The Incredible Jimmy Smith was one of six jazz artists added to the New Jersey Jazz Society and the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University’s American Jazz Hall of Fame on Thursday night. The award presentation took place at the Iridium jazz club in New York City, where the organist and his band had set up shop for a week’s worth of shows (Tonight’s his last night at Iridium, if you’re interested).
The American Jazz Hall of Fame was established in 1982 and nearly 200 jazz musicians have been added to its ranks since. Other 2003 Hall of Famers are Terry Gibbs, Ahmad Jamal, Claude “Fiddler” Williams, Gene Ammons, Bill Harris, Joe Mooney and Mel Torme.
For more information about the New Jersey Jazz Society visit www.njjs.org, for more info on the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University visit www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rulib/abtlib/danlib/jazz.htm.
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