On April 30, the world celebrated International Jazz Day, the twelfth time this annual global event has honored the legacy and impact of jazz – the iconic American art form – on culture, education, and international cooperation. This year’s celebrations were hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and featured a…
On March 2, our beloved co-president of the International Committee of Artists for Peace, Wayne Shorter, died. He was 89. In a career spanning eight decades, Mr. Shorter, a twelve-time Grammy Award winner, came to be known as both a jazz icon and one of America’s great composers. He began in the late 1950s as…
The 2022 World Cup, held in Qatar, has just concluded with an exciting match between Argentina and defending champions, France. Argentina emerged triumphant, winning their third Cup in six final appearances. There were many thrills for fans of what most of the world refers to primarily as “football.” For example, French fans of their nation’s…
Among the cherished goals of ICAP is the ongoing expansion of global friendships as a golden pathway to peace. And the friendship with Billy Kenoi, former mayor of Hawaii County, who established the Annual Hilo World Peace Festival on Hawaii’s Big Island, was a treasure. Mr. Kenoi, who died in January 2021, at the way-too-young…
A new two-hour documentary on PBS, the U.S. public television network, shines a spotlight on preeminent jazz bassist Ron Carter. Ron Carter: Finding the Right Note is a deep dive into the artistry and wisdom acquired over the lifetime of Mr. Carter, who holds the Guinness Book world record for most-recorded jazz bass player in…
On April 30, the 11th annual International Jazz Day saw celebrations in the form of live musical eruptions in more than 180 nations. The main highlight of the annual commemoration is an All-Star Global Concert. This year, woven together in an event livestreamed via the internet, the anchoring venue was the United Nations General Assembly…
“Music happens to be an art form that transcends language.” “Creativity and artistic endeavors have a mission that goes far beyond just making music for the sake of music.” — Herbie Hancock Beyond just looking or sounding beautiful, great art speaks to us in a way that transcends verbal communication. And as such, it holds…
The sound of her cry pierces the centuries, expressing the trauma of women, whose roles within humanity are essential, but whose lives have often been reduced to being objects to meet the demands and foibles of men. Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, according to popular versions of the ancient Greek myth, is sacrificed in…
As a recent article in DownBeat magazine — the veritable jazz publication of record — said of Herbie Hancock, he is “a musician of multitudes.” Herbie’s career, spanning a remarkable seven decades, has been a vehicle for presenting a multitude of versatility, innovation, and youthful energy. All three of those themes were certainly on display…
“Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a way of life . . .” (Olympic Charter – Fundamental Principle 1) The recently concluded Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, followed by the Paralympics, were,…