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2012: The Year in Jazz
Here's a look at significant happenings across the jazz world over the past 12 months:
International Jazz Day
Jazz everywhere now has an official day to call its own. In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization named pianist
Herbie Hancock
pianob.1940
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
Latin Jazz Grammy Restored
The Recording Academy restored the Latin Jazz category to the Grammy Awards, in a June announcement that was seen as a major victory for Latin jazz musicians and fans. They'd protested vehemently after the Academy's trustees reduced the award categories from 109 to 78 in 2011. Drummer
Bobby Sanabria
congasSilver Anniversary
Jazz at Lincoln Center is in the midst of celebrating its 25th anniversary season as an arts organization—one that has grown quite robust under the leadership of Managing and Artistic Director
Wynton Marsalis
trumpetb.1961
Economic Issues
Jazz is hardly immune to the ups and downs of the economy. At times, it seems most vulnerable. We saw it this year on the club and festival front, and the impact of Mother Nature. We saw it after Superstorm Sandy in late October. Many musicians weren't able to get into New York City for gigs, or to leave their Big Apple home base for gigs elsewhere across the U.S., eliminating much-needed income in some cases. The storm damage wiped out more than a few home studios and/or instruments.
The Jazz Foundation of America staff worked tirelessly to help New York-area musicians with food, warm clothing, emergency needs and rent subsidies for some who had gigs canceled. Saxophonist
Joe Lovano
drumsb.1952
Mark Egan
bassb.1951
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
band / ensemble / orchestraMore than a handful of area jazz clubs were impacted, with weeklong closings in some cases. The Blue Note was shuttered for five nights, the longest closure in its 31-year history. Programming at the Jazz Gallery was suspended even longer. Lacking electricity in Greenwich Village, Small's Jazz featured jam sessions by candlelight and flashlight.
Clubs Come, Go and Come Back
The club scene was in great flux throughout 2012. New York's fabled Oak Room at the Algonquin Hotel closed for good in February after a 32-year cabaret run. Feinstein's, the high-end supper club at the Loews Regency Hotel in Manhattan, is closing in January 2013 after 13 years at that site. Singer-pianist
Michael Feinstein
piano and vocalsb.1956
Cecil Brooks III
drumsb.1959
On the plus side of the equation, renowned architect Frank Gehry signed on as pro bono designer of a new home for the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles's Culver City neighborhood. A $10 million fundraising campaign is underway for the Jazz Bakery, which lost its lease at the Helms Bakery complex in 2009. Its new home will be next to the Kirk Douglas Theater. SFJAZZ's new SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco is set to open on January 21, 2013. New York's Kitano New York hotel expanded its jazz programming with an adjacent new supper club, Jazz at Kitano. Two years after the Cape May Jazz Festival folded due to financial and organizational woes (after presenting 34 weekend festivals in 17 years), a full-blown event returned to New Jersey's southernmost point in November with the Exit 0 International Jazz Festival. Producer Michael Kline's Spy Boy Productions plans to make the event a twice-a-year phenomenon like its predecessor.
Credit Where Credit is Long Overdue
"Solar" is a classic
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Chuck Wayne
banjob.1923
Sonny Berman
b.1925Stamp of Approval
In June, the United States Postal Service and its French equivalent, La Poste, released a joint pair of commemorative stamps, one honoring Miles Davis, the other honoring singer Edith Piaf. The Davis stamp featured David Gahr's classic profile photograph that became the cover of the trumpeter's A Tribute to Jack Johnson (Columbia, 1970).
