The Jazz Journalists Association (JJA), in collaboration with grassroots groups and supporters in 20 communities, has named its Jazz Heroes for 2017. Heroes are recognized for their positive influence on their musical communities—”advocates, altruists, activists, aiders and abettors of jazz” per the JJA—and will receive their awards at events in their area.
To learn more about each hero and the award presentations, visit the JJA website.
2017 Jazz Heroes
- Sam Yi (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Melvin Miles Jr. (Baltimore, Md.)
- Viola Plummer (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
- Tomeka Reid (Chicago, Ill.)
- W. Kim Heron (Detroit, Mich.)
- Fran Morris Rosman (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- Jack Kleinsinger (Manhattan, N.Y.)
- Andrea Canter (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.)
- Jason Patterson (New Orleans, La.)
- J. Michael Harrison (Philadelphia, Pa.)
- Lew Shaw (Phoenix, Ariz.)
- Marty Ashby (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Darrell Grant (Portland, Ore.)
- Gilbert Castellanos (San Diego, Calif.)
- Wayne Horvitz (Seattle, Wash.)
- Francis Wong & John Jang (SF Bay Area, Calif.)
- Richard Henderson (St. Louis, Mo.)
- Adam Gaffney (Tallahassee, Fla.
- Redhouse Family Jazz Band (Tucson, Ariz.)
- Judith Korey (Washington D.C.)
