National Endowment for the Arts Announces 2013-2014 NEA Jazz Masters Live Grants

Washington, DC -- NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath has said, "Every time you make an appearance, you make an impression." As part of the 2013-2014 NEA Jazz Masters Live grants, the NEA will support opportunities for audiences around the country to interact with NEA Jazz Masters through performance and educational activities. Managed by Arts Midwest, the 2013-2014 NEA Jazz Masters Live program will provide $75,000 in grants to six nonprofit organizations to present NEA Jazz Masters at performance and educational activities. The program offers a unique opportunity for the public to engage with the NEA Jazz Masters through such activities as performances, speaking  engagements, master classes, workshops, lecture/demonstrations, panel discussions, and public interviews or speaker forums. "I am pleased the NEA will provide opportunities for members of the public to experience performances by some of our nation's jazz greats," said Joan Shigekawa, NEA senior deputy chairman. "These six organizations are providing invaluable opportunities for the public to interact with these artists and furthering the understanding of their remarkable contributions to jazz in this country." Among the NEA Jazz Masters scheduled to participate in NEA Jazz Masters Live events are Ron Carter (1998), Jack DeJohnette (2012), Lou Donaldson (2013), Benny Golson (1996), Bobby Hutcherson (2010), Sheila Jordan (2012), Eddie Palmieri (2013), Wayne Shorter (1998), and McCoy Tyner (2002). The 2013-2014 NEA Jazz Masters Live grantees are: Flynn Center for the Performing Arts (Burlington Discover Jazz Festival) Burlington, VT $12,000 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Washington, DC                                           $12,000 University of Idaho (Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival) Moscow, ID       $15,000 Monterey Jazz Festival Monterey, CA                                            $12,000 Outpost Productions (New Mexico Jazz Festival) Albuquerque, NM $12,000 San Francisco Jazz Organization (SF Jazz) San Francisco, CA $12,000 About NEA Jazz Masters and NEA Jazz Masters Live Each year since 1982, the Arts Endowment has conferred the NEA Jazz Masters Award to living legends who have made major contributions to jazz. Recipients of this award include Count Basie, George Benson, Art Blakey, Dave Brubeck, Candido Camero, Ornette Coleman, Miles Davis, Paquito D'Rivera, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Herbie Hancock, John Levy, Abbey Lincoln, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins, Cecil Taylor, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, and the Marsalis Family. NEA Jazz Masters are selected from nominations submitted by the public and are awarded a one-time fellowship award of $25,000, honored at a public awards ceremony, and may participate in NEA-sponsored promotional, performance, and educational activities. Only living musicians or jazz advocates may be nominated for the NEA Jazz Masters honor. NEA Jazz Masters Live celebrates these NEA Jazz Masters by offering funding nationally to support innovative engagements featuring the Masters and their music. Since the program’s inception in 2008, NEA Jazz Masters Live has provided 52 grants to arts organizations, which has resulted in 116 performances and 177 outreach activities. To date, 48 NEA Jazz Masters have participated with performances and community outreach activities. More than 172,000 were reached, including 8,500 youths. About the National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. About Arts Midwest Arts Midwest promotes creativity, nurtures cultural leadership, and engages people in meaningful arts experiences, bringing vitality to Midwest communities and enriching people’s lives. Based in Minneapolis, Arts Midwest connects the arts to audiences throughout the nine-state region of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. One of six non-profit regional arts organizations in the United States, Arts Midwest’s history spans more than 25 years. For more information, please visit artsmidwest.org.  

Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program, an effort to document the lives and careers of NEA Jazz Masters. In addition to full transcripts of the interviews, which average six hours in length, the website also includes audio highlights.