Aug 12, 2025 10:24 AM
Vocalist Sheila Jordan Dies at 96
Sheila Jordan, a vocalist who was celebrated for her scatting and lyric-improvising abilities, died Aug. 11 at her home…
The 2005 winners of the International Songwriting Competition (ISC) have been announced. Winners were chosen from almost 15,000 entries from 82 countries. ISC entrants competed for more than $150,000 in cash and merchandise to be shared by 50 winners in 16 categories.
“Monk,” by Abram Wilson, won first place in the jazz category. The song by Wilson, an accomplished trumpeter, vocalist, composer, arranger, producer, and educator, is from his debut album, Jazz Warrior, a MOBO Award and BBC Jazz Award nominated collection.
Harvey S took home second place honors for “S,” while third place went to Kerry Politzer for “Rhodes Rage.” A complete list of Jazz winners can be found at www.songwritingcompetition.com/winners.htm.
Last year’s judges included Loretta Lynn, Sonny Rollins, John Scofield, Macy Gray, Joss Stone, Darryl McDaniels and LeAnn Rimes among others; while sponsors included Epiphone, ASCAP, and Berklee College of Music.
ISC is now accepting entries for 2006. The overall grand prize has been increased to include a $25,000 cash prize –- the largest cash grand prize of any songwriting competition.
Details: songwritingcompetition.com
Jordan was a dyed-in-the-wool bebopper whose formative musical experiences were with Charlie Parker.
Aug 12, 2025 10:24 AM
Sheila Jordan, a vocalist who was celebrated for her scatting and lyric-improvising abilities, died Aug. 11 at her home…
“I don’t guess I’m going to excite you; I know I’m going to excite you,” Palmieri said in an August 1994 DownBeat feature.
Aug 12, 2025 10:33 AM
Famed Latin jazz composer, bandleader and pianist Eddie Palmieri passed away in his New Jersey home on Aug. 6. He was…
“What I got from Percy was the dignity of playing the bass,” Buster Williams said of Percy Heath.
Aug 26, 2025 1:53 PM
Buster Williams, who at the age of 83 has been on the scene for 65 years, had never done a Blindfold Test. The first…
“I love the place that fate or whatever has positioned me in Gil Evans’ life and legacy,” said Ryan Truesdell.
Aug 5, 2025 12:26 PM
“I originally set out to give two years of my life to Gil,” Ryan Truesdell said of his mindset in 2009, when he…
Don and Maureen Sickler serve as the keepers of engineer Rudy Van Gelder’s flame at Van Gelder Studio, perhaps the most famous recording studio in jazz history.
Sep 3, 2025 12:02 PM
On the last Sunday of 2024, in the control room of Van Gelder Studio, Don and Maureen Sickler, co-owners since Rudy Van…