What does it take to become an NEA Jazz Master? Talent, yes—whether that's the talent for playing a musical instrument, singing, or being an advocate. We've also noticed that, despite their origin stories starting in different places and times, and sometimes even starring different instruments than the ones they've become famous for, there are several things that all NEA Jazz Masters seem to have in common. Curiosity. Persistence. A belief in their own voices. The ability to listen well. A  willingness to learn and try new things, A sense of empathy that's heightened through their involvement in jazz. A belief in the necessity of mentorship. And most important, an unshakeable faith in the enduring and transformational power of the arts. The NEA Jazz Masters exemplify the idea, as NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson likes to say, that, "so many possibilities open up when as people we are fully present, fully in our creative space, and can actually tap into head, heart and hand."

As we kick off Jazz Appreciation Month this April, here are the four newest NEA Jazz Masters—Stanley Clarke, Donald Harrison, Jr., Billy Hart, and Cassandra Wilson—to tell you their origin stories in their own words. We hope they'll leave you feeling inspired, encouraged, and fully present to the possibilities for creative expression in your own life.

Stanley Clarke’s bass-playing, showing exceptional skill on both acoustic and electric bass, has made him one of the most influential players in modern jazz history. In addition to his solo career, Clarke, as a founding member of the legendary jazz-rock fusion band Return to Forever, has helped redefine the sound of jazz over the last 50 years. MORE

 

As a saxophonist, Donald Harrison, Jr.—recipient of the 2022 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship for Jazz Advocacy—is known for his hard-swinging improvisational style and the creation of "Nouveau Swing," a blend of jazz with R&B, hip-hop, rock, and soul. And his dedication to preserving the music and culture of New Orleans has been crucial to assuring its important legacy survive. MORE

 

Billy Hart is one of the most sought-after jazz drummers of his generation, able to perform in diverse contexts ranging from straight-ahead to avant-garde to pop. Throughout his career, he has recorded 12 albums in his own name and performed as a sideman on more than 600 recordings. MORE

 

Cassandra Wilson has used her distinctive voice and fascinating arrangements of standards, in not just jazz, but blues, country, and folk as well, to create a body of work that has expanded the definition of jazz. MORE