ORONO ? The Maine Center for the Arts will be the only presenting organization in the state to offer concerts by highly respected jazz giants through a national granting program, the National Endowment for the Arts announced in April. The NEA Jazz Master on Tour, a cross-country initiative to bring more awareness of and support for jazz and jazz musicians, features a jazz artist or artists in performances, educational activities, and-or speaking engagements for audiences in all 50 states beginning June 1, 2005, and extending to December 2006.

Thirty-three NEA jazz masters, including Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Hancock and Marian McPartland, have agreed to participate in the program. The MCA will receive approximately $5,000, according to the NEA. The award is the first federal money the center has received for presenting, according to John Patches, the MCA executive director.

“I’m very pleased,” said Patches. “It’s good to know there’s support out there for presenters such as us in locales such as ours. It gives recognition to the MCA and to jazz as an art form.”

The details of the MCA programming regarding the jazz masters are still being worked out, said Patches.

? Alicia Anstead