By Matt Micucci
Charlie’s family and friends have established the Charlie Haden Jazz Scholarship at CalArts to provide annual tuition support for deserving students in the Jazz Studies program.
Charlie Haden is regarded as one of the greatest jazz bassists of all time. He is known for his long associations with saxophonist Ornette Coleman and pianist Keith Jarrett, as well as his Liberation Music Orchestra, on which he worked togetherw ith Carla Bley and aimed to explore experimental, free jazz and political music at the same time (their first album focused, for instance, on the Spanish Civil War).
Aside from being a revered double bass player, bandleader, composer and arranger, he was also a passionate educator.
In 1982, Haden established the jazz studies program at the California Instutite of the Arts in Valencia, California. His program ephasized smaller group performances and the spiritual connection to the creative process. He also encouraged students to discover their own individual sounds, melodies and harmonies.
His work as educator helped create and encouraged many great musicians, such as saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, trumpeter Ralph Alessi and bassist Scott Colley. He was also honored by the Los Angeles Jazz Society as “Jazz Educator of the Year”.
Now, the Charlie Haden Jazz Scholarship at CalArts will enable committed and talented jazz musicians to pursue their creative and career goals with essential tuition support. The Haden Scholarship also allows CalArts to recruit and retain the most innovative jazz students in the nation, keeping the Jazz Studies Program at the forefront of music education.
To build the endowment in honor of Charlie, a donor has contributed $125,000 for a matching challenge award.
Anyone can now show their appreciation of his remarkable artistry, intellect and humanity as well as his lasting contribution to American music and culture by contributing to the Charlie Haden Jazz Scolarship here ->http://calartsdevelopment.cmail19.com/t/r-l-ziynjd-diailqlj-t/<-