Santana, Buddy Guy to be Honored at Jazz Foundation of America's Great Night in Harlem

The Jazz Foundation of America will honor and at their annual A Great Night in Harlem event, April 14th at the Apollo Theater in New York City. The event borrows its name from Art Kane’s 1958 photograph for Esquire, “A Great Day in Harlem,” which captured 57 jazz legends on East 126th Street.

Santana will receive the JFA’s inaugural Claude Nobs Award, named for the late founder of the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Santana has been a regular at Montreux for years and has released numerous live albums and concert films documenting his performances there. Among the most notable are a 2007 release chronicling his 1988 Montreux set with jazz saxophonist Wayne Shorter and a concert film that captured his hits-packed set at the 2011 fest.

Guy, meanwhile, will receive the 2020 JFA Lifetime Achievement Award for his storied career as a pioneering blues guitarist. The JFA will also honor its vice chair and founding director, Wendy Oxenhorn, for her contributions to the organization — she helped launch A Great Night in Harlem in 2001 — and her prowess as a harmonica player. Drummer and producer Steve Jordan will serve as the night’s musical director.

Tickets for A Great Night in Harlem are on sale now the JFA’s website.

Santana has a European tour scheduled for this spring, although he’s set to kick off a North American run with Earth, Wind and Fire June 19th in Chula Vista, California. He also has stints at the House of Blues in Las Vegas scheduled for May, September and November.

Guy also has a busy few months ahead, with a North American tour set to kick off Wednesday, March 4th in Davis, California, and run all the way through September 30th in Seattle.