Stamp Perpetual Honors for Brownie, Mingus and Davis
Wilmington, DE officials dedicated a statue in Kirkwood Park November 9 to honor native son, trumpeter
Clifford Brown
trumpetb.1930
Miles Davis
trumpet1926 - 1991
Awards Galore
Drummer
Jack DeJohnette
drumsb.1942
Von Freeman
saxophone, tenor1922 - 2012
Charlie Haden
bass, acoustic1937 - 2014
Sheila Jordan
vocals1928 - 2025
Jimmy Owens
trumpetb.1943
Mose Allison
piano and vocals1927 - 2016
Lou Donaldson
saxophone1926 - 2024
Eddie Palmieri
piano1936 - 2025
Sonny Rollins
saxophoneb.1930
Horace Silver
piano1928 - 2014
Jazz-related winners at the 54th Grammy Awards in February were
Chick Corea
piano1941 - 2021
Terri Lyne Carrington
drumsb.1965
Stanley Clarke
bassb.1951
Lenny White
drumsb.1949
Tony Bennett
vocals1926 - 2023
Trumpeter/composer
Arturo Sandoval
trumpetb.1949
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpet1917 - 1993
Eddie Gomez
bassb.1944
Paul Motian
drums1931 - 2011
Poncho Sanchez
bongosb.1951
Milton Nascimento
guitar and vocalsb.1942
Drummer
Jamison Ross
drums
Justin Brown
drums
Colin Stranahan
drumsFrench singer
Cyrille Aimée
vocalsb.1984
Sarah Vaughan
vocals1924 - 1990
Drummer
Roy Haynes
drums1926 - 2024
Pianist
Kenny Barron
pianob.1943
Ron Carter
bassb.1937
The United Nations appointed pianist
Danilo Pérez
pianob.1966
Pianist/composer
Myra Melford
pianob.1957
Trombonist Daniel Blacksberg,
Sun Ra
piano1914 - 1993
Marshall Allen
saxophone, altob.1924
Matthew Mitchell
guitarb.1973
Greg Osby
saxophoneb.1960
Drummer
Jimmy Cobb
drums1929 - 2020
The Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame in Memphis honored saxophonist
Charles Lloyd
saxophoneb.1938
2012's jazz inductees into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame in November included bandleader
Jimmie Lunceford
composer / conductor1902 - 1947
W.C. Handy
arranger1873 - 1958
George Coleman
saxophone, tenorb.1935
Memphis Minnie
guitar1897 - 1973
Willie Mitchell
b.1928Bassist, vocalist, composer and bandleader
Esperanza Spalding
bassb.1984
Clarinetist
Don Byron
clarinetb.1958
Bill Frisell
guitar, electricb.1951
John Hollenbeck
drumsb.1968
Vijay Iyer
pianob.1971
Nicole Mitchell
fluteb.1967
Composer-pianist Vijay Iyer also won the Greenfield Prize, awarded this year in the field of music, from the Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Greenfield Foundation. The prize includes a $30,000 commission of an original work of art, a residency at the Hermitage in Englewood, FL, and a partnership with a professional arts organization to develop the work.
Other Notable Moments
Commemorative Performance
The New York Pops orchestra celebrated the 65th anniversary of singer
Ella Fitzgerald
vocals1917 - 1996
Patti Austin
vocalsb.1948
There's an App For That
Blue Note Records launched an innovative new app that enables users to explore and discover music spanning the entire history of the label from 1939 to present. The app is housed on the online music streaming service Spotify.
Minted Fresh Music
There's a new jazz record label on the block—with a production twist. Iridium Live will release live recordings from the New York midtown club by the same name. In additional to traditional sales vehicles in stores, online and at the club, releases in the Iridium's Freshly Burned series will be available for purchase immediately following performances.
Close Call
Blind jazz-rock guitarist
Jeff Golub
guitar1955 - 2015
Nobody Wins This One
Singer
Dee Dee Bridgewater
vocalsb.1950
Trio Da Paz
band / ensemble / orchestra
Monty Alexander
pianob.1944
2012 Final Bars
There were many losses in the jazz world during 2012, ranging from pianist, composer and bandleader
Dave Brubeck
piano1920 - 2012
Clare Fischer
piano1928 - 2012
Pete La Roca
drums1938 - 2012
Red Holloway
saxophone1927 - 2012
John Tchicai
saxophone1936 - 2012
David S. Ware
saxophone, tenor1949 - 2012
Etta James
vocals1938 - 2012
Accordionists Juri Kravets, Frank Marocco and Krzysztof Puszynski; accordionist, pianist and composer One Eivin Pedersen.
