"The jazz world has come to regard the NEA Jazz Masters Award as its equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize," said NEA Chairman Dana Gioia, who revealed the names of the seven Jazz Masters for 2007 on Friday night at a concert of the Duke Ellington Festival.
"We are immensely proud that the Arts Endowment can not only honor these American artists, but also help them to forge new connections with the public," Gioia said.
Akiyoshi, a bebop pianist who emigrated from Japan in 1956 and founded the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra, was cited for her efforts in helping "remake the big-band tradition for contemporary audiences, with a vibrant new sound and new international influences."
The NEA recognized Lewis as a pianist who "spans the influence of gospel music, classical music and mainstream jazz," while Scott, known for his high-pitched vocals and often singled out by Billie Holiday as her favorite singer, was cited for bringing "his deeply affecting voice and style to everything from ballads to rhythm and blues."
The other new Jazz Masters are hard-bop trombonist Curtis Fuller; tenor saxophonist Frank Wess, who is also one of the most influential flutists in jazz history; alto saxophonist Phil Woods, who was honored in the composer-arranger category; and jazz writer and educator Dan Morgenstern, director of the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University, who was selected in the jazz advocacy category.
The seven new Jazz Masters will officially receive their awards, which include a $25,000 fellowship, at a ceremony and concert on Jan. 12, 2007 in New York, during the annual conference of the International Association for Jazz Education.
The NEA has named 94 Jazz Masters since launching the awards in 1982. The program was recently expanded to provide touring opportunities and radio and TV projects for past and present Jazz Masters.
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