Jazz at Lincoln Center Gets Unprecedented $20 Million Donation from Chairman Robert J. Appel

According to the New York Times, Jazz at Lincoln Center now has $20 million more in their Columbus Circle coffers--all thanks to financier, philanthropist and JALC chairman Robert J. Appel.

As per the press release, Appel's donation will "help promote the center's global initiatives of audience development and jazz advocacy."

Expect equal allotment among performances, educational initiatives and JALC's innovative broadcasting efforts.

Appel joined the board of Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2008; he was appointed to the chairmanship a scant four years later.

His $20 million gift--which dwarfs a certain Music City ingénue's $100,000 in birthday money to the Nashville Symphony--is one of the biggest in recent news.

In fact, Jazz at Lincoln Center cites Appel's generous donation as "the largest single private contribution to date in support of jazz music."

So, fresh off its joint announcement (with the National Endowment for the Arts) of the 2014 Jazz Masters Awards, suffice it to say that JALC's Q1 is lookin' pretty darn good.

Many, many thanks, then, to Robert J. Appel.