BMI Salutes America’s Jazz Masters

Jazz has been from its birth one of the essential elements of American music, and from the start, BMI has supported many of the most important composers in the field. Since 1982, the National Endowment for the Arts has honored some of the finest creators of jazz with their annual Jazz Masters Fellowship, the highest recognition that our government bestows upon jazz musicians. BMI is proud to congratulate the 2007 $25,000 Fellowship winners, including trombonist Curtis Fuller, pianist Ramsay Lewis, vocalist Jimmy Scott, flautist Frank Wess and alto saxophonist Phil Woods.

Of the over 90 individuals to receive this prestigious honor to date, 56 are BMI composers and include such giants as innovators Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck, vocalists Betty Carter and Anita O’Day, bassists Ron Carter and Percy Heath, and improvisers like Sonny Rollins and Ornette Coleman.

BMI’s NEA Jazz Masters honor roll:

David Baker - 2000
Ray Barretto – 2006
Art Blakey -1988
Bob Brookmeyer – 2006
Ray Brown - 1995
Dave Brubeck - 1998
Betty Carter - 1992
Ron Carter - 1998
Kenny Clark - 1983
Ornette Coleman - 1984
Chick Corea – 2006
Miles Davis - 1984
Paquito D’Rivera – 2005
Gil Evans - 1985
Art Farmer - 1999-
Tommy Flanagan - 1996
Curtis Fuller – 2007
Benny Golson - 1996
Dexter Gordon - 1986
Jim Hall - 2004
Chico Hamilton - 2004
Lionel Hampton - 1988
Slide Hampton – 2005
Herbie Hancock - 2004
Barry Harris - 1989
Roy Haynes - 1995
Jimmy Heath - 2004
Percy Heath - 2002
Joe Henderson - 1999
Luther Henderson - 2004
Billy Higgins - 1997
Andrew Hill - 2008
Freddie Hubbard – 2006
Milt Jackson - 1997
Ahmad Jamal - 1994
J.J. Johnson - 1996
Elvin Jones - 2003
John Lewis - 2001
Ramsey Lewis – 2007
Abbey Lincoln - 2003
Tom McIntosh - 2008
Jackie McLean - 2001
James Moody - 1998
Anita O’Day - 1997
Sun Ra - 1982
Max Roach - 1984
Sonny Rollins - 1983
George Russell - 1990
Gunther Schuller - 2008
Jimmy Scott – 2007
Wayne Shorter - 1998
Jimmy Smith – 2005
Cecil Taylor - 1990
Clark Terry - 1991
McCoy Tyner - 2002
Frank Wess – 2007
Gerald Wilson - 1990
Phil Woods – 2007