Shorter Sweeps Jazz Awards

Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 14:34:57 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.guitar.jazz
Size: 2,033 bytes

http://www.jazzhouse.org./
Shorter Sweeps Jazz Awards
Jun 27, 9:45 AM (ET)
NEW YORK (AP) - Wayne Shorter, whose "Footprints Live!" CD was his first
all-acoustic album since 1967, swept the top honors at Jazz Awards 2003,
winning in four categories.
Shorter, who rose to prominence as a composer and saxophonist in Miles
Davis' 1960s quintet and later co-founded the electric jazz fusion band
Weather Report, was voted tenor saxophonist and musician of the year.
Shorter's quartet - with pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci
and drummer Brian Blade - was selected combo of the year. The album of
the year honors went to "Footprints" (Verve), which was Shorter's first
live recording as a leader and featured the quartet reinventing some of
his best-known compositions spanning his career.
Also receiving multiple awards were Dave Holland for acoustic bass and
big band, and Village Voice critic Gary Giddins, honored as jazz writer
of the year and with the Jazz Journalism Lifetime Achievement Award.
Other award winners included Alyn Shipton of BBC Radio 3 (Lifetime
Achievement in Jazz Broadcasting), Regina Carter (strings player),
Russell Malone (guitarist), Kenny Barron (pianist), Dave Douglas
(trumpeter), Cassandra Wilson (female vocalist) and Andy Bey (male
vocalist).
Cecil Taylor, the groundbreaking free jazz pianist, was presented the
award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz at a ceremony Wednesday at B.B.
King's Blues Club and Grill. Pianist Jason Moran was chosen as Up 'n'
Coming Musician of the Year in balloting conducted among the 400-strong
members of the Jazz Journalists Association.
The awards ceremony, which included performances by trumpeter Wallace
Roney's quintet and a duet of vocalist Judi Silvano and pianist James
Williams performing a tribute to the late pianist and Billie Holiday
accompanist Mal Waldron, was also a benefit for the Jazz Foundation of
America, which helps arrange free medical care and other emergency help
for veteran jazz artists in need.