NEA Names Charlie Haden As Jazz Master

Charlie HadenCharlie Haden has been named as a recipient of the Lifetime Honors award from the National Endowments for the Arts, a recognition they describe as the “nation’s highest honor in the fold and traditional arts.”

Haden started playing bass on his family’s folk and country radio show and eventually became a jazz legend, performing with Keith Jarrett, Ornette Coleman and Dizzy Gillespie. He’s also a noted composer, with several albums to his credit with his group, Quartet West.

The NEA named Haden a Jazz Master alongside drummer Jack DeJohnette, saxophonist Von Freeman, vocalist Sheila Jordan and trumpeter Jimmy Owens. The award comes with $25,000 for life-time achievement.

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