The Jazz Journalists Association Eighth Annual JJA Jazz Awards

Tickets to this year's JJA Jazz Awards celebration, a cocktail-and-supper party with musical entertainment on Tuesday, June 15 at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill, 237 W. 42nd St. in New York City from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., are $40 to JJA members and nominees (after their two complimentary tickets) and $150 to the public. Tickets may be bought by check made out to the Jazz Journalists Association, sent c/o Arnold J. Smith, 436 State St., Brooklyn NY 11217, or by charge card at www.JazzJournalistsAwards.com, where there are photos and sound samples of many nominees, plus news of celebrity guest hosts and musical performances at the Awards. No tickets will be issued; reservations will be honored at the door, and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Discretionary Awards For Services To and Beyond Jazz will be presented at B.B. King's to:

• Les Paul, guitarist, inventor, and recording innovator;
  
  
• recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, celebrating his 50 years of work with Blue Note Records.
  
  
• Arthur Barnes, senior vice-president for external affairs, HIP Health Plan of New York, for his work with the Jazz Foundation of America, the New School Jazz Program, and the Arts Education Program of the Clara Barton High School for Health Professionals;
  
  
• Bethany Bultman, outreach chair of the New Orleans Musicians Clinic;
  
  
• R. Jarett Lilien, CEO of E-TRADE.com for his work with the Jazz Foundation of America to establish a residence for jazz musicians in need;
  
  
• Sandy Jackson (widow of Milt Jackson), for her work with Veritas Therapeutic Community Foundation Inc.'s Friends of Charlie Parker benefit for drug rehabilitation programs.

The JJA Jazz Awards West Coast Party, also a cocktail and supper event with music by Jeff Gauthier, Nils Cline and friends, will be held Monday, June 21 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Jazz Bakery, Los Angeles. Tickets are $25 to JJA members, $75 to the public, and may also be bought by check made out to the Jazz Journalists Association, sent c/o Arnold J. Smith, 436 State St., Brooklyn NY 11217, or charged at www.JazzJournalistsAwards.com.

Discretionary Award winners at the West Coast Party are:

• Horace Silver (receiving his award from Gerald Wilson) for his establishment of scholarships for gifted piano students;
  
  
• Chuck Niles (posthumously; his award will be received by his daughter, Stacy), in recognition of his career as jazz radio voice of the Los Angeles Area;
  
  
• LaRue Brown Watson (widow of Clifford Brown), for her 30 years of volunteer work in jazz education;
  
  
• Dr. Paul Martin and Dr. Margaret Ray, who treated the late Billy Higgins for liver cancer.

Among this year's early sponsors for the Jazz Awards are:

BETJazz; Blue Note Records; E-TRADE.com; HEI-Arts International; HIP Health Plan of New York; Hot House magazine; Pfizer Inc.; Iridium Jazz Club.