9th annual JJA Jazz Awards

[robviti]

i saw this item this morning and i thought i'd pass it along for anyone who might be interested in reading it.

Maria Schneider wins 4 jazz awards, while circumventing record stores

By CHARLES J. GANS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK, June 15 — Maria Schneider took a big risk last year when she released her orchestral jazz album, ''Concert in the Garden,'' exclusively through her own Web site in partnership with ArtistShare, a new Internet-based music delivery service. But her gamble in bypassing the traditional record label-distributor-retail store chain has paid off big time.

Schneider received the album of the year title Tuesday as well as being chosen the top composer, arranger and large ensemble leader at the ninth annual Jazz Awards. Her triumphs followed her success earlier this year when ''Concert in the Garden'' won the Grammy for best large jazz ensemble album — the first recording ever to receive a Grammy without being distributed in record stores.

''It's unbelievable. It's been such a nice year,'' said Schneider, who joked that she felt ''greedy'' taking home four awards. ''I'm so glad I live in New York. There's so many amazing musicians and I can't believe I am part of this.''

Veteran Dave Holland was honored twice as musician of the year and as the top acoustic bassist in the voting conducted among the 450 members of the Jazz Journalists Association. The only other multiple winner was 30-year-old Jason Moran who was voted the top pianist while his trio won for best small ensemble.

While recognizing emerging young jazz stars such as Moran and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt (who was named up-and-coming artist of the year) the JJA also paid homage to a trio of octogenarians: 86-year-old pianist Hank Jones for lifetime achievement, 83-year-old Frank Wess (flutist of the year) and 84-year old Clark Terry (trumpeter of the year).

Terry, who beat out such strong younger contenders as Wynton Marsalis, Dave Douglas and Nicholas Payton, likened himself to a boxing legend who finally won his first world title at age 39 in 1952 and held on to it for 10 more years.

''All I can say is that I feel like Archie Moore did when he won the championship and said, 'I'm just going to stay around here until I get one,'' said Terry, drawing laughs from the audience of several hundred at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill.

Other winners included Brazilian Luciana Souza, who is prominently featured on Schneider's ''Concert'' album, as female vocalist of the year, Andy Bey (male vocalist), Jerry Gonzalez (Latin jazz album — ''Y Los Piratas del Flamenco''), Roswell Rudd (trombonist), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophonist), Phil Woods (alto saxophonist), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophonist), Don Byron (clarinetist), Jim Hall (guitarist), Regina Carter (strings player), Stefon Harris (mallets player) and Roy Haynes (drummer).

In the Jazz Journalism categories, the lifetime achievement award went to former Boston Globe critic Bob Blumenthal, while Dan Morgenstern's ''Living With Jazz'' was chosen the year's best book about jazz.

The awards ceremony, hosted by actor Robert Wisdom of HBO's ''The Wire'' series and taped for broadcast at a later date by the cable channel BETJazz, also included a solo drum performance by Jack DeJohnette and pianist-arranger Sy Johnson presenting his ''75th Birthday Suite for Octet.''

Singer Nnenna Freelon previewed selections from her upcoming Billie Holiday tribute album ''Blueprint of a Lady — Sketches of Billie Holiday,'' including a stirring rendition of the anti-lynching song ''Strange Fruit,'' made even more fitting because it came a day after the U.S. Senate voted to apologize for its past failure to enact legislation against lynching.

————

On the Net:

www.jazzhouse.org

© 2005 Associated Press.

[jlhoots]

i saw this item this morning and i thought i'd pass it along for anyone who might be interested in reading it.

Maria Schneider wins 4 jazz awards, while circumventing record stores

By CHARLES J. GANS

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW YORK, June 15 — Maria Schneider took a big risk last year when she released her orchestral jazz album, ''Concert in the Garden,'' exclusively through her own Web site in partnership with ArtistShare, a new Internet-based music delivery service. But her gamble in bypassing the traditional record label-distributor-retail store chain has paid off big time.

    Schneider received the album of the year title Tuesday as well as being chosen the top composer, arranger and large ensemble leader at the ninth annual Jazz Awards. Her triumphs followed her success earlier this year when ''Concert in the Garden'' won the Grammy for best large jazz ensemble album — the first recording ever to receive a Grammy without being distributed in record stores.

      ''It's unbelievable. It's been such a nice year,'' said Schneider, who joked that she felt ''greedy'' taking home four awards. ''I'm so glad I live in New York. There's so many amazing musicians and I can't believe I am part of this.''

      Veteran Dave Holland was honored twice as musician of the year and as the top acoustic bassist in the voting conducted among the 450 members of the Jazz Journalists Association. The only other multiple winner was 30-year-old Jason Moran who was voted the top pianist while his trio won for best small ensemble.

      While recognizing emerging young jazz stars such as Moran and trumpeter Jeremy Pelt (who was named up-and-coming artist of the year) the JJA also paid homage to a trio of octogenarians: 86-year-old pianist Hank Jones for lifetime achievement, 83-year-old Frank Wess (flutist of the year) and 84-year old Clark Terry (trumpeter of the year).

      Terry, who beat out such strong younger contenders as Wynton Marsalis, Dave Douglas and Nicholas Payton, likened himself to a boxing legend who finally won his first world title at age 39 in 1952 and held on to it for 10 more years.

      ''All I can say is that I feel like Archie Moore did when he won the championship and said, 'I'm just going to stay around here until I get one,'' said Terry, drawing laughs from the audience of several hundred at B.B. King's Blues Club and Grill.

      Other winners included Brazilian Luciana Souza, who is prominently featured on Schneider's ''Concert'' album, as female vocalist of the year, Andy Bey (male vocalist), Jerry Gonzalez (Latin jazz album — ''Y Los Piratas del Flamenco''), Roswell Rudd (trombonist), Joe Lovano (tenor saxophonist), Phil Woods (alto saxophonist), Wayne Shorter (soprano saxophonist), Don Byron (clarinetist), Jim Hall (guitarist), Regina Carter (strings player), Stefon Harris (mallets player) and Roy Haynes (drummer).

      In the Jazz Journalism categories, the lifetime achievement award went to former Boston Globe critic Bob Blumenthal, while Dan Morgenstern's ''Living With Jazz'' was chosen the year's best book about jazz.

      The awards ceremony, hosted by actor Robert Wisdom of HBO's ''The Wire'' series and taped for broadcast at a later date by the cable channel BETJazz, also included a solo drum performance by Jack DeJohnette and pianist-arranger Sy Johnson presenting his ''75th Birthday Suite for Octet.''

      Singer Nnenna Freelon previewed selections from her upcoming Billie Holiday tribute album ''Blueprint of a Lady — Sketches of Billie Holiday,'' including a stirring rendition of the anti-lynching song ''Strange Fruit,'' made even more fitting because it came a day after the U.S. Senate voted to apologize for its past failure to enact legislation against lynching.

————

On the Net:

www.jazzhouse.org

© 2005 Associated Press.

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Decent list.

After looking at the last paragraph, now we'll all be able to get off Madeliene Peyroux's back.