I am humbled and honored to share that I have been selected as one of the inaugural Jazz Legacies Fellows. Am deeply moved to be part of this incredible initiative, made possible by the Mellon Foundation and The Jazz Foundation of America.
On February 18 2025, the Mellon Foundation announced a multifaceted $35 million initiative aimed at supporting the cultural preservation of jazz, championing the legacy of the artists who have played a pivotal role in its formation, and strengthening the broader jazz ecosystem.
This fellowship not only recognizes the contributions of jazz artists but also ensures that our stories, music, and legacies will be preserved for generations to come. With a lifetime achievement award, an unrestricted grant, and personalized support, this program is a testament to the power of jazz and its lasting impact.
The 2025 Jazz Legacies Fellows are pianist George Cables, pianist Valerie Capers, saxophonist George Coleman, cellist Akua Dixon, guitarist Manty Ellis, drummer Billy Hart, trumpeter Tom Harrell, pianist Bertha Hope, drummer Roger Humphries, vocalist Carmen Lundy, pianist Amina Claudine-Myers, multi-reedist Roscoe Mitchell, pianist Johnny O’Neal, drummer Shannon Powell, trombonist Julian Priester, trumpeter Dizzy Reece, drummer Herlin Riley, pianist Michele Rosewoman, pianist Dom Salvador and bassist Reggie Workman.
https://www.mellon.org/news/mellon-launches-35-million-jazz-initiative
——————————————————-
New Yor-Uba celebrated their 40-year anniversary with several nights of performance at Dizzy’s Lincoln Center followed by a New England tour. Funded in part by the New England Foundation for the Arts, personnel for the tour featured guest alto saxophonist Greg Osby and the perennially featured master folklorist Roman Díaz. A wide range of activities in Springfield and Holyoke MA and at Boston University and The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme CT included full group concerts, post-concert talkbacks, concerts of sacred Afro-Cuban music including a church service, panels, lecture-conversations on Afro-Cuban and African spirituality, a composing/arranging workshop and class visits in Religion and Art History.
