JAMES JORDAN

JORDAN--James, a former Director of the Music Program at the New York State Council on the Arts, has died. He was 87. In addition to championing the support of musicians throughout New York for nearly 30 years, he was also committed to helping mainstream performing arts organizations expand their audiences to reflect the state's demographics and diversity. Mr. Jordan has been honored for his far-reaching contributions to music in New York and across the U.S. by organizations such as Meet the Composer (now New Music USA) and the Jazz Journalists Association. He was one of the founding board members of the National Jazz Service Organization, and served numerous terms as the Chairperson of both the Jazz Policy Panel and the Grants Panel for the National Endowment on the Arts. Before and after his tenure with NYSCA Mr. Jordan was the personal manager of the late jazz great Ornette Coleman, and was executive producer of Ornette's seminal Skies of America album.