Herbie Hancock Helps Launch 3rd Jazz Appreciation Month
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American history launched the third annual international Jazz Appreciation Month at a press ceremony on March 30 featuring Herbie Hancock. The renowned pianist-composer-bandleader donated three keyboards to the museum and spoke about the importance of jazz. The event was covered by Reuters, the Associated Press, ABC Radio News, NBC television, Jet magazine, and others. For photos, click here. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the 21 federal agencies and non-profit organizations that are working with the Smithsonian on behalf of Jazz Appreciation Month.
JAM 2004 Launch Photos
The Jazz Appreciation Month coalition gathers with Herbie Hancock to kick off JAM 2004. From left: Noel Berman, Trustee, Music Performance Fund; Michael Blakeslee, Deputy Director, MENC: The National Association for Music Education; John Stevenson, Director, English Language Division, Voice of America; Benjamin K. Roe, Director of Music, National Public Radio; Frances Preston, President, BMI; Jeffrey R. Davis, Vice President, Association of Public Television Stations; Tom Lee, President, American Federation of Musicians; Dr. John Edward Hasse, Curator of American Music, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; Herbie Hancock; Nancy Davenport, Board member, American Library Association; Glenn DuBose, Senior Director, Performance & Arts, PBS; Sandra Gibson, President and CEO, Association of Performing Arts Presenters; Daniel Carlin, Chairman of the Board, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; Cynthia Minnick, U.S. Department of Defense; Bryan Mitchell, Chief of Heritage Preservation Services, National Park Service; Johann Zietsman, CEO, International Society for the Performing Arts; Bill McFarlin, Executive Director, International Association for Jazz Education; Carol Sue Fromboluti, U.S. Department of Education; Dr. Brent D. Glass, Director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; and Dr. Dwan Reece, Senior Program Officer, National Endowment for the Humanities. Not pictured: representatives from the Academy of American Poets, Chamber Music America, the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the U.S. Department of State.
Dr. Brent D. Glass, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History shakes hands with Herbie Hancock after they each signed the Deed of Gift turning over Hancock’s instruments to the Museum, as Congressional jazz champion Rep. John Conyers ( Michigan) looks on.
Dr. Brent D. Glass, Director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; Congressional jazz champion Rep. John Conyers ( Michigan); and Herbie Hancock pose after Hancock signed the Deed of Gift turning over his instruments to the Museum.
Herbie Hancock discusses jazz as a music of the human spirit.
Herbie Hancock makes a point during the press ceremony at the National Museum of American History.
Herbie Hancock addresses the press corps and invited guests at the National Museum of American History.
Jazz Appreciation Month founder Dr. John Edward Hasse welcomes A.B. Spellman, Deputy Director of the National Endowment for the Arts, who spoke of Hancock’s receiving a 2004 NEA Jazz Masters Award.
Robbin Ahrold, Vice President, BMI; Tom Carter, President, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz; Herbie Hancock; and Frances Preston, President, BMI.
Herbie Hancock speaks of his boyhood, at the National Museum of American History.
The instruments that Herbie Hancock donated to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History: a Yamaha KX-1 portable keyboard; a Shure SM-10 microphone-headset; a Fairlight CMI Series II; a MemoryMoog synthesizer; and the Fairlight keyboard. Hancock composed his hit tune Rockit on the Fairlight and played on both the Yamaha and MemoryMoog in live performances of Rockit.
Dr. John Edward Hasse, Curator of American Music at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History; Herbie Hancock; Bill McFarlin, Executive Director, International Association for Jazz Education; and Tom Carter, President, Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz.
Photo credits: Smithsonian photos by Hugh Talman.
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