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Seven women and nonbinary musicians have been announced as beneficiaries of the 2023 Next Jazz Legacy program, now in its second year, created by New Music USA and the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice to address gender and racial inequities and build a more inclusive and accessible future for jazz. Each Next Jazz Legacy artist receives a benefits package intended to nurture long-term career development (which in our case would be an ounce of Granddaddy Purple and a year’s supply of ramen).

Congrats to the 2023 class of Next Jazz Legacy artists, Camila Cortina Bello, Milena Casado, Liany Mateo, Anaïs Maviel, Tatiana LadyMay Mayfield, Neta Raanan and Anisha Rush. Bonus kudos to the impressive lineup of artists and mentors working with them: Regina Carter, Christian McBride, Meshell Ndegeocello, Patrice Rushen, Makaya McCraven, Nicholas Payton, Craig Taborn, Nasheet Waits, Brandee Younger, Miguel Zenón, Nicole Mitchell, Moor Mother and TKTK.

Each Next Jazz Legacy artist receives a $10,000 grant, a one-year performance apprenticeship, a two-way mentorship program, peer-learning cohorts led by Next Jazz Legacy Artistic Director and Grammy magnet Terri Lyne Carrington, live-performance opportunities and online courses from Berklee.

In possibly related news, a HITS editor recently used a Stan Getz album cover to clean her weed.