Award / Grant News

National Endowment for the Arts Announces the 2009 NEA Jazz Masters

Source: All About Jazz
June 3, 2008

NEA Partners with Jazz at Lincoln Center for NEA Jazz Masters Awards Ceremony and Concert Washington, DC - The National Endowment for the Arts today announced the recipients of the 2009 NEA Jazz Masters Award--the nation's highest honor in this distinctly American music. The six recipients will each receive a $25,000 grant award, and will be publicly honored in an awards ceremony and concert on Friday, October 17, 2008. The six 2009 NEA Jazz Masters are: George Benson (vocalist and ...

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Ascona Jazz Award 2008 for Donald Harrison

Source: All About Jazz
June 2, 2008

Ascona, Lake Maggiore, Switzerland - Following singer Lillian Boutt (Special Prize 2006) and Father Jerme Ledoux (Special Prize/Award 2007), a third outstanding personage of New Orleans cultural life will be recognized by the Ascona Jazz festival. The Ascona Jazz Award 2008 will be bestowed on the great saxophonist Donald Harrison.

The intention of the festival directors is to reward the musical endeavors of this virtuoso of the saxophone, considered among the most influential figures on the contemporary jazz scene; and ...

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Paul McCartney Receives Degree from Yale

Source: All About Jazz
May 26, 2008

Ex-Beatle Awarded Doctorate Of Music NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Paul McCartney can now add one more honor to the numerous awards, accolades and the knighthood he has already received. The ex-Beatle on Monday was awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree from Yale University. In granting the honorary degree to McCartney -- Sir Paul McCartney since he was knighted in 1996 -- the university said no one compares with the legendary songwriter. Yale said the 65-year-old McCartney awakened a generation, ...

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Amy Winehouse Wins Novello Songwriting Award

Source: All About Jazz
May 22, 2008

Amy Winehouse has won a prestigious songwriting award for “Love Is a Losing Game" from her Back to Black album. The song won the Ivor Novello award for best song musically and lyrically at a ceremony in London on Thursday. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, accepted the award after the 24-year-old singer-songwriter arrived too late to collect it in person. Her song “Rehab," also from the “Back to Black" album, won a Novello last year. The awards are given out annually ...

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Grammy Awards Set 2009 Date

Source: All About Jazz
May 22, 2008

The Recording Academy has set Feb. 8, 2009, as the date the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, to be held once again from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Grammys have been telecast live from the Staples Center since 2000, with one exception coming in 2003, when the awards were held in New York. With the announcement from the Recording Academy, the eligibility period for the 2009 Grammy Awards has also been confirmed. Once again, the Grammys will recognize albums ...

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Huntsville, Alabama Proclaims First "Rick Dellaratta and Jazz for Peace Day"

Source: All About Jazz
May 18, 2008

In partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in support of Jazz Appreciation Month, Mayor Loretta Spencer of Huntsville, Alabama officially proclaimed Saturday April 19, 2008 to be “Rick DellaRatta and Jazz for Peace Day."

Citing Mr. DellaRatta's numerous awards as a Jazz Pianist, Vocalist and Composer, along with his extraordinary achievements of over 500 Benefit Concerts to help outstanding organizations across the country, his Education Series to bring music back into the schools and his Instrument Donation ...

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Watermelon Slim & the Workers Win Two Top Industry Honors for "Band of the Year" and "Album of the Year"

Source: Just Roots PR
May 14, 2008

The NorthernBlues Music release The Wheel Man wins “Album of the Year" over peers Koko Taylor, Bettye LaVette and Jimmie Vaughan.

Watermelon Slim and the Workers won a pair of awards at the Memphis-based Blues Foundation's 2008 Blues Music Awards (formerly W.C. Handy Awards) on Thursday May 8, 2008 at the Grand Casino Event Center in Tunica, Mississippi.

Watermelon Slim is a relatively new luminary of the blues, rapidly building a career behind four albums and constant touring. In 2008 ...

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Finalist Nominees for the 2008 Jazz Awards

Source: All About Jazz
May 9, 2008

Finalist nominees for the 2008 Jazz Awards, the Jazz Journalists Association's 12 annual celebration of excellence in jazz and jazz journalism, are hereby announced. Voting on these nominees by professional JJA members to determine one representative winner in each category will commence soon at Jazzhouse.org — members should watch for emails with further details. The Jazz Awards will be celebrated at a cocktail reception from 3 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18 at the Jazz Standard, 116 East 27th ...

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