LOS ANGELES, CA -- Jazz greats of the past, present and future will finally get what the music world acknowledges is due to them at the new International Jazz Spectacular®. This homage to America's only indigenous music is to be presented on global television by IJA, through Tamar Entertainment, with the first event set for late summer or early fall of this year.
After decades as the orphan of the music scene, jazz, in all its many variations, will be center stage at a gala, black-tie spectacular to be held in Los Angeles. The International Jazz Awards® will honor their own in a two-hour live television show (extended to three hours for a worldwide international audience).
As part of the spectacular, IJA is also sponsoring a celebrity golf tournament.
The prestigious award, named "The Louie"®, will be bestowed in 19 different categories, bringing artists from around the world together under one roof in this first annual celebration. The styles include contemporary, traditional, straight-ahead, swing, Brazilian, Latin/Afro-Cuban, fusion, Dixieland and hip-hop. All jazz artists who released an album between June 1, 2005 and May 31, 2006 will be eligible for a nomination, and a committee of recognized experts in the field will conduct balloting.
Kitty Sears, executive producer and the show's creator, quotes a jazz icon, saying, "This music comes from the heart, and the heart doesn't lie. It's all about the music." She added that recognition of the art form was long overdue. "And what better place to honor this music of the world than its country of birth. This live show will offer an evening of elegance and entertainment for the entire family to enjoy."
Sears is CEO and president of Tamar Entertainment, Inc., the event's producing company. Her extensive background in the world of music includes a long tenure as personal assistant to singer Marvin Gaye.
Producer of the jazz spectacular, Igo Kantor, is president of Kanopy International Entertainment, Inc. and Cyber America, Inc. Philip Burks, Jr. is the awards-producer of the show, in charge of organizing all voting criteria and regulations. Burks is a noted producer of live music events. H.B. Barnum will be the music director. He has been a well-known arranger and artist for more than 40 years, and is renowned for his long-term association with Aretha Franklin and other performers. One of the music greats, George Duke, distinguished as a producer, arranger and artist, will serve as music supervisor and album producer. Dr Emory Alexander is executive producer along with Sears. Co-producer Reginald Brown is producer/director of "The Making of 'Cuttin' the Mustard,'" a Reed McCants film, a writer of The Trumpet Awards 2006 and producer/director of "Witness to the Dream."
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Source: IJA / Tamar Entertainment