BMI Salutes its 2016 NEA Jazz Masters With Celebratory Dinner and Live Concert

Last night, at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., BMI joined the National Endowment for the Arts in hosting a celebratory dinner honoring BMI affiliates and 2016 Jazz Masters Gary Burton, Pharoah Sanders and Archie Shepp. The dinner was part of BMI’s continued sponsorship of the NEA Jazz Masters, which is the highest honor bestowed on jazz artists in our nation, and which has overwhelmingly been given to more BMI affiliates than any other performing rights organization.

Also being celebrated by the NEA is the work of Wendy Oxenhorn, Executive Director of the Jazz Foundation of America, who is this year’s recipient of the A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy, This prestigious award is presented to an individual who has contributed significantly to the appreciation, knowledge, and advancement of jazz. During the dinner, the BMI Foundation joined in the celebration by awarding this year’s BMI Future Jazz Master Scholarship to aspiring student of jazz, Christopher Otts.

In addition to the Company’s participation in the commemorative dinner, BMI will also live-stream the free concert honoring the newest NEA Jazz Masters at 8 PM tonight. Be sure to tune in here for a concert like no other! Congratulations to all!