ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame event, tonight, in NYC

ASCAP TO ADD SIX MUSIC GREATS TO JAZZ WALL OF FAME AT JAZZ AT
LINCOLN CENTER EVENT

NEW INDUCTEES ARE: LIVING LEGENDS RON CARTER, BILL HOLMAN AND SONNY ROLLINS AND JAZZ GIANTS OF THE PAST BUNNY BERIGAN, ART BLAKEY AND TADD DAMERON

GONZALO RUBALCABA TO BE RECOGNIZED WITH THE ASCAP FOUNDATION VANGUARD AWARD

Event Will Also Celebrate Recipients of the Sixth Annual ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards, Sponsored by the Gibson Foundation

ASCAP President and Chairman Marilyn Bergman announced that ASCAP will add six music greats to the ASCAP Jazz Wall of Fame on Tuesday, June 17, 2008. The invitation-only event will be hosted by Ms. Bergman in The Allen Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at
Lincoln Center in Manhattan beginning at 6:30 PM.

The event will be highlighted by the induction of three Jazz Living Legends: bassist Ron Carter, composer-arranger and saxophonist Bill Holman, and tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins. The latest group of inductees also includes three posthumous honorees: trumpeter Bunny Berigan, drummer Art Blakey, and arranger/composer/pianist Tadd Dameron. Participating in the event as presenters and/or performers will be Kenny Washington, Vanessa Rubin, Javon Jackson, Randy Sandke, Jay Leonhart, Jim Rotondi, Russell Malone and Stephen Scott.

In addition, critically acclaimed pianist /composer Gonzalo Rubalcaba will be presented with The ASCAP Foundation Vanguard Award for his innovative musical activity as a pianist and composer in the field of Jazz.

The reception will also celebrate the recipients of the sixth annual ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards. The program was established in 2002 to encourage the jazz creators of the future. The ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards recognize composers less than 30 years of age whose works are selected through a national competition. The recipients receive cash awards. The Young Jazz Composer Awards are in their third year of sponsorship by Gibson Foundation, the philanthropic arm of musical giant Gibson Guitar Corp. The Gibson Foundation supports The ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards in fulfillment of its commitment to educational excellence through music and the arts.

The award recipients are:
Roy Assaf, 25 (New York, NY); Sharel Cassity, 29 (New York, NY); Michael Dease, 25 (New York, NY); Jesse Elder, 24 (New York, NY); Quamon Fowler, 27 (Ft. Worth, TX); Ross Garren, 22 (Los Angeles, CA); Tyler Gilmore, 25 (Denver, CO); Nicholas Grondin, 25 (Lee, NH); Alex Heitlinger, 27 (New York,NY); Bryson Kern, 25 (Astoria, NY); Pascal Le Boeuf, 21 (Santa Cruz, CA); Remy Le Boeuf, 21 (Santa Cruz, CA); Ben Markley, 25 (Longmont, CO); Linda Oh, 23 (New York, NY); Rick Parker, 29 (Brooklyn, NY); Joshua Richman, 21 (Hatfield, PA); Sherisse Rogers(New Castle, DE); Kendrick Scott, 27 (New York, NY); Jaleel Shaw, 29 (Paterson, NJ); Stephen Smith, 27 (Wichita Falls,TX); and Omar Thomas, 23 (Bear, DE).

The youngest ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composers, ages 14 to 16, are: Lucas Apostoleris, 14 (MA); Joel Carini, 15 (NY); Grace Kelly, 15 (MA); Noah Kellman, 16 (NY); David Lantz, 16 (PA); and Elijah Shiffer, 16 (NY).

Composers receiving Honorable Mention are: Patrick Cornelius, 29 (Astoria, NY); Shaul Einav, 25, (Rochester, NY); Eric Hirsh, 23 (Durham, NC); James Hirschfeld, 26, (New York, NY); Jimmy Macbride, 16 (CT); Adam Ratner, 20 (Encino, CA); Matt Savage, 15, (NH); and Ted Taforo, 18, (CA).

Commenting on the awards, Marilyn Bergman said, "The young jazz creators recognized through this program represent the future of this uniquely American art form. We congratulate the recipients and extend thanks to the dedicated panel of ASCAP composers who selected the honorees."

The ASCAP composer/judges for the 2007/2008 competition were: Jay Leonhart, John Fedchock and Rufus Reid.
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About The ASCAP Foundation
Founded in 1975, the ASCAP Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to supporting American music creators and encouraging their development through music education and talent development programs. Included in these are songwriting workshops, grants, scholarships, awards, recognition and community outreach programs, and public service projects for senior composers and lyricists. The ASCAP Foundation is supported by contributors from ASCAP members and from music lovers throughout the United States. www.ascapfoundation.org

About ASCAP
Established in 1914, ASCAP is the first and leading U.S. Performing Rights Organization (PRO) representing the world's largest repertory totaling over 8.5 million copyrighted musical works of every style and genre from more than 320,000 songwriter, composer and music publisher members. ASCAP has representation arrangements with over 90 similar foreign organizations such that the ASCAP repertory is represented in nearly every country around the world. ASCAP protects the rights of its members and foreign affiliates by licensing the public performances of their copyrighted works and distributing royalties based upon surveyed performances. ASCAP is the only American PRO owned and governed by its writer and publisher members.