Twenty-two jazz-devoted Americans in 20 U.S. cities have been named 2018 Jazz Heroes by the Jazz Journalists Association, the non-profit professional organization of writers, photographers, broadcasters, videographers and new media content creators.
All together during Jazz Appreciation Month but in each locale individually, JJA members, supporters and collaborators from Atlanta to Seattle, Tucson to New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area to Washington DC are presenting engraved statuettes in mostly free-to-the-public events to the Heroes.
Almost two dozen sponsors from the jazz world have contributed to the media campaigns; their logos with links to their websites are posted at www.JJAJazzAwards.org. Among them are the Jazz Foundation of America, Berklee School of Music, the Joyce and George Wein Foundation, and Resonance Records, as well as Concord Jazz and other labels — Motéma, Sunnyside Communications, ECM, Thirsty Ear, Blue Note Records. Also the Jazz Education Network, the New School Jazz Program, the Monterey Jazz Festival, Tucson Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival and San Jose Jazz Festival; publicists Braithwaite&Katz, Scott Thompson PR and Jazz Promo Services, and grass roots groups SFJazz, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, Manchester Craftsmans Guild and Jazz St. Louis. (If interested in offering further support to the JJA’s Jazz Heroes and Jazz Awards initiatives, please email President@JazzJournalists.org).
Intending to help local communities put the media spotlight on their own jazz scenes during JAM, the JJA is helping to provide a news peg for coverage (“human interest” stories about neighbors doing something special) and offering DIY tips for generating that coverage via its JazzApril web-pages (yes, that banner needs updating!).
The 2018 Jazz Heroes include:
- exemplary musicians who are mentors,
- teachers who challenge and excite students of all ages,
- presenters who dig into their own pockets,
- organization staffers who make music by seeing that things happen,
- radio guys and oral historians, photographers and bloggers,
- a research librarian who runs a festival and another who made a glorious find,
- a record store owner who’s reviewed his merchandise scrupulously for almost 30 years and
- a philanthropist who’s underwritten a powerful array of breakthrough new music and art across genres.
Detailed bios of each of the Jazz Heroes, alphabetically by city — from woodwinds specialist and pastor Dr. Dwight Andrews in Atlanta to Library of Congress and WPFW “Sound of Surprise” program host Larry Appelbaum in Washington DC, — are linked to the individual portraits of each Hero at their own webpage on www,JJAJazzAwards.org/Jazz Heroes (therefore, allowing selective distribution). Sponsors of the Jazz Heroes (and also the JJA’s upcoming 23rd annual Jazz Awards for excellence in music and music journalism) include the Jazz Foundation of America, Berklee College of Music, the Joyce and George Wein Foundation, Jazz Education Network, Resonance Records, Concord Jazz and several other labels, ASCAP, BMI, the Montreal, Monterey and Tucson Jazz Festivals, publicists and grass roots support organizations.
Jazz Heroes may be nominated by anyone willing to organize free public celebrations and presentations of their candidates in nearby jazz surroundings, and use media or make contact with media-makers to promote the Heroes who are selected. Email President@JazzJournalists.org in order to register a nominee for 2019 Jazz Hero consideration.
