virtual concert celebrates the 2020 nea jazz masters on ... · august 20, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. et/5:00...

Forimmediaterelease:July16,2020(updated8.11.20)Contacts: LizAuclair(NEA),auclaire@arts.gov,202-682-5744 MarshallLamm(SFJAZZ),mlamm@sfjazz.org,510-928-1410

VirtualConcertCelebratesthe2020NEAJazzMastersonAugust20,2020

Washington,DC—TheNationalEndowmentfortheArts,incollaborationwithSFJAZZ,willhostaspecialonline-onlyconcertinhonorofthe2020NEAJazzMasters—DorthaanKirk(A.B.SpellmanJazzMastersFellowshipforJazzAdvocacy),BobbyMcFerrin,RoscoeMitchell,andReggieWorkman—onThursday,August20,2020at8:00p.m.ET/5:00p.m.PT.2017NEAJazzMasterDeeDeeBridgewaterwillemceethispremierevent,whichwillincludeperformancesbyacclaimedjazzmusicians—includinghonoreesMcFerrin,Mitchell,andWorkman—recordedfromlocationsaroundthecountry.The2020NEAJazzMastersTributeConcertisfreetowatch,andwillreplacethepreviouslyscheduledconcertattheSFJAZZCenterinSanFranciscothatwaspostponedduetoCOVID-19.“WhileweweredisappointedtohavetopostponelastApril’sevents,thisvirtualconcertwillbeanopportunitytobringtogetherjazzfansaroundtheworldincelebrationofthe2020NEAJazzMasters,”saidMaryAnneCarter,chairmanoftheNationalEndowmentfortheArts.“Weappreciatethecreativityanddedicationofallinvolved,fromthestaffatSFJAZZtothemanymusicianswhoareperforminginhonoroftherecipientssothatwecancontinueouragency’slongtraditionofhonoringgreatindividualsinjazz.”Theconcertwillfeatureremarksbythe2020NEAJazzMasters,aswellasChairmanCarterandRandallKline,founderandexecutiveartisticdirectorofSFJAZZ.Inadditiontothemusicianhonorees,performersincludeMusicDirectorTerriLyneCarrington,AmbroseAkinmusire,DeeDeeBridgewater,JamesCarter,GeraldClayton,VincentDavis,LisaFischer,MorganGuerin,OliverLake,ChristianMcBride,JevonMcFerrin,MadisonMcFerrin,TaylorMcFerrin,KanoaMendenhall,JuniusPaul,andSteveTurre,aswellastheSFJAZZHighSchoolAll-Stars.“ItwasagreathonorforSFJAZZtobeselectedasthevenueforthepresentationofthe2020NEAJazzMastersAwards,”saidRandallKline,SFJAZZfounderandexecutiveartisticdirector.“WearesothankfulforeveryoneattheArtsEndowment,allofthepastandpresentNEAJazzMasters,andtheSFJAZZstafffortheirimprovisationalspiritinbringingthevirtualversionoftheconcerttolife.Wearelookingforwardtoallofourcommunitiescomingtogethertohonortheselegendaryjazzmasters.”The2020NEAJazzMastersTributeConcertwillbebroadcastat8:00p.m.ET/5:00p.m.PTfromarts.govandsfjazz.org,aswellasfromthewebsitesforAllAboutJazzandJazzNearYou,BMI,Inc.,JazzTimes,KQED,theNationalEndowmentfortheHumanities,NPRMusic,SmithsonianJazz,VoiceofAmerica’sKhmer,Chinese,andTibetanservices,andWBGO.Anarchiveoftheconcertwillbeavailablefollowingtheeventatarts.gov.TheconcertwillalsobeavailableviaradiobroadcastonSiriusXMChannel67,RealJazz;inCaliforniaonKCSM91.1FMandKALW91.7FM;andinWashington,DConWPFW89.3FM.YoucanjoinintheconversationonTwitterusingthehashtag#NEAJazz2020.

