On this episode of The Art of the Story, we celebrate Lee Mergner who received the Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award at the 2026 Jazz Congress.
Mergner is the former Jazz Times editor and publisher and former WBGO Editoiral Content Producer.
Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride, a 2017 Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award recipient, presented Mergner with the 2026 award in the Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Mergner actually helped create The Bruce Lundvall Visionary Award in 2014 in honor of the longtime jazz record executive who was a champion and advocate for so many jazz artists over the last four decades. The annual award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and vision in expanding the audience for jazz and has made a difference for artists, the music, and audience.
You can hear the entire ceremony below:
