The inaugural Jazz Music Awards makes history at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre
Here’s a first: the inaugural Jazz Music Awards, celebrating the spirit of jazz, takes place Oct. 22 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Jazz 91.9 WCLK is presenting the event, to be hosted by a stellar duo — singer and actor Dee Dee Bridgewater, and the stage and screen actor Delroy Lindo. “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes was joined via Zoom by Wendy Williams, the general manager of Jazz 91.9 WCLK, and Grammy Award-winning jazz drummer and music director Terri Lyne Carrington.
The interview began with the glaring question, “Why hasn’t there been a large-scale music award event dedicated to jazz in America until now?” This very question perplexed Williams when, as a general manager at two large music radio stations, she decided to address the conspicuous omission. “I mean, we talk about representation being everything, but [jazz] was just so glaringly omitted from the landscape of awards shows that it bothered me. It really did,” said Williams. “We’re trying to answer that question right now with the Jazz Music Awards.”
Gathering an impressive lineup of guests, Williams and the Jazz Music Awards’ music director Carrington also knew they wanted hosts who would bring a genuine love of jazz to the event, as well as plenty of charisma. “We thought Dee Dee [Bridgewater] is just a wonderful host,” said Carrington. “She had her own radio show. She hosts many events at the Kennedy Center, and I’ve just seen her improvise when something goes wrong. She’s a true professional in that way.”
Carrington herself brings authority to the project of awarding achievement in jazz, holding no fewer than three Grammys as well as a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award. Her organization, the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, carries forward her goal of extending representation both toward and within the jazz community. “I started this institute at Berklee about four years ago now and it was really just to create space at the college for women and non-binary musicians to be able to come, relax, learn the music, be their authentic selves without extra burdens that they sometimes would face,” said Carrington. “We realize how important that space is to have, and not just at Berklee but in other institutions also — how we have to integrate that way of thinking in other departments.”
For the Jazz Music Awards, Carrington assembled what she calls a “band of all-stars.” Her ensemble will include pianist Orrin Evans, keyboardist Ray Angry, bassist James Genus, Mark Whitfield on guitar, a horn section and herself on drums along with Nikki Glaspie. The ensemble will perform several medleys of works by jazz legends, including tributes to three who passed away this year — Ramsey Lewis, Joey DeFrancesco and Pharaoh Sanders. Carrington said, “I personally worked with all of them, actually, on some level. So for me it’s a great loss.”
Williams added, “One of the things we’re able to do because we have this platform is to have an ‘in memoriam’ to our jazz musicians, artists who have gone on. Where have you seen that? …We’re just proud that we now have this place to be able to air all things jazz, even once a loved musician goes on.”
The first-ever Jazz Music Awards, presented by Jazz 91.9 WCLK, will take place Oct. 22 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Tickets and more information are available at www.cobbenergycentre.com/events/detail/jazz-music-awards.
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