Ornette, Sco To Judge Your Songs In Contest

  I  

If you’ve ever wanted to show Ornette Coleman what you’ve got, this is your opportunity.

Coleman is one of the judges for the International Songwriting Competition, which is now accepting entries. The yearly contest awards thousands of dollars in prizes to aspiring and established songwriters, with categories ranging from jazz and blues to rock and country. The overall grand prize is $25,000 cash and $20,000 in merchandise.

The competition puts Coleman alongside a prestigious panel of judges, including jazz luminaries such as guitarist John Scofield and vocalist Cassandra Wilson, and other musicians of various genres such as Nelly Furtado and Tom Waits.

The application deadline is Oct. 15. See songwritingcompetition.com for details on how to submit an entry.



  • Gordon_Goodwin_2020.jpg

    Goodwin was one of the most acclaimed, successful and influential jazz musicians of his generation.

  • Bela_Fleck_on_CNN_with_Fredricka_Whitfield_2026.jpg

    Belá Fleck during an interview with Fredrika Whitfield on CNN.

  • 2707_Pressphoto2_copy_2.jpg

    The success of Oregon’s first album, 1971’s Music Of Another Present Era, allowed Towner to establish a solo career.

  • KP2_Print_copy.jpg

    ​Peplowski first came to prominence in legacy swing bands, including the final iteration of the Benny Goodman Orchestra, before beginning a solo career in the late 1980s.

  • DAddario_RSWAB-LG_oninstrument1hi-res_copy.jpg

    Rico’s Anti-Microbial Instrument Swab


On Sale Now
February 2026
Snarky Puppy
Look Inside
Subscribe
Print | Digital | iPad