Jazz Congress 2025
The 2024 Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award (The Appel Room) will be given to Grammy Award-winning bassist, educator, conductor, producer, arranger and composer John Clayton. His professional career began at age 19 when he worked on a television series produced by composer Henry Mancini. Clayton has been a member of some of the most seminal big bands in jazz history, including the Count Basie Orchestra, as well as notable groups led by Monty Alexander and Diana Krall. The award will be presented to Mr. Clayton by his son, the award-winning pianist Gerald Clayton.
5:45-7:00pm
Concert: Celebrating Russell Malone (The Appel Room) Guitarist Russell Malone, who passed away at the age of 60 on Aug. 23, 2024, will be honored with a musical tribute to close out the first day of Jazz Congress. The concert will celebrate Malone, who was known for “a distinctive style that was precise and spare but at the same time warm and luscious.” The evening will include performances by Ron Carter, Kenny Barron, Diana Krall, Monty Alexander Trio, John Clayton, Benny Green, Christian McBride, Ben Wolfe, Donald Vega, Ed Cherry, Dave Stryker, Yotam Silberstein, Willie Jones III, Tammy McCann, Rick Germanson, Vincent DuPont, Neal Smith, Ekep Nkwelle, and T.K. Blue.