Balafon player Kélétigui Diabate.
Bandleader, arranger, composer and musical director Mort Lindsey; bandleader, composer and arranger Jairo Varela.
Banjoist/guitarist Reg Quantrill.
Bassists Bob Badgley, Jimmy Bond, Lloyd Brevett, Joe Bruno, Joe Byrd, Freddie Deronde, Charles Flores, Victor Gaskin, Chris Giles, Dick Kniss, Takayoshi Matsunaga, Chuck Metcalf, Richie Pillot, Jacky Samson, Nabil Totah, Nick Tountas and Zbigniew Wegehaupt; bassist and artist manager John Levy; bassist, singer and broadcaster Wally Wrightman; bassist, organist, composer and arranger Ed Lincoln; bassist, percussionist and singer Dalio Arce Vital; bassist, trumpeter and accordionist John Forrest (aka Blackie); bassist and composer Eric Moseholm.
Cellist Denis Van Hecke.
Clarinetist Pete Kennedy; clarinetist, saxophonist, producer and writer Joe Muranyi; clarinetist and soprano saxophonist Lee Childs; clarinetist and composer Tale Ognenovski; clarinetist, saxophonist and bandleader Jacky June; clarinetist, arranger and bandleader Maxim Saury.
Composers Sadao Bekku, Richard Rodney Bennett; composer, pianist, singer, conductor and educator Marvin Hamlisch; composer, arranger, conductor, songwriter and pianist Ivan Lane; composer, lyricist and pianist Billy Barnes; composer, producer and author Ilhan Mimaro?lu; composer, conductor and clarinetist Severino Araújo; composer and trombonist Harry Betts; composer and educator Peter Cork.
Cornetist, pianist, singer and bandleader Ernie Carson.
Drummers Tom Bruno, Ed Cassidy, Bob Dartsch, Robbie France, Charles Hooper, Sonny Igoe, Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson, Eddie Jenkins, Vinnie Johnson, Bobby Malloy, Larance Marable, Tony Marsh, Bruce Morley, Bill Rowe, Pete "La Roca" Sims, Sune Sp?ngberg, Paul van Wageningen; bass drummer and singer Lionel Batiste; drummer, guitarist and singer Osvaldo Fattoruso; drummer and educator Derryl Goes Faber; drummer, composer and performance artist Adam Noidlt (Frank K?llges); drummer, bandleader, composer, arranger and educator Wade Barnes; drummer, percussionist, educator and author Elliot Fine; drummer and educator Frisner Augustin; drummer and comedian Klaus D. Huber; drummer, saxophonist and artist Walter Malli; actor, performance artist, director and drummer Steve Ben Israel; drummer, singer and guitarist Osvaldo Fattoruso; drummer and broadcaster Bob French (Wiki).
Guitarists
Mickey "Guitar" Baker
guitar, electric1925 - 2012
Pete Cosey
guitar1943 - 2012
Keyboardist, singer, songwriter and producer Larry Butler.
Lyricist Hal David.
Multi-instrumentalist Nitro Deluxe (Manny Scretching Jr.).
Organist Leon Spencer Jr.; organist and composer Jon Lord.
Percussionists Luis Abreu, Manolito González, Manuel Vásquez "Mangüé" Goyoneche, Lala Kova?ev, Manuel "Manolo" Labarrera; percussionist, composer, and arranger Ralph Ferraro; percussionist, composer and educator Obo Addy.
