State Sen. Vincent Hughes (D-Philadelphia/Montgomery County) and his wife Sheryl Lee Ralph will honor local jazz musical legends at their 3rd annual Jazz Legacy Awards, which takes place on July 27th from 12 noon to 2 PM at the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts, 738 S. Broad St. in Philadelphia.
This year’s honorees are saxophonists Benny Golson, Bootsie Barnes, and Bobby Zankel, along with violinist Diane Monroe, and bass guitarist Jamaaladeen Tacuma. A posthumous award recognizing jazz historian and WRTI host Harrison Ridley, Jr. will be accepted on his behalf by WRTI's Bob Perkins.
“Jazz finds its origins in the African-American community and is still considered by many to be America’s form of ‘classical music’ and for that reason it’s important to us that we keep a rich jazz history alive,” said Hughes." Artists from Billie Holiday to the Dorsey Brothers were born in Pennsylvania, while others, such as John Coltrane and Dizzy Gillespie, spent time in this state honing their sounds, so it’s important that we honor and recognize our local jazz legends.”
The event is free but registration is required. To register or for more information, please contact Tamica Tanksley at 215-879-7777 or e-mail tamica.tanksley@pasenate.com
In 2017, Sen. Hughes, who has focused on creating legislation to advance private and public support of jazz and the arts—especially for our youth—introduced Senate Bill 582 to create a Council on Jazz Education and Preservation.
Since its adoption in 2017, April has been known as “Jazz Appreciation Month” in Pennsylvania thanks to a resolution introduced by Senator Hughes.