[jja-announce] 1-time only promotion of a U.S.-nationwide jazz initiative, and ps

[Jazzmandel at aol.com]

Dear JJA members -- 

JJA practice is to reserve the JJA-announce list-serve for announcements of  
programs specific to our organization, rather than the works of particular 
members or worthy groups. 

So consider this notification of the Jazz Appreciation Month kickoff event -- 
highlighting Latin jazz, but leading to a month of unusual, enthusiastic 
jazz-related activities supported by a dozen US governmental agencies and many ad 
hoc jazz support groups, globally -- as the JJA's endorsement of and 
contribution to the Smithsonian Institution's far-reaching program. April is Jazz 
Appreciation Month -- the Smithsonian's <A 
HREF="http://www.smithsonianjazz.org/jam/jam_calendar.asp">JAM Calendar</A> website features hundreds of activities in 
America and beyond celebrating the music. Perhaps JAM and its local 
manifestions are worth a mention or a story in your publications/broadcasts. There's 
enormous variety of pitches emerging from the Calendar to offer to those editors 
and audiences who don't often think of jazz at all, as opposed to those of us 
who think about it continuously . . . (also see my ps re Jazz Matters . . .)
___ 


Media Advisory: Latin Jazz Artists to be Honored at Ceremony


Donations of Instruments, Photographs and Compositions to the National Museum 
of American History Kicks Off Fourth Annual Jazz Appreciation Month


What:

Latin jazz artist Paquito d'Rivera and the families of Tito Puente, Chico 
O'Farrill, and Mongo Santamaría will donate objects from their distinguished 
careers to the music collections at the National Museum of American History in a 
special ceremony to mark the fourth annual national Jazz Appreciation Month.


When: 

Monday, March 28

11 a.m.


Where:

Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

14th and Constitution Ave., N.W.

Reception Suite, first floor


Who:    

Paquito d'Rivera, composer-performer and NEA Jazz Master

Lupe O'Farrill, widow of jazz composer Arturo "Chico" O'Farrill

Arturo O'Farrill, pianist-bandleader and son of Chico O'Farrill

Margie and Ronald Puente, widow and son of percussionist 

     and bandleader Ernest "Tito" Puente

Nancy Anderson, daughter of percussionist Ramón "Mongo" Santamaría

Brent D. Glass, director, National Museum of American History

John Edward Hasse, curator of American music

Marvette Perez, curator of Latino history and culture



This year's celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) at the National 
Museum of American history takes on a Latin flare as the museum receives donations 
from some of jazz's most legendary Latino artists. Among the items to be 
donated are Paquito d'Rivera's first clarinet; a sequined jacket worn by Tito 
Puente; the score to Mongo Santamaría's Afro-Blue and three of his drums; and the 
score for The Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite (1950), Chico O'Farrill's groundbreaking 
composition.


JAM celebrates jazz as both a historical and living American art form. During 
the month of April, the museum will showcase the history of jazz through 
concerts, programs, and displays.  


The Smithsonian operates one of the world's most comprehensive jazz programs. 
The National Museum of American History is home to the Smithsonian Jazz 
Masterworks Orchestra; more than 100 oral histories; 100,000 pages of Duke 
Ellington's music; Ella Fitzgerald's famous red dress; Tito Puente's timbales; Benny 
Goodman's clarinet, and more. For more information, visit 
http://smithsonianjazz.org or http://americanhistory.si.edu. 


Media Contact: Stephanie Montgomery/Ann Barrett (202) 633-3129
_______

president's ps -- 

The Jazz Matters at the New School last night on The Art of the Interview was 
highly informative -- panelist Monk Rowe showed golden moments from two of 
his Hamilton College video interview archives; conductor Butch Morris 
articulated the interviewees' point of view, Sheila Anderson spoke of her books, WBGO 
and community cable TV interviewing experiences; Ted Panken dug deeply into his 
interviews of Benny Golson, Kenny G, Pharoah Sanders, and many more for Down 
Beat, Jazziz, WKCR, and BarnesandNoble.com; Lourdes Delgado discussed her  
collaborative concept and practice in creating a community portrait of New York 
jazz musicians. 

The session was dedicated to Bobby Short, remembered as an engaging, alert 
and gracious interviewee. George Avakian, who is likely America's most senior 
(still very active) jazz and pop records producer and innovator of several kinds 
of jazz documentation we now take for granted and work on (liner notes, 
reissues, long play formats), was an honored guest. Musicians in attendance 
included Onaje Allen Gumbs and Bobby Sanabria; the JJA's David Adler, Elliott Ames, 
Claire Daly (baritone saxist who has embarked on a coast-to-coast car tour, 
videoing "unknown treasure" jazz musicians in remote locations), Jane Goldberg, 
Ashley Kahn, R. Andrew Lepley and Leslie Pintchik, were among about 35 there. 

Unfortunately, it was spring break for New School Jazz, and the recording was 
by me & my one-miked minidisc, rather than the New School engineer. We'll see 
how it turned out, if it's worth copying on CDR, or capable of being 
transcribed and posted. HM