Exclusive Recording Contract Up for Grabs for 2014 Sarah Vaughan Competition Winner

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), Larry Rosen Productions (LRP), and Concord Music Group announce a landmark agreement to provide an exclusive recording contract offer to record and release an album on Concord Records to the winner of the 2014 Sarah Vaughan International jazz Vocal Competition, now known as the SASSY awards.

The Concord arrangement is a three-year commitment by the record label to present an exclusive recording contract offer to the winner of the annual competition. The deal was struck between Concord GM Mark Wexler and the Sarah Vaughan Competition producer, Larry Rosen. This recording prize will be added to the package of awards already presented to the Competition winner, which includes a $5,000 cash award, airfare to the competition finals event on November 16, 2014 at NJPAC, and the opportunity to perform as part of the JAZZ ROOTS Concert Series.

"All of us at Concord are thrilled to be a part of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition," said Mark Wexler, General Manager/Senior Vice President, Concord-Telarc Group. "It's great to be involved in the process of finding and nurturing new artists, and working together in the development of their careers."

The Sarah Vaughan Competition is the only international jazz vocal competition of its kind and provides a platform for one outstanding jazz singer to launch a career within the music business. The first two years of the competition saw nearly 1,500 total song entries which music fans shared, listened, voted, commented on, and liked. Furthermore, the competition website received 2 million hits during last year's competition alone, resulting in nearly one million votes for contestants from fans around the globe, making this the world's most visible jazz vocal competition. Judges for the competition include Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride, WBGO morning jazz host Gary Walker, multiple Grammy nominee Nnenna Freelon and legendary producer Larry Rosen.

Larry Rosen said, "We are so happy to help discover and mentor great young female jazz vocalists in the tradition of Sarah Vaughan. In our first season it was Cyrille Aimee, last year it was Jazzmeia Horn, and now, with the assistance of our global partner, Concord Records, we are able to provide a Recording Contract, thereby granting our 2014 Sarah Vaughan SASSY AWARD winner worldwide exposure and hopefully chart-toping success. We are changing lives!"

The competition itself recalls the humble beginnings of jazz icon Sarah Vaughan who, back in 1942, was a Newark teenager and winner of an amateur singing contest at the legendary Apollo Theater. That memorable night helped launch the lifework of one of the most successful, influential jazz vocalists in the history of American music.
"It has been decades since Sarah Vaughan first graced the stage at the Apollo Theater but her memory lives on. That evening, which singlehandedly changed Vaughan's life, is what we replicate through this jazz vocal competition," says John Schreiber President and CEO of NJPAC. "We are thrilled to offer the next generation of talent an historic opportunity to carry on Sarah Vaughan's legacy."

There is still time to audition for this prestigious competition; submissions are due by September 2nd at 5pm. For contest rules and further information visit Sarahvaughancompetition.com.

The Competition:
Female vocalists from around the world can submit applications online at www.sarahvaughancompetition.com.
Five finalists will receive airfare to the finals to perform at the TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival in NJPAC's Victoria Theater on November 16, 2014 before a panel of judges comprised of some of the leading jazz vocalists today as well as others in the jazz and recording industry. The Grand prize winner will be presented an offer to receive a Concord Records exclusive recording contract, a $5,000 cash prize, and an opportunity to perform on JAZZ ROOTS concerts across the country. The 2nd Place Winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and the 3rd Place Winner will receive $500.00. The competition is open to solo female vocalists who are not signed to a major record label. Singers must submit audio clips online through an interactive platform powered by Indaba Music. The public can vote online to help select the finalists who will be announced on October 10. Singers will be judged on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation and ability to swing.
This competition will be held November 16th at the Victoria Theater and will feature performances by finalists as well as rare concert footage of Sarah Vaughan. Produced by JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series with NJPAC, WBGO Jazz88.3FM, the Jazz Education Network (JEN) and Indaba Music and Concord Music Group.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States and is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey -- where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. As New Jersey's Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State's and the world's best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted over seven million visitors (including more than one million children) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit www.njpac.org or call 888.GO.NJPAC for more information.

JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series is a concert and educational program created for performing arts centers across America. The JAZZ ROOTS series was first launched in 2008 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Subsequently, the series has been presented in Dallas at the AT&T Performing Arts Center; the Palladium Theater in Carmel, Indiana; The Smith Center in Las Vegas; the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta; NJPAC in Newark, New Jersey; and now debuting at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando. Rosen is the producer of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the SASSY AWARDS and is currently working with BAM in Brooklyn developing a music-based educational curriculum for the New York City school system. Artists presented on JAZZ ROOTS concerts include: Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Chris Botti, Sergio Mendes, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Michael Feinstein, Paquito D'Rivera, John McLaughlin, Patti Austin, Aaron Neville, Count Basie Orchestra, Ramsey Lewis, Esperanza Spalding, Take 6, Arturo Sandoval, Eliane Elias, Ivan Lins, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau, Dave Sanborn, Jon Hendricks, Dave Grusin, and many more. The JAZZ ROOTS series includes educational and outreach programs that organically connect to local community groups, art centers, universities and local boards of education. See www.jazzroots.net

Mr. Rosen is a musician, producer, executive producer and co-founder of GRP Records, one of the industries premier record labels. Through his record productions, he has produced more than 350 albums, with more than 80 nominated for Grammy awards, winning 33 Grammys. Mr. Rosen is also the producer and director of many award-winning TV specials including, JAZZ and the PHILHARMONIC, An Evening with Dave Grusin, The GRP ALL-STAR BIG BAND LIVE, and more. He is currently producing a seven-part, multi-media project with hosts Quincy Jones and Phil Ramone titled RECORDING: The History of Recorded Music. http://www.larryrosen.com/

ABOUT CONCORD MUSIC GROUP: Concord Music Group, based in Beverly Hills, CA is one of the largest independent record and music publishing companies in the world. A small sampling of the company's active roster includes Sir Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Alison Krauss, Valerie June, Ben Harper, Chick Corea, Steve Martin, Esperanza Spalding and Seether. Concord's catalog includes legends such as John Coltrane, John Fogerty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Little Richard, Otis Redding, Thelonious Monk, Isaac Hayes, Ella Fitzgerald and Tony Bennett, among many others. The company's celebrated family of labels includes Concord Records, Concord Jazz, Hear Music, Fantasy, Stax, Telarc, Milestone, Riverside, Specialty, Prestige and Rounder Records. Additionally, Concord has recently partnered with independent label Loma Vista Recordings whose illustrious artist roster includes Spoon, St. Vincent, Little Dragon, Birds of Tokyo, Ghost BC, Manchester Orchestra and Papa.

Concord Music Group's releases are distributed throughout the world by Universal Music Group and are regularly licensed for use in major motion pictures, television and advertising. In March of 2013, Wood Creek Capital Management, LLC acquired Concord Music Group in partnership with an individual investor group that includes members of Concord's senior management. As an investment manager at the forefront of intellectual property investing, Wood Creek's confidence in Concord underscores a belief in the appreciating value of great music content around the globe

WBGO Jazz 88.3FM/WBGO.org Founded in 1979, WBGO (Newark Public Radio, Inc.) is a publicly supported cultural institution that champions jazz at WBGO 88.3 FM in Newark, New Jersey and worldwide via WBGO.org. WBGO is the recognized world leader in jazz radio and one of the most respected jazz presenters in the country, and offers award-winning news and innovative children's programs. Beyond reaching 350,000 weekly listeners (including 17,000 contributing members) on air, online and via mobile devices, WBGO presents live broadcasts from prestigious jazz venues and produces acclaimed programs for NPR heard by millions. www.wbgo.org

Indaba Music Indaba Music is a technology platform and marketing services company home to a community of over 850,000 musicians worldwide, from emerging artists to Grammy Award winners. Indaba expanded into the Licensing realm with Indaba Sync (www.indabasync.com), a portal for licensing the best emerging content from the Indaba Music community. Indaba Music pioneered the online music collaboration and community space when it launched in 2007, enabling anyone with internet access to create, edit and mix studio-quality music online. Indaba Music now provides musicians with opportunities ranging from remix contests to sync and licensing opportunities to branded marketing programs. Indaba Music currently boasts musicians from 205 countries and territories. To date, Indaba Music contests have featured artists and brands including Daft Punk, Red Bull, Snoop Dogg, Peter Gabriel, Linkin Park, Yo-Yo Ma, Microsoft, Paul Simon, Converse, Foster The People, Bacardi and Usher.

Jazz Education Network The Jazz Education Network is dedicated to building the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance, and developing new audiences. With a home base in the United States, and members in more than 22 countries, this thriving organization hosts a popular annual conference that serves teachers, students, artists, performing arts presenters, music industry partners, and more. It runs ongoing programs of scholarships for students and educators, student composition showcases, community outreach, virtual workshops, music and instrument donations to schools in need, and mentoring with jazz pros and students.

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