ROLLINS AND REICH HONOURED IN SWEDEN

Last updated: Tuesday, May 22, 2007

ROLLINS AND REICH HONOURED IN SWEDEN

Jazz veteran SONNY ROLLINS and composer STEVE REICH were awarded Sweden's top music prize from the country's King Carl XVI Gustaf at a ceremony on Monday (21May07).

The pair received $147,000 (GBP73,500) each with the prestigious Polar Music Prize, which was awarded at the Stockholm Concert Hall.

Frail Rollins, 76, had to be helped on and off the stage but said he was honoured to receive the prize "on behalf of all the great musicians I learned my music from".

Eagle-Eye Cherry - son of trumpet player Don Cherry, who Rollins toured with in the 1960s - paid tribute to the saxophonist on behalf of the The Royal Swedish Academy of Music, calling him "one of the most powerful and personal voices in jazz for more than 50 years".

Fellow winner Reich, 70, added his compliments to Rollins, insisting he was honoured to receive his prize at the same time.

Previous winners of the Polar Music Prize include Sir Paul McCartney, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Quincy Jones , Isaac Stern, Pierre Boulez and Valery Gergiev.

Source: WENN

| Tuesday, May 22, 2007

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