2015 NEA Jazz Masters 2015 NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS 2015 Fellows Carla Bley George Coleman Charles Lloyd Joe Segal NEA Jazz Masters 2015 Contents Introduction ..............................................................................1 A Brief History of the Program ................................................2 Program Overview ...................................................................5 2015 NEA Jazz Masters............................................................7 Carla Bley .......................................................................................8 George Coleman............................................................................9 Charles Lloyd ...............................................................................10 Joe Segal ......................................................................................11 NEA Jazz Masters, 1982–2015..............................................12 NEA Jazz Masters Awards Ceremony ...................................14 Pianist Jason Moran and guitarist Bill Frisell perform 2014 NEA Jazz Master Keith Jarrett’s “Memories of Tomorrow” at the 2014 awards concert. Photo by Michael G. Stewart The NEA is committed to preserving the legacy of jazz not just for this ”generation, but for future generations as well. ” IV NEA Jazz Masters 2015 IT IS MY PLEASURE to introduce the 2015 class of NEA Jazz Masters. The NEA Jazz Masters awards—the nation’s highest recognition of jazz in America—are given to those who have reached the pinnacle of their art: musicians and advocates who had, and continue to have, a significant impact on one of the great artistic inventions of the 20th century. Although jazz was created in this country, its popularity and influence have spread throughout the world, one of America’s most influential and distinguished exports. And the influence of other cultures on jazz has been crucial to its development as well—from African to European to Latin American. Even people coming to the U.S. are seeking out jazz—our recent 2012 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts showed that “jazz attendance was…buoyed by an increase in the share of U.S. immigrants who attended [live performances].” Photo by Strauss Peyton Studios This year, we honor composer, arranger, bandleader, and keyboardist Carla Bley; saxophonist, composer, and educator George Coleman; saxophonist, flutist, composer, and arranger Charles Lloyd; and recipient of the 2015 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy, Joe Segal, jazz presenter and longtime owner of Chicago’s Jazz Showcase. The NEA has steadily supported jazz, from our first jazz grant in 1969, which went to future NEA Jazz Master George Russell, to a 2015 grant to Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, for a jazz festival featuring NEA Jazz Master Ron Carter. The NEA is committed to preserving the legacy of jazz not just for this generation, but for future generations as well. I would like to thank our partner Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) for bringing the NEA Jazz Masters awards ceremony and concert to you. The awards ceremony and concert will be webcast live by JALC (jazz.org) and the NEA (arts.gov) to communities throughout the country. The webcast will be archived for later viewing. Please join me in honoring the 2015 NEA Jazz Masters for their work in the jazz field and their contributions to the nation’s cultural heritage. Jane Chu Chairman National Endowment for the Arts NEA Jazz Masters 2015 1 A Brief History of the Program NEA Jazz Masters (from left) Danny Barker, Buck Clayton, and Clark Terry at the 1991 ceremony. Photo by Michael Wilderman 2 NEA Jazz Masters 2015 A MELDING of African and improvisation and rhythm. It was market has not been kind. Despite European music and cultures, moving in a new artistic direction, their unparalleled contributions jazz was born in the United and, if this high quality were to be to American art, many jazz greats States, a new musical form that maintained, it would need some worked for years just barely used rhythm, improvisation, and assistance. scraping by. The monetary award instruments in unique and exciting NEA support for the jazz field often has provided a much-needed ways. Jazz came to prominence began in 1969, and by 2013 it had infusion of income. in the early 20th century on the risen to more than $2.5 million. That such recognition was dance floors of major cultural Activities supported by the NEA long overdue is exemplified by centers such as Kansas City and include jazz festivals and concert Thelonious Sphere Monk, one of New York. With the advent of seasons, special projects such the great American composers and sound recording techniques, the as Dr. Billy Taylor’s Jazzmobile musicians. Monk was nominated increased