Each Duo to be Presented in a Free Millennium Stage Concert September 13-19

The seven duos, who hail from throughout the United States, were chosen by competitive auditions held in New York and New Orleans. USIA will provide their overseas traveling expenses and a modest honorarium for each Jazz Ambassador. The tours, which usually last four to six weeks, are designated for countries that are not often visited by American musicians. In addition to public concerts, the visiting Jazz Ambassadors will conduct master classes and lecture-recitals for local musicians. (NOTE: A list of Millennium Stage concerts and tour countries is linked to this release.)

This year's Jazz Ambassador's program marks the second year of a partnership between the Kennedy Center and the USIA created to showcase some of this country's most talented musicians in performances that include contemporary American music. In 1997, the Kennedy Center and the USIA joined in presenting classical musicians as Artistic Ambassadors.

Kennedy Center President Lawrence J. Wilker commented, "Worldwide, jazz is considered one of America's greatest exports. Our relationship with USIA, through the Jazz Ambassadors program, provides broad opportunities for outstanding American artists to be heard abroad. The Kennedy Center is pleased to present these outstanding musicians in the nation's capital on the eve of their international tours."

USIA Director Joseph Duffey added, "Programs such as the Jazz Ambassadors continue to demonstrate how effective partnerships between the private sector and USIA can aid in furthering good will between the U.S. and other countries. We are proud to be able to offer Jazz Ambassadors as part of USIA's cultural programs for our embassies."

The seven 1998 Jazz Ambassador duos, plus three alternate pairs, were selected from a 67 duos who submitted valid applications (including written material and audio tapes). Of these, 26 duos were invited to audition in two cities. The jury panel consisted of trumpeter Jimmy Owens, bassist Keter Betts, pianist Stanley Cowell, and Derek Gordon, vice president for education at the Kennedy Center.

The United States Information Agency, headed by Dr. Joseph Duffey, is an independent foreign affairs agency within the executive branch that explains and supports United States foreign policy and national security interests abroad through a wide range of information programs. The Agency promotes mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through a series of educational and cultural exchange activities conducted by its Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. USIA's educational and cultural programs include the Fulbright scholarship program, the International Visitor program, and the Citizen Exchanges program. Other USIA programs include the Voice of America, Radio and TV Marti, the WORLDNET satellite television system, the daily Wireless File news wire, three Foreign Press Centers in the United States, and a network of overseas resource and cultural centers. The USIA domestic server can be accessed through http://www.usia.gov or through most search engines on the Internet.

The Kennedy Center African Odyssey:
This season, the Kennedy Center is expanding its ongoing, four-year African Odyssey as American artists travel to Africa. Playwright August Wilson opened our Africa Writer's Exchange program in South Africa this July. The tours of five of these seven Kennedy Center-USIA Jazz Ambassador duos will take place on the African continent this fall. The goals of the Kennedy Center African Odyssey, a festival of music, dance, and theater from Africa and the African Diaspora, are to raise the level of awareness and understanding of the cultures of Africa among the American people; to develop a sustainable program that fosters an exchange between African peoples and the United States by emphasizing the connections to be found between African culture and American heritage through performances at the Kennedy Center and other performing arts centers in the U.S.; by commissioning and mounting new works; by developing educational materials for audiences in both America and the nations of Africa, and by establishing forums for international cultural exchanges between artists, writers, teachers, and others by sending performers and exchange programs from the United States to the African continent. The Kennedy Center African Odyssey presenting sponsor is the American Express Company. Additional support is provided by the Ford Foundation, Standard Bank of South Africa, James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs, and the Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.