NEA Jazz Masters
The NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships of the NEA, National Endowment for the Arts, will be awarded annually to up to seven ( established ) jazz musician, in recognition of her life's work. It is the country's highest honor for a jazz musician in the United States. As A. B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy but also non-musicians as the founder of the Newport Jazz Festival, George Wein, producer Orrin Keepnews, the agent John Levy and critics such as Nat Hentoff and Dan Morgenstern were awarded; 2013 was awarded the Award for Jazz Advocacy for the first time a woman, Lorraine Gordon, considered.
The award is connected for each artist with a cash prize of U.S. $ 25,000. In addition, the jazz program of the NEA organizes many events, particularly the series Jazz Masters Live, under which excellent artists can participate in concerts, master classes and lectures.