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Randall Kline of SFJAZZ Named First Recipient
of the Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award
Founder of SFJAZZ Organization to Receive Award
at the 2015 Jazz Connect Conference in New York City
The Jazz Connect Conference is pleased to announce that Randall Kline, founder and executive artistic director of SFJAZZ, is the first recipient of the Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award, presented by Jazz Connect. He will receive the award on Thursday, January 8, 2015 at the Jazz Connect Conference in New York City. Held at Saint Peter's Church,
the two-day conference brings together members of the international
jazz community for a series of panels, workshops and events, all
dedicated to expanding the audience for jazz.
The
formation of the award was announced at the 2014 Jazz Connect
Conference at the culmination of a panel (sponsored by NARAS) saluting
Lundvall's legacy and featuring Michael Cuscuna, Robert Glasper and
Jason Moran. The Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award, presented by Jazz
Connect, was created in honor of the longtime jazz record executive who
was a champion and advocate for so many jazz artists over the last four
decades. The annual award recognizes someone who has demonstrated
extraordinary leadership and vision in expanding the audience for jazz
and who has made a real difference for the artists, the music and the
audience.
Commenting
on the Visionary Award being named for him, Lundvall said, "I am truly
humbled and honored by this award and was amazed to first learn of it. I
have always approached my job with passion and honesty. I love jazz so
much. It's provided me with my life's work, filled with rich experiences
through relationships with many special artists and talented
executives."
Peter Gordon, of the Jazz Forward Coalition
and one of the organizers of the conference, said that, "Empowered by
Bruce's gracious grandeur, we wanted his legacy memorialized with a new
standard of excellence, to drive us to places we never thought
achievable." He added, "Though we are all soldiers on the battlefield,
this award is Jazz Connect's recognition of an against-all-odds effort
that an individual has had to shoulder to make the impossible possible
and challenge the rest of us to do the same."
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Dr. George Butler, McCoy Tyner, Bruce Lundvall
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The
organizers of the Jazz Connect Conference chose Kline as the first
recipient, based on not only a long career as a jazz presenter and
champion, but also based on the herculean task of establishing the SFJAZZ Center
in 2013. The Center comprises 35,000 square feet in a transparent and
open structure features the state-of-the-art Robert N. Miner Auditorium
with seating adjustable from 350 to 700, the 100-seat multi-purpose Joe
Henderson Lab, rehearsal spaces, digital learning lab, South at SFJAZZ
(bar/café from renowned chef Charles Phan), ground floor lobby, retail
shop/box office, and SFJAZZ administrative offices. The SFJAZZ Center is
the result of a $64 million capital campaign that was completed in
September of 2014.
Lundvall
reinforced Kline's unique contributions to the jazz community. "Randall
is a true visionary, working in the most important jazz city in America
after New York City," said Lundvall. "The new SFJAZZ Center has
attracted great artists and he's put the city on the map which has
reinforced his venue and the city as the west coast center for jazz."
SFJAZZ
-- originally titled Jazz in the City -- was founded in 1983 with a
seed grant from Grants for the Arts of the San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund.
Seventeen years later in December of 1999 Kline announced the
establishment of SFJAZZ, the San Francisco Jazz Organization, a
much-expanded organization with year-round concert and educational
programs. The SFJAZZ Collective -- now the resident ensemble of the
SFJAZZ Center -- was established in 2004 and its eight members are
commissioned to write a new composition and new arrangement of jazz'
modern masters. The Collective has produced over 71 original
compositions and 75 new arrangements in its 10 years - all recorded and
produced by SFJAZZ.
Kline
currently serves on the board of directors of Chamber Music America,
the Western Jazz Presenters Network, and is member of the Board of
Governors of the University of California Humanities Research Institute.
This is such an honor," said Kline. "Bruce is one of the true beacons
of the jazz and music business and it is humbling to be considered for
an award that is named in his honor."
Pre-registration is only $125 until December 15,
with additional discounts offered to members of various partner
organizations, including APAP, Jazz Journalists Association, Chamber
Music America, AFM - Local 802, JazzWeek and others.
For more information on the Jazz Connect Conference, please visit: Jazz-Connect.com
For media information, please contact:
Information and press materials (including album covers, promotional photos
Serving the finest in jazz since 1988
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