The great pianist Ahmad Jamal will be receiving this year’s Donostiako Jazzaldia Award. Starting in 1994, the San Sebastian Jazz Festival has given this award to an outstanding musician for his lifetime career and his contribution to jazz.Ahmad Jamal is unique. Alter being considered one of the greatest musicians by his colleagues, Miles Davis among them, he now lives a splendid maturity assuring him a position among the most important names in jazz. He revolutionized jazz piano in the 50s thanks to his subtlety under the simplicity of his music, and has been a major influence for all piano players since then. In his recent recordings, specially those together with George Coleman, the richness of his musical universe and his permanent vitality are always present. His career has been recognized with several important awards such as the Knighthood of Arts and Letters of France (Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres) and the American Jazz Masters Award.

*Award winners since 1994*
Doc Cheatham (1994)
Phil Woods (1995)
Hank Jones (1996)
Steve Lacy (1997)
Chick Corea (1998)
Max Roach and Clark Terry (1999)
Kenny Barron (2000)
Ray Brown (2001)
Elvin Jones (2002)
Bebo Valdés (2003)
Shirley Horn and Fernando Trueba (2004)
Keith Jarrett and Charles Mingus (In Memoriam) (2005)
Herbie Hancock (2006)
Wayne Shorter (2007)