availability of affordable in New York and the Thelonious gramophones, and the rise of Monk Institute of Jazz’s Jazz radio as popular entertainment, Sports program, educational jazz jazz quickly conquered the country. programming on National Public By the 1930s and 1940s, jazz had Radio, artists-in-schools programs, become America’s dance music, and research. selling albums and performance While the NEA recognized tickets at dizzying rates and and acted on the need for public sweeping millions of fans in foreign funding for jazz, the pioneers of countries off their feet. the field were rapidly aging, and By the 1950s, however, with the many died without the appropriate advent of rock and roll and the tilt recognition of their contribution to in jazz toward bebop rather than the this great American art form. Louis more popular swing, jazz began a Armstrong and Duke Ellington, two decline in its popularity. It was still of the giants of jazz in terms of both seen as an important and exciting musicianship and composition, both art form, but by an increasingly died in the early 1970s without the smaller audience. Jazz was still importance of their contributions being exported overseas, though, being fully acknowledged and especially by Voice of America radio appreciated. broadcasts and U.S. Department of In an effort to nationally State goodwill tours that featured recognize outstanding jazz such musicians as Dizzy Gillespie, musicians for their lifelong Louis Armstrong, and Dave Brubeck. achievements and mastery of By the 1960s, when the National jazz, the Arts Endowment in 1982 Endowment for the Arts (NEA) created the American Jazz Masters was created by Congress, jazz Fellowships—now the NEA Jazz album sales were down and jazz Masters Fellowships. Thse awards performances were becoming are given to musicians who have more difficult to find. Large dance reached an exceptionally high orchestras disbanded for lack standard of achievement in this of work, and musicians found very specialized art form. Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana themselves in stiff competition In addition to the recognition, the performs with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy for fewer and fewer gigs. The NEA included a monetary award of Heath at the 2014 awards concert. music, starting with bebop and into $20,000 for each fellowship. The Photo by Michael G. Stewart hard bop and free jazz, became rigors of making a living in the jazz more cerebral and less dance- field are well documented. Jazz oriented, focusing on freeing up is an art form to which the free NEA Jazz Masters 2015 3 for an NEA Jazz Master Fellowship former NEA deputy chairman, who more than 200,000 people, increased international recognition in the first year of the program, but has dedicated much of his life to including 13,000 youth. of the NEA Jazz Masters awards unfortunately passed away before bringing the joy and artistry of New broadcast programming as the nation’s highest honor for the announcement was made jazz to all Americans. Additionally, was developed, such as Jazz outstanding musicianship in the (the fellowship is not awarded the amount of the fellowship was Moments radio shorts and podcast field of jazz. The recipients of the posthumously). The three who increased to $25,000. interviews with NEA Jazz Masters NEA Jazz Masters award cover were chosen certainly lived up to In 2005, the NEA Jazz Masters (both Jazz Moments and podcasts all aspects of the music: from the criteria of artistic excellence initiative expanded to include can be downloaded for free at the boogie-woogie (Cleo Brown) to and significance to the art form: several new programs in addition NEA site on iTunes U). swing (Count Basie, Andy Kirk, Roy Eldridge, Dizzy Gillespie, and to the fellowships. A two-CD The NEA has also supported Jay McShann); from bebop (Dizzy Sun Ra. The panel in that first year anthology of NEA Jazz Masters’ the Smithsonian Jazz Oral Gillespie, Kenny Clarke) to Dixieland included stellar jazz musicians music was produced by Verve History Program to document (Danny Barker); from free jazz themselves, including some future Music Group. the lives and careers of NEA (Ornette Coleman, Cecil Taylor) to NEA Jazz Masters: trumpeter NEA Jazz Masters on Jazz Masters (go to cool jazz (Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Donald Byrd and saxophonists Tour, sponsored by Verizon, www.smithsonianjazz.org Ahmad Jamal); and everywhere in Frank Foster, Chico Freeman, Jackie brought jazz musicians to all 50 and click on “Oral Histories”). In between. What ties all these styles McLean, and Archie Shepp. In states throughout 2005-07 for addition to transcriptions of the together is a foundation in the addition, legendary Riverside record performances, community events, hours-long interviews, the website blues,