Award / Grant News

U.S. Army Field Band Soldier-Musician Wins State Award for Musical Composition

Source: Michael Ricci
August 20, 2009

By Heather Santos Fort George G. Meade, Md.--Master Sgt. Jeffrey Thomas Lopez, bass player for the Jazz Ambassadors - America's Big Band, won a 2009 Individual Artist Award in Music Composition from the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) for his original Latin-Jazz scores, “Gibraltar," “Blue Waves," “Las Mujeres," “Chile Sauce," as well as his original composition “Soldier of The Euphrates," a military march that pays tribute to the Soldiers serving in Iraq. Inspired by his experiences with The US Army ...

Continue Reading...

Dave Brubeck to Receive Berklee Honorary Doctorate

Source: Michael Ricci
August 20, 2009

NEA Jazz Master Dave Brubeck, designated a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music at the 52nd Monterey Jazz Festival, held on September 18 - 20, 2009. The presentation will be made on the Jimmy Lyons Stage in the Arena on Sunday, September 20, at approximately 8:00 p.m., just prior to the Dave Brubeck s Quartet s set - celebrating the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking album Time ...

Continue Reading...

Steve Martin's 'Crow' Wins Kudos

Source: Michael Ricci
August 14, 2009

He's won an Emmy and a Grammy, and now Steve Martin is nominated for the International Bluegrass Music Assn. Awards.

The writer-comedian picked up six nominations Thursday in connection with his first music record, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo.

Martin was nominated as best banjo player and the album, which is No. 1 on Billboard's bluegrass chart, was nominated as best instrumental recorded performance of the year.

The Dan Tyminski Band led all nominees with nine. Tyminski, ...

Continue Reading...

Grady Nichols,Zac Maloy and David John Receive Grassroots Nomination

Source: PCS Management
August 14, 2009

Grady Nichols, Zac Maloy and David John received a nomination from the grassroots music organization Just Plain Folks for their song, “Bellisimo."

Recorded by Nichols for his Take Me With You project, “Bellissimo" was nominated in the Smooth Jazz Song category. The 2009 Just Plain Folks Awards is billed as the Worlds Largest Music Awards. They received a record setting 42,000 albums and over a half million songs from 163 countries around the world for consideration. As their staff and ...

Continue Reading...

Grammys: Neil Young to Receive Musicares Honor

Source: Michael Ricci
August 11, 2009

The Recording Academy has named Neil Young its 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year. The musician will be honored at a charity gala on Jan. 29, two days before the organization hosts the Grammy Awards.

Artists receiving the recognition, which benefits the charity arm of the Recording Academy, traditionally receive a tribute on the Grammy Awards, which will be broadcast live for the East Coast on Jan. 31.

The honor is reserved for artists who have dedicated a portion of ...

Continue Reading...

King Sunny Ade Inducted into the Afropop Hall of Fame

Source: rock paper scissors, inc.
August 9, 2009

King Sunny Ade Inducted into the Afropop Hall of Fame at Celebrate Brooklyn On July 18th

King Sunny Ade, Nigeria's beloved entertainer and maestro of juju big band dance music, was inducted into the Afropop Hall of Fame at Celebrate Brooklyn's African Festival on Saturday, July 18th. Afropop Producer Sean Barlow did the honors of inducting “Chairman" (what his friends and colleagues call him.)

Barlow explained to the 10,000 enthusiastic fans at Celebrate Brooklyn that the criteria for selection were ...

Continue Reading...

Charlie Harrington Becomes Member of the National Association of Rudimental Drummers

Source: Michael Ricci
August 4, 2009

Continue Reading...

CMA Announces $253,000 in Grants to Jazz Ensembles

Source: Michael Ricci
July 30, 2009

NEW YORK, NY -- Chamber Music America (CMA), celebrating its 32nd year of service to ensemble music professionals, today announced the recipients of 12 grants through CMAs New Jazz Works: Commissioning and Ensemble Development program. The grantees were selected in June by an independent, five-member panel of professional jazz musicians. CMA received 161 applications from jazz ensembles in 16 states. Made possible through the generosity of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, New Jazz Works supports the creation and performance of ...

Continue Reading...