MeettheJazzMastersImmediatelyfollowingthe2020NEAJazzMastersTributeConcert,joinanin-depthdiscussionwithhonoreesDorthaanKirk,BobbyMcFerrin,RoscoeMitchell,andReggieWorkman,hostedbySFJAZZFounder&ExecutiveArtisticDirectorRandallKline.ThisliveeventwillincludeaninteractiveQ&Asession,inwhichtheonlineaudience,throughthebroadcast'sYouTubestream,willbeabletoaskquestionstothe2020NEAJazzMasters.AbouttheNEAJazzMastersSince1982,theNationalEndowmentfortheArtshasawarded157fellowshipstogreatfiguresinjazz,includingEllaFitzgerald,SonnyRollins,DianneReeves,MilesDavis,ChickCorea,andGeorgeWein.TheNEA’swebsitefeaturesresourcesandcontentaboutthem,includingvideobiographies,andtributevideos,podcasts,andmorethan350NEAJazzMomentsaudioclips. NEAJazzMastersFellowsarenominatedbythepublic,includingthejazzcommunity.Nominationsarejudgedbyanadvisorypanelofjazzexperts,includingadministrators,performers,producers,andaknowledgeablelayperson.Thepanel’srecommendationsarereviewedbytheNationalCouncilontheArts,whichsendsitsrecommendationstothechairman,whomakesthefinaldecision.TheArtsEndowmentencouragesnominationsofabroadrangeofindividualswhohavebeensignificanttothefieldofjazz,throughvocals,instrumentalperformance,creativeleadership,andeducation.NEAJazzMastersFellowshipsareupto$25,000andcanbereceivedonceinalifetime.VisittheArtsEndowment’swebsitefordetailedinformationandtosubmitnominationsbyOctober30,2020.TheNationalEndowmentfortheArtshasalsosupportedtheSmithsonianJazzOralHistoryProgram,anefforttodocumentthelivesandcareersofnearly100NEAJazzMasters.Inadditiontotranscriptionsofthecomprehensiveinterviews,thewebsitealsoincludesaudioclipswithinterviewexcerpts.AbouttheNationalEndowmentfortheArtsEstablishedbyCongressin1965,theNationalEndowmentfortheArtsistheindependentfederalagencywhosefundingandsupportgivesAmericanstheopportunitytoparticipateinthearts,exercisetheirimaginations,anddeveloptheircreativecapacities.Throughpartnershipswithstateartsagencies,localleaders,otherfederalagencies,andthephilanthropicsector,theArtsEndowmentsupportsartslearning,affirmsandcelebratesAmerica’srichanddiverseculturalheritage,andextendsitsworktopromoteequalaccesstotheartsineverycommunityacrossAmerica.Visitarts.govtolearnmore.AboutSFJAZZFoundedin1983,SFJAZZisarecognizedinternationalleaderinjazzcreation,presentation,andeducation.SFJAZZexploresthefullspectrumofjazz—fromthemusic’soriginsintheAfricanAmericancommunity,toitsdiversepresent-dayexpressionsaroundtheworld.SFJAZZworkstodeveloptheaudienceforjazzintheSanFranciscoBayAreaandbeyond.SFJAZZcelebratesjazzasalivingartform,builtonaconstantlyevolvingtradition.TheWestCoast’sbiggestjazzpresenterservesover200,000fansandstudentseveryyearandhasseveralaward-winningresidentjazzensembles-theworldrenownedSFJAZZCollectiveandtheSFJAZZHighSchoolAll-Stars.SFJAZZCenteropenedin2013inthevibrantperformingartsdistrictofSanFrancisco.TheluminousSFJAZZCenterwasdesignedbySanFranciscoarchitectMarkCavagneroandtheLEED-Goldcertifiedcenteroffersthesuperbacousticsofagreatconcerthallandtherelaxedintimacyofajazzclub.

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