NEA Jazz Masters for 2010

The National Endowment for the Arts announced the recipients of the Jazz Masters Award. Since 1982, the NEA has honored the most influential jazz veterans with this award. This year, eight living jazz legends made the cut:

• Muhal Richard Abrams - pianist, composer
• George Avakian - producer, manager, critic. He will receive the A.B Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy.
• Kenny Barron (pictured) - pianist, composer
• Bill Holman - composer, arranger
• Bobby Hutcherson - vibraphonist, marimba player
• Yusef Lateef - saxophonist, flutist
• Annie Ross - vocalist
• Cedar Walton - pianist, composer

Each will receive a $25,000 grant, presented at an awards ceremony at Frederick P. Rose Hall at Lincoln Center on January 12th, 2010.

Past recipients include:

• Dizzy Gillespie
• Miles Davis
• Art Blakey
• George Wein
• Ray Barretto
• Freddie Hubbard
• Lee Konitz

Image of Kenny Barron © Carol Friedman