Pianists Ian Bargh, Charles Bell, Borah Bergman, Jean-Francois Boillat, John Vernon Bow, Bubi Chen, Jodie Christian, Jerome Eisner, Jean Fanis, Eddie Fritz, Walter Günthardt, Paquito Hechevarria, Basil Hunter, Maurice "Moe" Lavallee, Reginald "Reggie" Lewis, Anthony Maonde, Pat Murray, Ian Pearce, Austin Peralta, Ray Pitts, Omar Sharriff (Dave Alexander), Jeff Sweet, Rob van den Broeck, Charles "Manny" Williams, Don Wilson; pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger Dave Brubeck; pianists, arrangers, composers and bandleaders Graeme Bell, Jef Gilson, Fritz Pauer, Rob Pronk, Hal Schaefer, Shimrit Shoshan; pianists and composers Jose Roberto Bertrami, Burrell Gluskin, Pete Saberton, Bernardo Sassetti; pianist and organist Carol Britto; pianist, organist, bandleader, composer and arranger Clare Fischer; pianist and NARAS past president Mike Melvoin; pianist, guitarist, arranger and educator George Mesterhazy; pianist, arranger, composer, conductor and songwriter Ivan Lane; pianists, composers and arrangers Lee Rodgers Grant, Jimmy Walter; pianist, composer and saxophonist István Reg?s; pianist and bandleader Noel Kelehan; pianist, bandleader and artist manager José Curbelo; pianists, singers and composers Sergio Mihanovich, Uldis Stabulnieks; actor and keyboard player Sherman Hemsley; pianist, composer and conductor Gaspero C. Trainito; pianist and conductor Noel Kelehan; pianist and kecapi player Bubi Chen; pianist, composer and singer Uldis Stabulnieks; pianist, singer, composer, educator and lawyer Steve Prosser; pianist, drummer and bandleader Stan Greig; pianist, bandleader, composer and educator Ken Chaney.
Saxophonists Bucky Adams, Flavio Ambrosetti, Robert Barnes, Bill Beyea, Totti Bergh, Bill Caldwell, Doudou Chancy, Lol Coxhill, Joki Freund, Willie George, Salvador Guerzo, Andy Hamilton, Red Holloway, Lasse H?rnfeldt, Ben Kynard, Nobuyuki Morikawa, Dick Oats, Frank Pantrini, Joe Pompei, Carl Randall, Al Seibert, John Tchicai, Bill Tillman, Larry Unthank, Vince Wallace, Vinnie Walsh, David S. Ware, Edwin "Rocky" Wynder; saxophonist and clarinetist Bill Beyea; saxophonist, writer and educator Paul Wagner; saxophonists, clarinetists and flutists Bill Caldwell, Jackie Kelso (John Kelson), saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist, bandleader and educator Hal McKusick; saxophonist, clarinetist, flutist and pianist Byard Lancaster, saxophonist and flutist Sean Bergin; saxophonists and arrangers Derek Bridge, Salvador Guerzo, Tommy Newsom; saxophonist, bandleader, composer and arranger Dieudonné Nino Malapet; saxophonist, flutist, clarinetist, pianist, composer and arranger Robert W. "Housewine" Roden; saxophonist, composer and poet Faruq Z. Bey; saxophonist and composer Tomasz Szukalski; saxophonists and educators Rick Britto, Ken Revell; saxophonist and bandleader Von Freeman; Cambodian king, film maker, pianist, saxophonist and composer Norodom Sihanouk; saxophonist, composer and arranger Ray Pitts; saxophonist and bandleader Félix del Rosario; saxophonist, painter and sculptor Günther Klatt.
