Grammy Awards winner 2019: John Daversa dominates in his respective categories
UCLA-Taught Musician John Daversa Wins Multiple GRAMMY Awards
John Daversa, a renowned trumpeter and jazz musician, has added multiple GRAMMY Awards to his impressive resume. Daversa, a UCLA B.A. Music Performance graduate, won three GRAMMYs for his album American Dreamers: Voices of Hope, Music of Freedom.
The album, which features 53 musicians who are beneficiaries of the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) immigration policy, highlights and celebrates their stories. Daversa's work on this album has brought both artistic and social attention to the contributions of DACA musicians.
Aside from his GRAMMY-winning work, Daversa is an accomplished big band leader and educator. He is associated with UCLA, where he has taught jazz composition and arranging. His presence within the Los Angeles jazz community is significant, as he combines performance, composition, and education at UCLA and beyond.
In addition to Daversa's achievements, UCLA alumnus Jake Heggie was nominated in the Contemporary Classical Composition category for Great Scott. Terrence McNally was the librettist for Heggie's nominated work.
Conductor JoAnn Falletta, who invited the UCLA Chamber Singers to record and perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra in April 2019, also made headlines. Falletta won the Best Classical Compendium category for Fuchs: Piano Concerto 'Spiritualist'; Poems Of Life; Glacier; Rush.
The UCLA Chamber Singers have also performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Meanwhile, UCLA professor Wayne Shorter's Wayne Shorter Quartet won in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category for Emanon.
Other notable GRAMMY wins include "Stars and Stripes Forever" taking Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella, and "Don't Fence Me In" winning Best Improvised Jazz Solo. These awards underscore the diverse and vibrant music scene at UCLA and beyond.
John Daversa, now serving as chair of Studio Music and Jazz at the Frost School of Music at University of Miami, continues to make significant contributions to the world of jazz music. His work on American Dreamers serves as a powerful testament to the power of music to bring attention to important social issues.
