NEA Announces the 2014 Jazz Masters
The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the 2014 NEA Jazz Masters. They are:
Educator, saxophonist, pianist, bassist, and banjo player Jamey Aebersold (Aebersold is the recipient of the 2014 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy)
Composer, saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, pianist, and educator Anthony Braxton
Bassist and educator Richard Davis
Pianist and composer Keith Jarrett
Jamey Aebersold (Photo by John Nation); Anthony Braxton (Photo by Carolyn Wachnicki); Richard Davis (Photo by Ken Halfmann); and Keith Jarrett (Photo by Rose Anne Colavito)
Full profiles of the 2014 NEA Jazz Masters are located on the NEA’s website. These musicians and educators are recognized for their lifetime achievements and exceptional contributions to the advancement of jazz. They will each receive a one-time award of $25,000.
NEA Acting Chairman Joan Shigekawa said, “On behalf of the National Endowment for the Arts, I am proud to announce the newest class of NEA Jazz Masters. The NEA is committed to supporting this uniquely American art form, whether it’s through educational materials such as NEA Jazz in the Schools, supporting performance and educational activities by the Jazz Masters through Jazz Masters Live, or in this case, honoring the individuals who have devoted their lives and careers to mastering, sharing, and expanding this music.”
The NEA will again partner with Jazz at Lincoln Center to produce an awards ceremony and concert in honor of the 2014 NEA Jazz Masters, that will be webcast live on January 13, 2014 on arts.gov and jalc.org/live. A limited number of free tickets will be available for the public. More information about the awards ceremony and concert and how to obtain tickets will be released this fall.
The NEA is currently accepting nominations for the 2015 class of NEA Jazz Masters. The deadline is October 1, 2013. Fellowships are awarded to living individuals on the basis of nominations from the public including the music community. Nominees must demonstrate a significant contribution to the art form through their publicly recognized and accessible body of work in the field of jazz. Visit the NEA’s website for more information and to submit a nomination.
(—from the press release)