Singers David Allyn, Ayten Alpman, Fontella Bass, Georges Bellec, Tetjana Bojeva, Nina Bundy, Marie Ellington (Maria Hawkins Cole, who was the wife of Nat, mother of Natalie), James "Sugar Boy" Crawford, Kay Davis (Kathryn Wimp), Ray Desforges, Edwin Duff, Nello Ferrara, Etta James, Guy Konkèt, Dorothy McGuire, Robert Moore, Anne Marie Moss, Alf Pearson, Pery Ribeiro, Kelly Ryan, Jody Sandhaus, Jill Seifers Walsh, Carrie Smith, Dottie Smith, Kathy Taraschi, James Van Buren, Italia Vaniglio, Andy Williams, Leroy Wofford; singer and former Puerto Rico legislator Ruth Fernández; singer, vibraphonist, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, talent scout, disc jockey, composer, arranger, producer and impresario Johnny Otis (Ioannis Alexandres Veliotes); singer, saxophonist, percussionist, composer and bandleader Jimmy Castor; singers and actresses Rebecca Dorsey, Betty Rhodes; singer and percussionist Jimmy Sabater; singer and songwriter Christiane Weber; singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Lucio Dalla; singer and composer Art Jenkins; singer and actor Pery Ribeiro; singer and arranger Todd Buffa; actress, singer and concert producer Janet Carroll; singers and guitarists Ben Tinker, Seydina Insa Wade; singer, actor and author Tony Martin; singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger Magro Waghabi; singer, broadcaster and writer "Uptown" Janice Brown; singer, pianist, trumpeter, singer, guitarist and composer Terry Callier; singers and percussionists Luisito Ayala and Sammy Ayala; singer, vibraphonist and drummer Hazy Osterwald; singer and bassist Ray Lamere (aka Sugar Ray); singer and banjo player Bruce McNichols; jazz poet and performance artist Jayne Cortez.
Sitarists Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan, Jalal Zolfonoun; sitarist, composer, bandleader and educator
Ravi Shankar
sitar1920 - 2012
Theremin player, flutist, guitarist, bass guitarist and singer Barbara Buchholz.
Trombonists Eddie Bert, Joe Ciavardone, Jerry Dorn, Jerry Heath, Frank Parr; trombonist and educator Jimmy Harrison; trombonist, pianist, arranger and music educator Eddie Harvey; trombonist, trumpeter, bandleader and broadcaster Bruce Davis; trombonist, bandleader and composer Frode Thingnaes; bass trombonist Mike Wimberly.
Trumpeters Chuck Austin, Bill Brimfield, Jean-Fran?ois Canape, Lou Colombo, Raymond Court, Ted Curson, Maurice D. Davis, Frank Gay, Fred Gérard, Don Ingle, Cornelius "Bruce" Johnson, Virgil Jones, Warren Luening, John McAndrew, Tam Mott, Khalil Shaheed (Tommy Hall), Erwin "Whitey" Thomas; trumpeter and vocalist Art Jenkins; trumpeter, pianist, neverlur player and writer Andreas Lunnan; trumpeter, composer, bandleader, educator and actor Abram Wilson; trumpeter and actor Rafik Katschanow; trumpeter, saxophonist, clarinetist and pianist Russell Leroy (Rusty) Mason; trumpeter, arranger, composer and educator Jim Edison.
Vibes players Phil Kraus, A.J. Mantas; vibes player, pianist and composer Teddy Charles; vibes player, pianist and arranger Margie Hyams.
Violinist and composer Gale Hess.
Washboard player Joe Shenton.
Latin percussion instrument developer and inventor Ray Enhoffer.
Music agent and record producer Daidy Davis-Boyer; producer, booking agent, executive, marketing and public relations person and special events coordinator Gloria June Powers; producer and cabaret impresario Donald Smith; producer and Enja label co-founder Horst Weber; music publisher Howie Richmond; music publishing industry executive Frances Preston; record producer Carl Davis; producer, singer, drummer and philanthropist Charles Newel (Chuck) Huggins; record producer, label owner and jazz party organizer Mat Domber; manager, producer and record label executive Alan Mintz; record producer and recording engineer Howard H. Scott; show, festival and record producer Manny Fox.
Orchestra contractor, conductor and trumpeter Jules Chaiken.
Television variety show producer and director Bob Henry; television producer and host Dick Clark.
Club owners Doug Cole, Howard Coleman Sr., Keith Crombie, Tony Goldman, Jerry Krantz, Richard Harding; club manager Curtis Moses.
