The 2013 International Songwriting Competition’s highest distinction, the Grand Prize, went to Japanese trumpeter Shunzo Ohno for his song “Musashi.” This is the first time in the 13-year history of ISC that the Grand Prize has been awarded to a songwriter in the jazz category. The International Songwriting Competition is widely recognized as the most prestigious and respected songwriting competition in the world. Jazz winners were selected by recording artists Joshua Redman and Boney James. Other category judges included Imagine Dragons, Martina McBride, Josh Turner, Keane, Jon Secada, Dido, Garbage, Darryl McDaniels, James Cotton, Jason Isbell, Anoushka Shankar, Monte Lipman (Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Republic Records), Dan McCarroll (President, Warner Bros. Records), Alison Donald (Co-President, Columbia Records UK), and more.
“Shunzo Ohno: Never Defeated” Film Premier and Concert Wednesday, June 17, 2015
International Award Winning Shunzo Ohno is considered one of the most versatile and influential trumpeters of modern jazz. Born in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, Shunzo’s rise to prominence began in 1974, when he accepted an offer to perform with the legendary jazz drummer Art Blakey. Following his tenure with Blakey, Shunzo propelled with a series of important collaborations, including ones with Machito and his Afro-Cuban Orchestra, Wayne Shorter, Larry Coryell, Herbie Hancock, and Gil Evans, who was a long-time collaborator of Shunzo’s. Shunzo has recorded 16 albums as a leader and has been featured on two Grammy winning recordings.