(CelebrityAccess News Service) — The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA) Jazz Awards 2003, the seventh annual presentation of honors to jazz musicians and their supporters by the organization representing more than 400 writers, broadcasters, photographers and new media professionals worldwide, was held at B.B. King¹s Blues Club and Grill in New York¹s Times Square area on June 25 . The audience was treated to an invocation by poet Jayne Cortez, a keynote address by Al "Grandpa" Lewis, guest appearances from comedian Soupy Sales, comedian, actor and drummer Joe Piscopo, and performances by Judi Silvano & James Williams performing "A Tribute to Mal Waldron," the New Jazz Composers Octet, the David Hazeltine Quartet and the Wallace Roney Quintet featuring Gary Bartz. Stanley Crouch was a special surprise guest, and he played an unaccompanied drum solo.
States JJA President Howard Mandel, "The JJA awards continues to grow and this year is our largest celebration of music and its documentation yet. Over the past seven years we¹ve recognized the contributions from numerous musicians, journalists, jazz business and community figures, and this year the JJA broke new ground by hosting simultaneous awards programs in Israel and across the U.S., something no other genre-based music awards has done. Our events bring together players, writers, broadcasters, photographers and health care providers all of whom need each other."
Jazz Awards 2003 winners:
1. Lifetime Achievement in Jazz (joining previous honorees Benny Carter, Ornette Coleman, Max Roach, Sonny Rollins and Clark Terry) Winner: Cecil Taylor
2. Musician of the Year (achievement in sound recordings, live concert performances and overall presence, April 15, 2002 – April 15, 2003) Winner: Wayne Shorter
3. Up 'n' Coming Musician of the Year Winner: Jason Moran
4. Album of the Year (Released April 15, 2001 – April 15, 2002) Winner: Footprints Live!, Wayne Shorter (Verve)
5. Reissue of the Year Winner: A Love Supreme – Impulse!; John Coltrane
6. Historical Box Set of the Year Winner: Charlie Christian, Genius of the Electric Guitar – Columbia Legacy
7. Record Label of the Year Winner: Blue Note Records
8. Events Producer of the Year Winner: George Wein, Festival Productions, Inc. and Patricia Nicholson Parker, The Vision Festival, Arts for Art [a tie]
9. Composer of the Year Winner: Andrew Hill
10. Arranger of the Year Winner: Maria Schneider
11. Male Vocalist of the Year Winner: Andy Bey
12. Female Vocalist of the Year Winner: Cassandra Wilson
13. Latin-Jazz Album of the Year Winner: Cuban Odyssey, Jane Bunnett and Spirits of Havana (Blue Note Records)
14. Combo of the Year Winner: Wayne Shorter Quartet
15. Big Band of the Year Winner: Dave Holland Big Band
16. Trumpeter of the Year Winner: Dave Douglas
17. Trombonist of the Year Winner: Roswell Rudd
18. Rare Brass of the Year Winner: Steve Bernstein – slide trumpet
19. Alto Saxophonist of the Year Winner: Greg Osby
20. Tenor Saxophonist of the Year Winner: Wayne Shorter
21. Soprano Saxophonist of the Year Winner: Jane Ira Bloom
22. Baritone Saxophonist of the Year Winner: Hamiet Bluiett
23. Clarinetist of the Year Winner: Marty Ehrlich
24. Pianist of the Year Winner: Kenny Barron
25. Organ Player of the Year Winner: Dr. Lonnie Smith
26. Guitarist of the Year Winner: Russell Malone
27. Bassist of the Year Winner: Dave Holland
28. Electric Bassist of the Year Winner: Steve Swallow
29. Strings Player of the Year Winner: Regina Carter
30. Mallets Player of the Year Winner: Stefon Harris
31. Percussionist of the Year Winner: Kahil El'Zabar
32. Drummer of the Year Winner: Matt Wilson
–edited by Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
U2 Voted Best Live Act By Readers of Rolling Stone
(CelebrityAccess News Service) — The readers of Rolling Stone have voted U2 the best live act in the world. Rolling Stone asked its readers to vote by e-mail for the best live artist with the stipulation that the artist toured within the past two years. They got more than 28,000 responses.
Rolling Stone readers top 20 live acts in the world:
1. U2
2. Radiohead
3. Bon Jovi
4. Dave Matthews Band
5. Tori Amos
6. Phish
7. Metallica
8. P.J. Harvey
9. Nine Inch Nails
10. Guns n' Roses
11. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
12. Pearl Jam
13. Bob Dylan
14 Tool
15. Prince
16. Widespread Panic
17. The Roots
18. Red Hot Cili Peppers
19. No Doubt
20. The Rolling Stones
–edited by Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
MTV Music Awards Return To Big Apple
(CelebrityAccess News Service) — The 20th annual MTV Video Music Awards are returning to New York for the fifth consecutive year.
Comedian Chris Rock will once again serve as host for the August 28 event at Radio City Music Hall, where the awards show debuted in 1984.
Nominees, performers and presenters will be announced at a later time. — By Jane Cohen and Bob Grossweiner.
