Each year, the Jazz Journalists Association recognizes musicians, writers, broadcasters and others who have made important contributions to the health and success of jazz in their parts of the United States. Here are the new honorees.
For the list of 2020 heroes and their biographical sketches, scroll down and click on the names of the heroes who interest you. You’re likely to find at least one whom you know, or know about.
- Ann Arbor, MI: Deanna Relyea
- Atlanta, GA: Gwen Redding
- Baltimore, MD: Sean Jones
- Bay Area, CA: Richard Hadlock
- Birmingham, AL: Leah Tucker
- Boston, MA: Ran Blake
- Brooklyn, NY: Matthew Garrison & Fortuna Sung
- Capital Region, NY: Susan Cohen Brink
- Charlotte, NC: Lonnie & Ocie Davis
- Chicago, IL: Harriet Choice
- Cleveland, OH: Terri Pontremoli
- Denver, CO: Norman Provizer
- Fort Lauderdale, FL: Dr. Ronald B. Weber
- Hartford, CT: Ed Krech
- Indianapolis, IN: Albert Coleman
- Los Angeles, CA: Billy Mitchell
- Minneapolis, MN: Patty Peterson
- New York, NY: Roberta Alloway
- Philadelphia, PA: Anthony Tidd
- Portland, OR: Ron Steen
- Seattle, WA: Jay Thomas
- St. Louis, MO: Gene Dobbs Bradford
- Tallahassee, FL: Jan & Mark Pudlow
- Washington, DC: Sunny Sumter
Congratulations to all of the new jazz heroes and the past winners listed at the bottom of this post.
Oh. They forgot about you. That’s not good.
Dear Orsolya S.,,
Let me join you.
To be just, some years ago Doug was rightfully given a JJA Award!.
But for so many years Doug has been our hero and
I believe will be for many more years to come if only
for the fact that he, being his friend, created an inimitable story
of private and public lives of super saxophonist Paul Desmond
and for keeping us in knowledge of the main jazz events.. So he
fully deserves some more of JJA Awards no doubt!
Hi Svetlana,
Thank you for your kind note– It’s a poem!
I agree with you in all your praise of Mr. Doug Ramsey. Keep reading Rifftides.
Take care!
Be well!
No jazz heroes in New Orleans? Or overseas, for that matter. How come?
You may want to correct the spelling of Sidney Bechet in the Richard Hadlock article.
Don Molloy
St Cloud MN
You would have to ask the Jazz Journalists Association’s copy desk to correct the misspelling of Bechet as “Becket” in the Hadlock biography.
It’s good to see Harriet Choice recognized.