Photo by Tom Ehrlich

National Jazz Journalists Association just announced multi-intstrumentalist, bandleader, composer, education, and Arts Commissioner Dr. John Calloway as the 2012 Bay Area Jazz Hero at the association's annual Jazz Awards. Commissioner Calloway will be honored along with ten other Jazz Heroes, activists and advocates of jazz who have made significant impact in their local communities.

Commissioner Calloway has been a cornerstone of the Bay Area Latin and world music scenes since the 1970s, collaborating with a who's-who of Bay Area jazz and Latin jazz innovators, including Jesus Diaz, Pete Escovedo, Mark Levine, Rebeca Mauleon, Marcus Shelby, Larry Vukovich and Wayne Wallace, along with his essential work as a collaborator for over three decades with five-time GRAMMY® nominee John Santos.

"John touches lives one on one and he lives his values of community service and music education for all," says Arturo Riera, co-founder of the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble and a self-professed Bay Area cultural activist.

On Wednesday, June 20, Commissioner Calloway will be honored with the 2012 Jazz Hero award at the Hall of Culture at the African American Art and Culture Complex at 762 Fulton Street. The event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., is free and open to the public and will be catered by Urban Catering and Events.

Read all about it here.