connection comes alive. You meet Jordan Aquila, President of the Charlotte County Jazz Society and leader at Buffalo Graffix, hear why jazz matters here and you see how a local company grows by teaming up, not tearing down.

From the opening minutes, the Charlotte County Jazz Society takes center stage. The nonprofit runs an annual concert season, funds scholarships for student musicians, and invites the whole community to listen, learn, and join. The message lands fast: arts fuel belonging. And belonging fuels growth.

Behind the Business: Why This Podcast Matters

Elevate Charlotte – Behind the Business looks past storefronts and logos. The series explores what makes leaders tick—what they value, how they serve, and where the community benefits. Host Mark Odell and producer Maria Vastola use a simple recipe: real questions, real people, real impact.

Episode one sits down with Jordan Aquila at Buffalo Graffix. The conversation moves—from a quick shop tour, to the coming concert lineup, to a candid talk about membership, youth outreach, and scholarships. The through line is clear. The Charlotte County Jazz Society brings people together. The county gets stronger when business champions culture and culture lifts business.

Jordan Aquila’s Musical Path in Charlotte County

Jordan’s story begins local. Trumpet in middle school. Jazz band at Port Charlotte High. Professional gigs across Southwest Florida. Lessons with trumpeter Dan Miller—the artist who played with Harry Connick Jr., Wynton Marsalis, and Maynard Ferguson. Practice. Patience. Purpose.

That path shaped his leadership. When board members asked him to help the Charlotte County Jazz Society, he said yes. Soon, he became president. Not because of a title chase. Because the mission fit: preserve jazz, support students, and connect audiences. In other words—grow people first.

Charlotte County Jazz Society: Legacy, Mission, Momentum

The Charlotte County Jazz Society spans more than six decades. Its charter sounds simple: keep jazz alive and help the next generation thrive. In practice, it means scholarships, curated concerts, and a membership model that welcomes both new fans and lifelong listeners.

  • Scholarships: In recent seasons, the society awarded $15,000 across multiple high-school seniors pursuing music in college. The dollars matter. The vote of confidence matters more.
  • Season programming: The society balances “new faces” with “crowd favorites.” The result feels fresh yet familiar—a season you can count on and still be surprised by.
  • Community access: Students get in free. Often, parents do too. That small act lowers the barrier, especially on busy school weeks.

You hear the heartbeat of the Charlotte County Jazz Society in one detail: they don’t just put on shows. They build a pipeline—students, families, retirees, and newcomers learning side by side.

Concerts That Teach While They Swing

This season features seven concerts. The booking reflects two promises: honor tradition and spark discovery. A standout example is Mosaic, a drummer-led group that channels Art Blakey. Between tunes, the band shares history—why a piece was written, who played it first, where it sits in the canon. The room learns while it listens. The vibe feels intimate, informed, alive.

Even the format evolves. The opener moves “in the round” at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center. Chairs will wrap the trio. Listeners will sit close. The experience? Immersive. Modern. You don’t just hear jazz—you feel included in it.

Membership and Youth Outreach: The Big Push

The Charlotte County Jazz Society faces a common nonprofit challenge: awareness. Many locals still say, “I didn’t know we had a jazz society.” The fix requires two tracks.

First, membership. The society keeps the cost accessible—$80 a year—with concerts bundled in. That’s a win for frequent listeners and a gentle nudge for the curious. Second, student engagement. Tickets are free for students, and the board brings outreach into schools where possible. The goal stays steady: invite young ears, build new habits, and let families discover a welcoming arts home.

Will every teen rearrange a Monday night around jazz? Maybe not. But consistent access changes the odds. Over time, free admission and friendly faces create a path toward lifelong arts participation.

Buffalo Graffix: From Family Startup to Community Partner

The Aquila family moved from Buffalo, New York, to Charlotte County in 1988. The small print shop they took over evolved into Buffalo Graffix—a full-service brand partner for print, design, apparel, promo products, direct mail, vehicle wraps, and signs. The name nods to roots. The service mix reflects growth. The ethos stays local: solve problems, keep promises, and support the community that supports you.

You can see that spirit in the way Buffalo Graffix works with peers. Rather than treat neighboring firms as enemies, they look for alignment. When two teams serve the same county, cooperation beats churn. Clients get better coverage. Workers get stability. Jobs stay close to home.

