Crystal Sensations is proud to have been selected to craft the first-ever Canadian Jazz Masters Awards! This brand new award will be presented Sunday, February 18th, during the inaugural Oscar Peterson International Jazz Festival. Canada’s newest jazz festival will be held at locations all around Niagara-on-the-Lake from February 16th to 18th and is set to honor the legacy of Canada’s renowned jazz artist, pianist Oscar Peterson.
Renee Rosnes, Art Director for the festival, and winner of last year’s JUNO for Solo Jazz Album of the Year knew right away that it would only be appropriate to have a Canadian company produce this Canadian Jazz Masters award. The festival’s Design and Art Director, Sven van der Klaauw, undertook the task of finding the right Canadian awards designer and manufacturer. They understood they needed to locate a company who could create a Canadian Jazz Masters Award who could properly honor the rich history of jazz and the incredible effect the leader of the Oscar Peterson Trio had on Canadian jazz music and musicians.
Drawing inspiration from Renee’s JUNO win last year, Sven discovered that it was Crystal Sensations that has designed and created the modern JUNO statuette since 2011, using our innovative laser engraving technology. It was this, along with our passion for technological innovation and superior craftsmanship, that led Bravo Niagara! to commission Crystal Sensations to manufacture this award.
Our designers and engineers were thrilled to take on this new challenge. The Canadian Jazz Masters Award itself would have to capture the importance of Oscar Peterson’s career, and its impact on modern Canadian jazz, as well as reflect the festival itself. With a variety of events planned, including documentary screenings, a gala, and of course, jazz concerts showcasing musicians and GRAMMY winners from Canada and around the world, the weekend promises to be an incredibly diverse and vibrant experience.
The award also needed to honor the winners, with a design that they would be excited to show off in their homes. The first-ever nominees of the Canadian Jazz Masters Award were chosen and reviewed by a 15-person advisory panel of the highest caliber jazz musicians from all across Canada. The nominations were based on musicians who, like Oscar Peterson himself, have reached the highest levels of artistic excellence, and have made major contributions to the area of Canadian jazz through both recordings and live performances. The award needed to appropriately reflect that dedication, determination, and impact, with eye-catching craftsmanship.
For such a special event a simple plaque would not be sufficient.
The Canadian Jazz Master Award, designed by Sven van Der Klaauw, and created by Crystal Sensations, will be unveiled February 18th when it is presented to Canadian jazz icons deserving of national recognition.
Be sure to visit us again soon to see the award, and to learn which Canadian jazz legends are presented with the inaugural trophies!
