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From the NEA Site

MilesColtrane | New York, NY USA | 01/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When one thinks of the enduring jazz tradition, names like Ella Fitzgerald, Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughan, and Count Basie immediately come to mind. But consider the far-ranging vision of free jazz pianist/composer Cecil Taylor; the eclectic style and exploration of trumpeter/composer Miles Davis; the inspirational bebop drummer/teacher Art Blakey who single-handedly mentored practically two generations of outstanding players; and unsung trombonist Melba Liston arranger for Duke Ellington, composer for Charles Mingus, and a true musician's musician.These artists and 48 others have been appropriately lauded for their contributions to the jazz tradition by the National Endowment for the Arts "NEA Jazz Masters" Fellowships Program. Created through the Endowment's Music Program in 1982, the annual program honors jazz legends who have made a significant contribution to the art form in the African-American tradition. The honor includes a one-time-only fellowship of $20,000 for each recipient.NEA JAZZ MASTERS nominations come from the public and members of the jazz community to the National Endowment for the Arts; no application is required. The NEA Jazz Masters Panel considers the nominations and selects from among those distinguished jazz artists who have made significant contributions to the art form in the African American tradition. You are encouraged to send nominations to: Director of Music, National Endowment for the Arts, Nancy Hanks Center, 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 703, Washington, DC 20506. The deadline for 2003 nominations is January 31, 2002.THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS is an independent agency of the U.S. Government created by Congress to support the arts and to provide education and access to the arts for all Americans. Our mission is: To foster the excellence, diversity, and vitality of the arts in the United States, and To broaden public access to the arts.We carry out that mission through grants, leadership initiatives, partnership agreements with state and regional organizations, partnerships with other Federal agencies and the private sector, research, arts education, access programs, and advocacy."

NEA Jazz Masters - The Flagship Endowment of the NEA

MilesColtrane | New York, NY USA | 01/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The NEA Jazz Masters two-CD set, which contains almost two and a half hours of music, has been created in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the expansion of their NEA Jazz Masters program for 2004.Since its inception in 1982, the NEA Jazz Masters program has selected several musicians annually and honored them for their life's work and contributions to jazz. Verve's NEA Jazz Masters CD features performances from 27 of these acclaimed instrumentalists, vocalists, and composers, including Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Ahmad Jamal, and Abbey Lincoln. "They Can't Take That Away from Me" by Sarah Vaughan, "Mack The Knife" by Oscar Peterson, "A Night in Tunisia" by Dizzy Gillespie, and "Lush Life" by Joe Henderson are among the classic songs featured on this collection.The 2004 awardees are among the highlights of the commemorative CD set. They are guitarist Jim Hall ("The Way You Look Tonight"), drummer Chico Hamilton ("Forest Flower - Sunrise"), pianist Herbie Hancock ("Cotton Tail"), arranger-composer Luther Henderson ("The More I See You"), and vocalist Nancy Wilson ("Day In, Day Out").The deluxe packaging for the NEA Jazz Masters CD set features liner notes by jazz critic Nat Hentoff, the first non-musician to be honored as a NEA Jazz Master (2004) and a special message from Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts."