Coinciding with the start of Black History Month, the Walt Disney World Resort debuted “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure” at the EPCOT theme park.

The exhibit cover jazz music from five major regions: New Orleans, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. ““Jazz is the story of America. It unites people from every walk of life. It’s a living, breathing art form that’s always evolving and always changing,” Carmen Smith, creative executive vice president for creative development and inclusive strategies at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We’re working with some of the top jazz museums across this country … and we’re excited to have their participation on this project.”

“This new exhibit celebrates the distinctly American musical art form, originated by African Americans and fusing the influences of many different cultures,” stated Smith.

The exhibit also ties in Disney and Pixar’s latest hit film “Soul,” which premiered on Disney+ last December. Joe Gardner – the musician, mentor and teacher from the film, shares the rich and surprising history of jazz by taking guests on a musical tour of several influential American cities. In addition, artifacts from legendary jazz musicians, such as Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa, are on display.

“Our team at Walt Disney Imagineering is thrilled to bring the compelling story of jazz to EPCOT, and we were honored to work with jazz experts and institutions across the country to explore the rich history and influence of this ever-evolving genre of music,” said Smith in a statement.