Explore the company story and local insights on their blog, Buffalo Brief:
https://buffalograffix.com/buffalo-brief/

Partnership Mindset: Stronger Together

In the episode, Jordan shares a practical truth: relationships matter. Over years, Buffalo Graffix and Monarch Direct traded jobs, borrowed materials, and backed each other up on rush work. The market saw “rivals.” The owners built a working relationship.

That mindset recently formalized into a collaboration: Buffalo Graffix leans into high-volume print, apparel, and promo fulfillment for referred clients; Monarch concentrates on signage and wraps. Trained team members transition smoothly. Customers see continuity, not chaos. And Charlotte County keeps two healthy specialists instead of one stretched generalist. That’s good business—and good community stewardship.

Why Arts and Industry Move in Sync

Economic development isn’t just sites, roads, and incentives. It’s also evenings out, local pride, and a reason to invite friends to visit. The Charlotte County Jazz Society makes a compelling case: culture helps companies hire and helps families stay. When you can attend a Monday jazz concert with your teenager—free—something shifts. You root here. You invest here.

For site selectors and relocating executives, that signal matters. A county that funds scholarships, fills a concert hall, and builds intimate, “in-the-round” events is a county that values people. Talent reads that quickly. So do investors.

If you’re scouting opportunities or telling your company’s story, keep this link handy:
https://cleared4takeoff.com — Charlotte County Economic Development

Aquila’s Charlotte County: Roots, Work, and Leadership

Why did Jordan stay? Family, purpose, and momentum. He studied locally, played professionally, then poured that discipline back into business and the Charlotte County Jazz Society. He’s now part of Leadership Charlotte, learning more about the county he calls home and building bonds that outlast a single project.

That’s the pattern you want in a healthy region: students become professionals; professionals become mentors; mentors become stewards. The Charlotte County Jazz Society helps that cycle along—one scholarship, one concert, one new member at a time.

Quality of Life, Up Close

Ask Jordan about weekends and you’ll hear a down-to-earth answer. Family card games. Golf when time allows. Plenty of local experiences, many free, discovered through county ambassador programs and word-of-mouth. The big point lands: Charlotte County offers more than sunshine. It offers community—clubs, classes, concerts, and small rituals that make a place feel like yours.

When culture sits that close, people participate. When participation rises, neighborhoods knit together. And when neighborhoods knit, businesses like Buffalo Graffix and nonprofits like the Charlotte County Jazz Society find the volunteers, customers, and board members they need.

How to Join, Attend, and Share

Want in? Start simple.

  • Join the Charlotte County Jazz Society to support scholarships and access the season: https://cc-jazz.org
  • Bring a student. Their ticket is free, often with a parent comped as well.
  • Invite a friend who “doesn’t know much about jazz.” This is the place to learn.
  • Show local love by shopping with businesses that invest here: https://buffalograffix.com
  • Plan your next evening out and make it part of how your team onboards new hires.

Culture is a flywheel. Your single seat in the audience keeps it turning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Charlotte County Jazz Society?
A nonprofit that presents a seven-concert season, awards scholarships to local student musicians, and builds community around jazz.

How much is membership?
Membership is $80 per year and includes access to the concert season—an approachable way to support the arts and enjoy live music.

Do students really get in free?
Yes. Students attend at no cost, and parents are often comped as well. It’s the society’s way of investing in the next generation.

What’s special about this season’s opener?
It’s “in the round” at the Charlotte Harbor Event & Conference Center, creating an intimate, modern listening experience with the trio surrounded by the audience.

Who curates the artists?
The board blends audience feedback with new discoveries—bringing back favorites like Mosaic while introducing fresh voices from Florida and beyond.

How do the scholarships work?
Local high-school seniors pursuing music degrees can apply. Recent seasons awarded $15,000 across multiple recipients.

Where can I follow Buffalo Graffix for local business updates?
Visit the website and read the Buffalo Brief for company news and community highlights: https://buffalograffix.com/buffalo-brief/

Where can I learn more about Charlotte County’s business climate?
Start here: https://cleared4takeoff.com

Conclusion: Elevate Charlotte by Lifting the Arts

The episode “Elevate Charlotte – Behind The Business – Jordan Aquila & The Charlotte County Jazz Society” shows a simple truth. When culture flourishes, business follows. And when business invests locally, culture rises higher. The Charlotte County Jazz Society keeps time for the county—concert after concert, scholarship after scholarship. Buffalo Graffix adds the steady backbeat—service, partnership, and pride in place.

Want a stronger community? Take a seat at the next show. Bring a student. Join as a member. Then tell a coworker why you loved it. That’s how a county elevates—together.

Sources & Further Reading