February 13, 2003

CONTACT:
Jim Steinblatt 212-621-6318 pr@ascap.com

Two new jazz works composed in celebration of the 85th birthday year of jazz pianist and composer Marian McPartland, and commissioned via the annual ASCAP/ IAJE Commissions program, were premiered last month at the 2003 IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) Conference in Toronto. The commissionees, both from New York City, are Robin Eubanks in the Established Composer category and John Hollenbeck in the Emerging Composer category. The new works, Full Circle (Eubanks) and Folkmoot (Hollenbeck) received their premiere performances on January 9 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in Toronto, Ontario.

The ASCAP/IAJE commissions program, now in its sixth year (prior programs celebrated Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, the Duke Ellington Centennial, the Louis Armstrong Centennial, and Dr. Billy Taylor, respectively) awards two cash prizes -- the first to an established jazz composer of international prominence, the other to an emerging jazz composer under the age of 35. The commissioned works must be written for ensembles of more than four and less than eighteen players.

Robin Eubanks is a well-known composer, trombonist and recording artist who is also Assistant Professor of Jazz Trombone at the Oberlin Conservatory. He leads the band, Mental Images, and is a member, as well, of the Dave Holland Quintet. He has performed and/or recorded with a wide variety of prominent artists ranging from Elvin Jones and Art Blakey to Barbra Streisand and the Rolling Stones. His film and television work includes Mo’ Better Blues, Jungle Fever, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Saturday Night Live. The latest album by Eubanks, Get 2 It, was recently issued with Mental Images and is a multiple winner in polls by DownBeat and Swing International.

The recording and performing career of John Hollenbeck - a composer, drummer, percussionist and bandleader - has encompassed big band and small group jazz, tango and other Latin styles, klezmer and ambient rock. He has worked in ensembles led by Meredith Monk, Bob Brookmeyer, Maria Schneider and David Krakauer. Hollenbeck has been honored with awards from such organizations as The Jazz Composers Alliance, Meet the Composer and the National Endowment for the Arts. He was also the recipient of the 2002 IAJE/Gil Evans Fellowship.

ASCAP member Marian McPartland, the innovative and prolific jazz pianist, composer and award-winning broadcast radio personality, is celebrating her 85th birthday this year. She was present at the Toronto performances of the new works commissioned in her honor.

ASCAP is the world’s largest performing rights organization, with over 160,000 composer, lyricist and music publisher members in the United States, representing music of every variety and style. ASCAP is the only U.S. performing rights organization governed by and for its members.