{"id":121,"date":"2008-09-03T18:40:24","date_gmt":"2008-09-03T22:40:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/2008\/09\/meet_the_neas_new_jazz_masters\/"},"modified":"2011-04-28T16:34:24","modified_gmt":"2011-04-28T20:34:24","slug":"meet_the_neas_new_jazz_masters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2008\/09\/meet_the_neas_new_jazz_masters.html","title":{"rendered":"Meet the NEA&#8217;s new Jazz Masters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The National Endowment for the Arts&#8217; latest class of official &#8220;Jazz Masters&#8221; includes\u00c2\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; \"><span>vocalist and guitarist\u00c2\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Tn27IcAapPI&amp;feature=related\">George Benson<\/a><\/strong>, drummer\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><span><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.myspace.com\/theofficialjimmycobb\">Jimmy Cobb<\/a><\/strong>, alto saxophonist\u00c2\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.melmartin.com\/html_pages\/Interviews\/konitz.html\">Lee Konitz<\/a><\/strong>, harmonica and guitar player<strong>\u00c2\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tootsthielemans.com\/biography\/biography.html\">&#8220;Toots&#8221; Thielemans<\/a><\/strong>, trumpeter\u00c2\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tonyspage.com\/A_little_trumpet_player.htm\">Snooky&#8221; Young<\/a>,<\/strong><\/span><span>\u00c2\u00a0and recording engineer<span><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.allaboutjazz.com\/php\/article.php?id=1116\">\u00c2\u00a0Rudy Van Gelder<\/a>. \u00c2\u00a0<span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\">All estimable choices, e<\/span><span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-weight: normal;\">ach receiving $25,000, opportunities to participate in photo shoots and public appearances and introduction\u00c2\u00a0an official ceremony on October 17 at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Plus, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wDZFf0pm0SE\">Steve Wonder<\/a> has won the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Music. Fair choices, all. These are professionals whose works sometimes are truly inspired. \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Benson is quite possibly the best improvising guitarist alive &#8212; though for many years he&#8217;s buried that talent under his modest but popular skills as a singer.\u00c2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Cobb, most famously drummer on Miles Davis&#8217; classic <span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-style: italic; \">Kind of Blue<\/span> (which has just been reissued as a three-CD &#8220;Anniversary Collector&#8217;s Edition&#8221;), has a faultless sense of rhythm; I once watched him testing cymbals in a Turkish cymbal factory showroom, patiently spinning a series of metal discs for ten minutes at a time against his steady ding-dinga-ding, listening critically for overtones from their rims to their nubs.\u00c2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Konitz is one of the coolest original soloists over the past 60 years, a man who held his own against the overwhelming influence of Charlie Parker while collaborating with progressive iconoclasts from Stan Kenton to Lennie Tristano to Miles Davis to Elvin Jones and even to Ornette Coleman, who might be alpha to his omega.<\/li>\n<li>Thielemans is beloved for the jazz waltz &#8220;Bluesette&#8221; and for the easily swinging novelty of his harmonica playing and whistling.<\/li>\n<li>Young is a lead trumpeter who developed the plunger mute to a high art, employed first in big bands then in television studio orchestras.<\/li>\n<li>\u00c2\u00a0Van Gelder is indubitably the person most responsible for giving jazz recordings their sound since 1952. And he gave recordings on Blue Note, Prestige, Savoy, Impulse! and CTI Records all their <span class=\"Apple-style-span\" style=\"font-style: italic;\">own<\/span> sounds.\u00c2\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Wonder has written, recorded and performed more sweet, soulful and edgy songs than even Paul Simon who won the Gershwin Prize when it was first given, just last year. Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Stephen Sondheim or Chuck Berry in 2009, please.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.howardmandel.com\" target=\"blank\">howardmandel.com<\/a> <br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/feeds.feedburner.com\/JazzBeyondJazz\" target=\"_blank\">Subscribe by Email or  RSS<\/a> <br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/archives.html\" target=\"_blank\"> All JBJ posts <\/a><br \/>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/w.sharethis.com\/widget\/?tabs=web%2Cpost%2Cemail&amp;charset=utf-8&amp;style=default&amp;publisher=6ed88875-2235-4b29-aaa3-60183b0bcbcc\"><\/script> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The National Endowment for the Arts&#8217; latest class of official &#8220;Jazz Masters&#8221; includes\u00c2\u00a0vocalist and guitarist\u00c2\u00a0George Benson, drummer\u00c2\u00a0Jimmy Cobb, alto saxophonist\u00c2\u00a0Lee Konitz, harmonica and guitar player\u00c2\u00a0&#8220;Toots&#8221; Thielemans, trumpeter\u00c2\u00a0Snooky&#8221; Young,\u00c2\u00a0and recording engineer\u00c2\u00a0Rudy Van Gelder. \u00c2\u00a0All estimable choices, each receiving $25,000, opportunities to participate in photo shoots and public appearances and introduction\u00c2\u00a0an official