Eloise Pickard Smith Award Given on Monday, February 9 at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz
February 4, 2015; Monterey, CA; The Santa Cruz County Arts Commission has announced that Tim Jackson, the Kuumbwa Jazz Co-Founder/Artistic Director and Monterey Jazz Festival Artistic Director, will receive the prestigious Eloise Pickard Smith Award for his extraordinary and sustained level of commitment of time, leadership, and support of the arts.
Mr. Jackson will be presented the award on Monday, February 9 at 6:45 p.m., prior to the performance by the Billy Childs All-Star Quartet at Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz.
Co-founded by Tim Jackson in 1975, Kuumbwa Jazz is recognized today as one of the top jazz venues in the world as voted by DownBeat magazine. For 40 years, Kuumbwa Jazz has provided Santa Cruz County residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the full spectrum of jazz music through live performance of extraordinary regional, national and international musicians, as well as providing educational opportunities for young students.
Jackson was instrumental in forming the Western Jazz Presenters Network, a coalition of jazz presenters in the western region of North America dedicated to mutual support through networking, booking, professional development and advancement of the full diversity of the jazz field.
Jackson has also served as the Artistic Director of the Monterey Jazz Festival since 1992, which has been voted as “Best Jazz Festival” by the readers of JazzTimes magazine five times since 2006. “Tim is one of the most deserving artists that I know, having devoted his talents to promoting and expanding the appreciation of the art form of jazz,” said Luis Alvarez, president of the Monterey Jazz Festival board of directors. “This is just the latest award recognizing his amazing talents and skills.”
In the early 1980s, Jackson helped bridge the arts community through the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County, serving on its Board of Directors and as vice-chair of the Council Associates with a mission to share information, resources and ideas, and advocate for the arts in the community.
The award was first given to its namesake, Eloise Pickard Smith, in 1995. In addition to her work as an artist, Eloise was a director of the California State Arts Council, founder of the State Prison Arts Program, and curator of the Cowell College Art Gallery. Former recipients of the Eloise Pickard Smith Award include Ernest T. “Bud” Kretschmer (1996), Roy Rydell (1997), Jack Baskin (2000), Rowland Rebele (2003), Hal Hyde (2006); and George Ow, Jr. and Gail Michaelis-Ow (2009).
The special evening honoring Tim Jackson and his outstanding commitment to the arts is followed by music from the Billy Childs All-Star Quartet with Steve Wilson, Hans Glawischnig, and Johnathan Blake. Jackson brought Childs’ latest recorded project, Map to the Treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro to the 2014 Monterey Jazz Festival for its premiere performance in September. The record is a triple-nominee at the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards, to be announced on Sunday, February 8. Tickets can be bought by going to the Kuumbwa Jazz Web site.
About Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival, a leader in the jazz world since 1958, celebrates the legacy of jazz, expands its boundaries, and provides opportunities to experience jazz through the creative production of performances and educational programs.
About Kuumbwa Jazz
Kuumbwa Jazz provides opportunities for residents and visitors in the Santa Cruz area to enjoy and appreciate the full spectrum of jazz music through live performance and education. Kuumbwa Jazz presents extraordinary regional, national and international musicians and provide educational programs for people of all ages.
About Santa Cruz County Arts Commission
The mission of the Santa Cruz County Arts Commission is to promote, expand and plan for the cultural life of Santa Cruz County and to bring artists and arts organizations together with government for the benefit of all the citizens of the County.
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For more information please contact:
Timothy Orr, Marketing Associate
Monterey Jazz Festival
Direct Line: 831.646.8670
Monterey Office: 831.373.3366
[email protected]
www.montereyjazzfestival.org
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