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| Tribute To Phoebe Jacobs The family of Phoebe Jacobs (June 21, 1918 - April 9, 2012), The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, and Jazz at Lincoln Center invite you to the Tribute to Phoebe Jacobs, in memoriam. The event will be held at Rose Theater, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 1 p.m. There will be no printed tickets for this event. Doors will open at 12:30pm, and attendees will be seated on a first come, first served basis. The Tribute to Phoebe Jacobs will feature the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis as well as Jimmy Heath, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff, Mercedes Ellington, Bobby Sanabria, Antoinette Montague, Robert O'Meally, Victor Goines, Bob Stewart, Stanley Crouch, George Wein, Norma Miller, Brianna Thomas, and more. Immediately following the program will be a second line procession along Central Park South. Ms. Jacobs' life was devoted to the perpetuation of jazz through The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation for which she served as the executive vice-president. She was one of the most important behind-the-scenes influence in jazz. Her phenomenal work touched many lives, especially those of young people through jazz education and outreach. Phoebe established a unique legacy as a lifelong advocate of jazz. She garnered support and helped establish the Louis Armstrong Archives at Queens College and the Louis Armstrong House Museum; The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Beth Israel Hospital; the Jazz for Young People Concert Series at Jazz at Lincoln Center; Columbia University Center for Jazz Studies and Louis Armstrong Jazz Performance Program; the Louis Armstrong Legacy Program and Celebration (Chicago) ; the Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong Summer Jazz Camp (New Orleans) ; the Duke Ellington Center, the Jazz Foundation of America, and New York's original Jazz Museum. She was impetus for providing scholarships to high school and college students through various non-profit organizations. She worked with Duke Ellington and his son, Mercer Ellington. Ms. Jacobs was instrumental in the development of the Duke Ellington Center with Mercedes Ellington. She was co-producer of the Benny Goodman Centennial held in Chicago. Indeed, it was Phoebe Jacobs' personal relationship to jazz and its musicians that fueled her commitment to its survival. Through her dedication, Phoebe Jacobs has helped assure that vital memories of jazz history and its contributing musicians will always live on. Please join us in the celebration of one of the most influential women in jazz history. Phoebe Jacobs was born June 21, 1918. Her love for jazz began early in life. She began working as a hat check girl at Kelly Stables a Manhattan Jazz nightclub owned by her uncle Ralph Watkins' at seventeen years old. She would later go on to work as a promoter and contractor, even serving as Director of Public Relations and Producer of Special Events at the Rainbow Room and Rainbow Grill in New York City, where she was responsible for the appearances of many prominent entertainers, including Benny Goodman, Sarah Vaughan, Cy Coleman, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. Ms. Jacobs is perhaps best known as a publicist for such prominent musicians as Ella Fitzgerald, Sy Oliver, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan, Duke Ellington, and Della Reese. She worked very closely for many years with Louis Armstrong, for whom she began as a public relations specialist and, in 1969, assisted in organizing the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, according to the great musician's wishes. The foundation's mission is to support music education. She became a devout friend and confidant of Lucille Armstrong. Phoebe and Lucille traveled to many locations representing Armstrong and planting seeds for many important initiatives. Ms. Jacobs served as executive vice-president of the foundation until her death. Phoebe Jacobs has made invaluable contributions to Armstrong's living legacy. In 1995, she saw her and Lucille Armstrong's efforts, along with the support of many, reach fruition when the United States Postal Service released a postal stamp for Louis Armstrong. In 2000, her dream came true, when the New Orleans Airport was renamed to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the first airport to be named for a jazz artist. write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |