In 1940s Los Angeles, three-year-old Bertha Hope astonished her parents by sitting at the piano and playing Brahms’ “Lullaby” entirely by ear. Today, at age 88, she is a celebrated pianist and composer who has spent decades shaping the sound of modern jazz. Despite her impact, Hope, like many of her peers, never amassed the financial security seen in other genres. That reality began to change when she was named one of the 20 inaugural recipients of the Jazz Legacies Fellowship, a new $15 million program designed to honor veteran jazz artists by providing both recognition and resources.
Launched in February 2025 by the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA) in partnership with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Jazz Legacies Fellowship addresses systemic gaps in support for elder jazz musicians. According to Elizabeth Alexander, president of the Mellon Foundation, “Jazz is a quintessentially American art form… safeguarding its elders is also safeguarding a vital piece of our cultural history.” This fellowship is part of a larger $35 million Mellon-funded initiative aimed at sustaining the jazz ecosystem, with a focus on preserving and amplifying the legacies of its most enduring contributors.
Economic realities have long plagued jazz artists, many of whom rely on piecemeal performances, modest teaching stipends, and limited royalties. JFA Executive Director Joe Petrucelli notes, “There’s no real retirement plan for most jazz musicians. Our goal is to celebrate these artists while also helping them live with the dignity they deserve.”
To qualify, artists must be U.S.-based jazz practitioners aged 62 or older who demonstrate creative achievement, generational impact, and financial need. Each fellow receives an unrestricted $100,000 grant, which can be used for any purpose—covering medical bills, recording new work, or simply reducing the strain of gig-to-gig survival. By design, this approach gives recipients the autonomy to address their most urgent personal or professional needs.
In addition to the monetary award, the Jazz Legacies Fellowship offers:
• Production Assistance: Up to $15,000 for touring, recording sessions, or publishing archival materials.
• Healthcare and Housing Support: JFA’s partnerships with medical providers enable subsidized care, while housing grants fund renovations such as installing wheelchair ramps or organizing personal archives.
• Career Documentation: Fellows can partner with institutions like the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program to record interviews, digitize compositions, and preserve other historical artifacts for future study.
• Public Engagement: Master classes, residencies, and curated performances at venues such as SFJAZZ and the Newport Jazz Festival help maintain the visibility and relevance of elder musicians.
Among the inaugural recipients are saxophonist George Coleman (89), renowned for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock, and cellist Akua Dixon (76), who expanded the boundaries of classical and jazz. Their inclusion highlights the breadth of talent that has shaped the genre over many decades.
The immediate effect on recipients is both financial relief and creative revitalization. Hope, for instance, plans to use part of her grant to digitize long-lost recordings from the Boogie Woogie Studio once run by her late husband, bassist Walter Booker. “I’ve had these tapes in my closet for decades,” she explains. “Now, I can finally share them with the world.”
Beyond individual benefit, the fellowship strengthens the jazz ecosystem. Younger musicians stand to gain from the knowledge passed on by these seasoned veterans, many of whom will lead master classes or collaborate with youth ensembles. Pianist Jason Moran, an advisor to the fellowship, underscores this point: “The people who created the language we all use in modern jazz are still here, still playing, and now they can keep teaching.” By connecting elder statespersons to new audiences, the program ensures that jazz remains a living dialogue rather than a relic of the past.
One of the fellowship’s defining features is its commitment to archival work and oral history, reflecting the fact that jazz is deeply rooted in live performance and mentorship. Many older musicians have valuable recordings, handwritten scores, and personal stories that risk being lost if not documented. Fellows like Reggie Workman (87), who played with John Coltrane, plan to work with archivists to preserve civil rights-era compositions that would otherwise remain unpublished.
Elizabeth Alexander sees this as cultural stewardship: “We are building a multivocal archive of American art. When elders share their stories, we all benefit.” As part of a larger Mellon initiative, the fellowship collaborates with educational institutions and archives to digitize and catalog these materials, making them accessible to scholars, students, and future jazz innovators.
While prestigious grants like the NEA Jazz Masters award or Doris Duke Artist Awards have historically supported jazz musicians, the Jazz Legacies Fellowship distinguishes itself through:
• Age Focus: Specifically honoring musicians aged 62 and older.
• Unrestricted Funding: The $100,000 grant comes with no stipulations on how it must be spent.
• Holistic Services: In addition to financial aid, fellows receive legal, medical, and logistical support for long-term stability.
• Archival Emphasis: The program prioritizes documenting and preserving each artist’s legacy, rather than funding a single project or performance.
These distinctions make the fellowship a pioneering force in recognizing and supporting the cultural contributions of older jazz musicians, whose careers might otherwise fade into obscurity.
Despite its $15 million commitment, the fellowship’s reach is limited to 50 artists over four years. As Petrucelli acknowledges, “Many more musicians deserve similar recognition, but we’re grateful to begin addressing an urgent need.” The Jazz Foundation of America hopes that the fellowship’s success will inspire additional partnerships, allowing the program to continue—and potentially expand—beyond its initial duration.
There are also logistical hurdles. Providing healthcare and housing assistance to a geographically dispersed cohort requires coordinated efforts with local nonprofits, clinics, and social workers. Nevertheless, JFA’s track record of aiding musicians in crisis indicates a strong capacity to manage these complex services.
As the program matures, it promises a ripple effect. Fellows may record long-awaited albums, produce concerts that spotlight hidden gems in jazz history, or mentor emerging talents who will carry the music forward. These outcomes align with the fellowship’s broader goal: to establish a support system that honors jazz’s founding generations while nurturing future innovators.
The Jazz Legacies Fellowship proves that uplifting elder musicians is both a moral imperative and a cultural investment. By delivering financial stability, professional resources, and platforms to showcase their artistry, it allows these jazz trailblazers to continue creating, teaching, and shaping America’s most influential music. In the words of Bertha Hope, “We’ve contributed so much to this art form, and now we have the means to preserve it for the next generation. That’s how you keep a tradition alive.”