LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers held their annual ASCAP Jazz Awards on February 7th in Los Angeles.
Among the honorees at the annual awards ceremony was pioneering jazz legend Roscoe Mitchell, who was presented with the ASCAP Founders Award, and Grammy-nominated pianist and composer Gerald Clayton, who received the ASCAP Vanguard Award.
“We are honored to present Roscoe Mitchell and Gerald Clayton with awards in celebration of their unique contributions to music. For five decades, Roscoe Mitchell has continuously expanded our ideas of how contemporary music is heard and made and influenced generations of music creators in the process. Gerald Clayton has become an accomplished ensemble leader, capturing the full spectrum of human emotion through improvisatory composition. Both Roscoe and Gerald have reshaped the pulse behind jazz music, and for that we are forever grateful,” said ASCAP’s President Paul Williams.
Former ASCAP President Marilyn Bergman was presented with the inaugural ASCAP President’s Award for her support of ASCAP’s music creating clients.
Accompanying Bergman’s reward was a special performance of “Make Me Rainbows” by Sheléa, accompanied by Kattise Buckingham on saxophone. “Make Me Rainbows” was written by Bergman with her husband, Alan Bergman, and composer John Williams.
“Marilyn Bergman shaped the legacy of ASCAP with her passionate commitment to championing our music makers and laying the groundwork for the next generation of creatives,” Williams said. “She presided over our organization during a time of incredible growth, and reacted to changes in the music landscape with political savvy and acumen. It is an honor to award her with ASCAP’s very first President’s Award.”
In addition, two recipients of The ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Awards, Mariel “Spencer” Austin (The ASCAP Foundation Phoebe Jacobs Prize winner) and Benjamin Barson (The ASCAP Foundation Johnny Mandel Prize winner) were recognized for their distinctive talents.
Performers for the evening included award recipient Roscoe Mitchell, who was joined by his working ensemble of Matt Shipp (piano), Junius Paul (bass) and Vincent Davis (drums), while Clayton played a solo piano piece.
The awards were held at Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz club in Los Angeles.
2018 Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award Recipients
Lucas Apostoleris, age 24 // Currently: Miami, FL // Origin: New Milford, CT
Mariel “Spencer” Austin, age 29 // Currently: Los Angeles, CA // Origin: Alameda County, CA
Benjamin Barson, age 29 // Currently: Pittsburgh, PA // Origin: Brooklyn, NY
Enrico Bergamini, age 26 // Currently: Brooklyn, NY // Origin: Italy
Owen Broder, age 28 // Currently: New York, NY // Origin: Detroit, MI
Estar Cohen, age 25 // Currently: Ypsilanti, MI // Origin: Toledo, OH
Alexander Hurvitz, age 15 // Currently: California
Gene Knific, age 25 // Currently: Chicago, IL // Origin: Kalamazoo, MI
Sara McDonald, age 26 // Currently: Brooklyn, NY // Origin: Bethesda, MD
Zachary Rich, age 24 // Currently: Greeley, CO // Origin: Wichita, KS
Elijah Shiffer, age 26 // Currently: Brooklyn, NY // Origin: Mt. Vernon, NY
Billy Test, age 28 // Currently: Astoria, NY // Origin: Philipsburg, PA
Garrett Wingfield, age 25 // Currently: Dallas, TX // Origin: Louisville, KY
Sam Wolsk, age 20 // Currently: Princeton, NJ // Origin: Massachusetts
Drew Zaremba, age 26 // Currently: Denton, TX // Origin: Little Rock, AR
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Eddie Codrington, age 21 // Currently: Kalamazoo, MI // Origin: Ann Arbor, MI
Evan Hyde, age 28 // Currently: New York, NY // Origin: Grand Rapids, MI
Takumi Kakimoto, age 23 // Currently: Boston, MA // Origin: Japan
Ben Rosenblum, age 24 // Currently: New York, NY
Josh Shpak, age 24 // Currently: Boston, MA // Origin: Walnut Creek, CA
Katelyn Vincent, age 25 // Currently: Tempe, AZ // Origin: Laramie, WY
Matthew Whitaker, age 16 // Currently: New Jersey
