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Jazz Greats To Gather in New York, as the National Endowment for the Arts Honors NEA Jazz Masters |
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Written by Press Release
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Tuesday, 09 January 2007 |
Gala Concert on January 12 Marks the 25th Anniversary of the NEA Jazz
Master Award, the Nation’s Highest Award in the Art of Jazz
 Frank Wess, NEA Jazz Master
On this occasion, marking the 25th anniversary of the award, the
nation’s highest honor in jazz will be conferred on six renowned
musicians: Toshiko Akiyoshi (bandleader), Curtis Fuller (solo
instrumentalist, trombone), Ramsey Lewis (pianist), Jimmy Scott
(vocalist), Frank Wess (solo instrumentalist, flute), and Phil Woods
(composer-arranger). In addition, the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters
Award for Jazz Advocacy will be given to educator and author Dan
Morgenstern. Some two dozen previously inducted NEA Jazz Masters—all of
them living legends—will be present at the concert to congratulate
their new colleagues.
 Phil Woods, NEA Jazz Master
According to Mr. Gioia, “The Arts Endowment has made great efforts over
the past few years to expand and invigorate the NEA Jazz Masters
program, so we can forge new connections between these great musicians
and the American people in all fifty states. The success of that effort
begins here, with the excitement that is now generated every year by
this overwhelmingly popular event.”
 Toshiko Akiyoshi, NEA Jazz Master
Earlier on Friday, January 12, at 11 a.m., the members of the Class of
2007 NEA Jazz Masters will participate in a panel discussion and
question-and-answer session, held in the Trianon Ballroom of the New
York Hilton. A.B. Spellman will serve as moderator.
About NEA Jazz Masters: From 1982 through 2006, the National Endowment
for the Arts designated 87 great figures in American music as NEA Jazz
Masters, based on nominations submitted by the public. Newly named NEA
Jazz Masters are honored at an awards ceremony and concert and are
provided with a one-time fellowship of $25,000. Only living musicians
or jazz advocates may be honored as NEA Jazz Masters.
To help these musicians make further connections with the American
people, the Arts Endowment significantly expanded the program in 2004
and in 2005 established the NEA Jazz Masters Initiative. The initiative
encompasses the award program itself; NEA Jazz Masters On Tour,
sponsored by Verizon, which is creating performance opportunities in
all 50 states for NEA Jazz Masters, coordinated by Arts Midwest and
supported in part by Chamber Music America through a generous grant
from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; NEA Jazz in the Schools,
developed in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center and generously
supported by the Verizon Foundation; and radio and TV broadcast
projects featuring NEA Jazz Masters. The Arts Endowment also
collaborated with the Verve Music Group on CD and digital compilations
and produced illustrated publications with profiles of all the NEA Jazz
Masters.
For more information on NEA Jazz Masters, the public is invited to
visit the web site, at www.neajazzmasters.org.
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 Saturday, 11 October 2008
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