Charlie Mariano to be awarded by WDR

The WDR Jazzpreis 2007 will be awarded to the composer Jesse Milliner for compositions which he wrote during the five years he spent in the USA and in which, as the jury explains, he shows a "remarkably mature talent" with an enormous knowledge of the American tradition; as well as to the pianist Sebastian Sternal whose fluent improvisations stay free from the usual cliché phrases. A life achievement award is given to the saxophonist Charlie Mariano; and a young talent award goes to the big band of the Clara Schumann Musikschule in Düsseldorf. The WDR Jazzpreis comes with 5.000 Euro (Mariano, Big Band) and 10.000 Euro (Milliner, Sternal) in cash. The awards will be presented during the festival "WDR 3 jazz.cologne" on October 26th.