ceremony on October 17 at [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[63,62],"class_list":{"0":"post-121","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-main","7":"tag-library-of-congress-gershwin-prize","8":"tag-nea-jazz-masters","9":"entry"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1i3CL-1X","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":748,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2012\/01\/nea-jazz-masters-concert-webcast-program-to-continue.html","url_meta":{"origin":121,"position":0},"title":"NEA Jazz Masters concert webcast, program to continue","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 9, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The National Endowment of the Arts, formally inducting its 30th class of \u00c2\u00a0\"Jazz Masters\" with a concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center January 10 2012 that is being webcast live\u00c2\u00a0on\u00c2\u00a0WBGO Jazz 88.3FM\u00c2\u00a0 and\u00c2\u00a0SiriusXM Satellite Radio's Real Jazz Channel XM67, (starting at 7:30 pm ET) has announced that Jazz Masters will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/neajazzmasters-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1191,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2013\/01\/neas-jazz-masters-live-program-gets-farther-still-farther-to-get.html","url_meta":{"origin":121,"position":1},"title":"NEA&#8217;s Jazz Masters Live program gets farther, still farther to get","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 20, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The National Endowment for the Arts is not in its essence a presenting organization. Its annual productions of ceremonies inducting new Jazz Masters, like the one at Dizzy's Club in Jazz at Lincoln Center on January 14, \u00c2\u00a0are special projects, probably stretching the Endowment's resources of staff, finances, time and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"images","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/01\/images.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":762,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2012\/01\/who-should-the-next-nea-jazz-masters-be.html","url_meta":{"origin":121,"position":2},"title":"Who should the next NEA Jazz Masters be?","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Who should be the next NEA Jazz Masters? With last night's triumphant and deeply moving webcast of the NEA's 2012 Jazz Masters induction ceremonies came welcome news the annual fellowships for these major American artists will continue -- at least the financial awards of $25,000 per Master. More significant to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/2012-jazz-masters.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":759,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2012\/01\/nea-jazz-masters-jazz-at-lincoln-center-live-and-webcast-smash.html","url_meta":{"origin":121,"position":3},"title":"NEA Jazz Masters @ Jazz at Lincoln Center live and webcast smash","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"January 11, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The glory of living American jazz musicians filled Jazz at Lincoln Center last night to celebrate the 30th annual National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Masters fellowships -- and some of the best news was the vitality of the music they played\u00c2\u00a0(webcast audio by WBGO and Sirius Radio,\u00c2\u00a0video at arts.gov).\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/images.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":293,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2010\/02\/nea_jazz_masters_as_new_yorker.html","url_meta":{"origin":121,"position":4},"title":"NEA Jazz Masters as New Yorkers","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"February 1, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Are all Jazz Masters in\/of NYC? Most, yes -- but can that last? My new City Arts column.\u00a0See photos that demonstrate the thesis. photo by Tom Pich:\u00a0back row, l to r: Rocco Landesman (NEA Chairman, NYC), Cedar Walton (NYC), Bobby Hutcherson, Bill Holman, Kenny Barron (NYC), Wayne Brown (NEA Director\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"NEA 2010 Jazz Masters Photo by Tom Pich.jpg","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/assets_c\/2010\/02\/NEA%202010%20Jazz%20Masters%20Photo%20by%20Tom%20Pich-thumb-420x278-12894.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":978,"url":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/2012\/07\/short-list-2013-nea-jazz-masters-announced-my-guy-won.html","url_meta":{"origin":121,"position":5},"title":"Short list: 2013 NEA Jazz Masters announced (My guy won!)","author":"Howard Mandel","date":"July 18, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Last January during the NEA Jazz Masters ceremonies at Lincoln Center, I blogged \"Who should \u00c2\u00a0the next NEA Jazz Masters be?\"\u00c2\u00a0and wrote, \"My own list of deserving nominees -- it starts with Eddie Palmieri.\" Today the NEA announced \u00c2\u00a0its\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Jazz Masters of 2013\u00c2\u00a0-- Eddie Palmieri! -- pianist-composer-arranger-bandleader and spokesman known as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;main&quot;","block_context":{"text":"main","link":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/category\/main"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.artsjournal.com\/jazzbeyondjazz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}