Seven Jazz Greats Are Named NEA Jazz Masters

National Endowment for the Arts Chairman Dana Gioia announced seven new NEA Jazz Masters today. The honorees are: Latin percussionist Ray Barretto, vocalist Tony Bennett, composer-arranger-trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, composer/keyboardist Chick Corea, clarinetist Buddy DeFranco, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, and John Levy, awarded the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy for his career as a manager. Each will receive their awards in January 2006 at a gala concert in New York City, presented under the auspices of the annual convention of the International Association for Jazz Education. In addition to the designation, each member of the Class of 2006 will receive a fellowship award of $25,000 and be invited to participate in outreach efforts, including broadcasts and NEA Jazz Masters On Tour.