Dancers Jeni LeGon, Juanita Boisseau Ramseur; dancers and choreographers Remy Charlip, Niles Ford, Ethel Winter.
Founding chairman of the Canadian Radio-Television Commission Pierre Juneau.
Festival organizers Günther "Papa Jazz" Blaschke, Bo Gronningsaeter, Heinrich Schultz; jazz festival founder and artistic director Xavier Brocker; concert promoter Julius Pischl; concert and festival producer, librettist, playwright and director Isaiah Sheffer.
Graphic designer Eiko Ishioka; artists Frederick J. Brown, Viredo Espinosa, LeRoy Neiman, Jan Sawka.
Instrument accessory designer Jim Marshall.
Executive Vice President of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, press agent, manager and recording executive Phoebe Jacobs; Lincoln Center executive and philanthropist Martin Segal.
Broadcasters Ray Briem, Alan Grant, Achim Hebgen, Hal Jackson, Bob Jones, Nomvula Motsa, Gil Noble, M. L. Thatch, Chuck Workman; broadcaster and world music promoter Erwin Frankel; broadcasters and historians Günter Discher, Jamal A. Muhammad; broadcaster and educator Nomvula Motsa; broadcaster, musician and actor Cocky "Two Bull" Tlhotlhalemaje.
Filmmaker Claude Santiago.
Photographers Calvin Hicks, Jim McCrary, Roger Prigent, Ken Regan, Dennis Scharlau.
Writers Mary Campbell, Geoff Chapman, Gerard Conte, Rolf Dahlgren, Neil Leonard, Rampholo Molefhe, Werner Panke, Josef Skvorecky, Dita von Szadkowski; writer, photographer and vibraphonist Ueli Dust; writer, broadcaster and photographer Jimmie Jones; editor, writer and broadcaster Yozo Iwanami; writer and composer Hans G. Helms; writer and broadcaster Richard Pedraza Consuegra; jazz researcher and archivist Annie Kuebler; editor, collector and discographer and Ellington expert Sjef Hoefsmith; musicologist Franya Berkman; historian Eric Hobsbawm; writer and educator Jean-Pierre Moussaron; writer and editor Jean-Louis Ginibre.
Tags
Best of / Year End
Ken Franckling
United States
Herbie Hancock
Thelonious Monk
Bobby Sanabria
wynton marsalis
joe lovano
Mark Egan
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Michael Feinstein
Cecil Brooks III
Miles Davis
Chuck Wayne
Sonny Berman
Clifford Brown
Jack DeJohnette
Von Freeman
Charlie Haden
Sheila Jordan
Jimmy Owens
Mose Allison
Lou Donaldson
Eddie Palmieri
Sonny Rollins
Horace Silver
Chick Corea
Terri Lyne Carrington
Stanley Clarke
Lenny White
Tony Bennett
arturo sandoval
Dizzy Gillespie
eddie gomez
Paul Motian
Poncho Sanchez
Milton Nascimento
Jamison Ross
Justin Brown
Colin Stranahan
Cyrille Aimee
Sarah Vaughan
Roy Haynes
Kenny Barron
Ron Carter
Danilo Perez
Myra Melford
Sun Ra
Marshall Allen
Matthew Mitchell
Greg Osby
Jimmy Cobb
charles lloyd
Jimmie Lunceford
W.C. Handy
George Coleman
Memphis Minnie
Willie Mitchell
Esperanza Spalding
Don Byron
Bill Frisell
John Hollenbeck
Vijay Iyer
Nicole Mitchell
Ella Fitzgerald
Patti Austin
Jeff Golub
Dee Dee Bridgewater
Trio Da Paz
Monty Alexander
Dave Brubeck
Clare Fischer
Pete "La Roca" Sims
Red Holloway
John Tchicai
David S. Ware
Etta James
Mickey Baker
Pete Cosey
Ravi Shankar
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