NEA Jazz Notes in Massachusetts

Gunthur Shuller The 2011 Tanglewood Jazz Berkshires Jazz Festival. And both Festival, September 2-4, is a artists will give in-depth interviews participant in the NEA Jazz Masters about their careers and musical Live, a National Endowment for philosophies. the Arts program of performances And the BeanTown Jazz Festival, and residences featuring NEA Jazz September 24, won an NEA Arts Masters. Access to Artistic Excellence grant Performing at this year’s festival to program around the theme are NEA Jazz Masters drummer “Celebrate Global Music and Jimmy Cobb and composer/ Nature.” The program, a partnership conductor Gunther Schuller. between Berklee and JazzBoston, In addition to performing, Cobb will feature jazz and world music is giving a master class for young artists in performance, educational drummers in collaboration with the events, activities for families and an interactive jazz-related installation.

Congratulations to jazz vocalist standards or original material, she Sheila Jordan, a recipient of a 2012 makes it all sound like no one else.” NEA Jazz Master Award. She is a The 2012 class of Jazz Masters, long-time faculty member at the which includes Jordon, along with Jazz in July program at UMASS/ Jack DeJohnette, Von freeman, Amherst, where she worked with Charlie Haden and Jimmy Owens, Dr. Billy Taylor, an NEA Jazz Master appears to be the final class of in 1988. this prestigious award. Because In announcing the award, NEA of budget cuts to the National wrote that Jordan is considered one Endowment for the Arts, the 30 year of the premier singers in jazz, and NEA Jazz Masters Awards program “she is known for her stimulating is being folded into a broader vocal workshops as well. A superb category called American Artist of scat singer, she can just as easily the Year Awards. reach the emotional depths of a Sheila Jordan ballad. Whether singing well-known arts.gov/honors/jazz/index.html 37