Keith Jarrett, Anthony Braxton, Richard Davis receive nation’s highest jazz honour from NEA

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Pianist Keith Jarrett began his career by getting kicked out of music school and fired from his first gig. Now, he has the nation’s highest jazz honour.

Jarrett, known for his improvised solo concerts and long-time Standards trio, was among four recipients of the National Endowment for the Arts’ Jazz Masters Award at a ceremony Monday night in New York City.

The NEA also honoured avant-garde saxophonist-composer Anthony Braxton, bassist Richard Davis and educator Jamey Aebersold.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis says the evening’s program honoured the “intergenerational quality” of jazz with performances by past Jazz Masters and recent young winners of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.