Ben Webster Foundation

The Ben Webster Foundation is a Danish nonprofit organization established after the death of American jazz tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, who made Copenhagen his final home. Its creation grew out of Webster's need for professional administration of his artistic rights during his years in Denmark. In 1972, Webster worked with Billy Moore Jr., an arranger associated with the Jimmie Lunceford organization, to clarify his recording history and help secure royalties that had not been properly managed. Following Webster's death in 1973, Moore and the trustee of Webster's estate established the foundation. Webster's sole legal heir, Harley Robinson of Los Angeles, assigned his rights to the organization. The foundation was formally confirmed with the Queen of Denmark's Seal in 1976. The trust deed identifies the dissemination of jazz in Denmark as a central purpose. The foundation uses royalties connected with Webster's recordings and artistic legacy to support musicians and jazz activity in Denmark and the United States. Its work has included assistance for visiting American musicians, concerts, selected recordings, and other jazz-related events. Rather than operating as a commercial record label or a conventional consumer-facing brand, it functions as a cultural and rights-management institution linking Webster's estate to the jazz communities that influenced his later life. A prominent activity is the annual Ben Webster Prize, presented by vote to an outstanding young musician. The award is financially modest but regarded as prestigious within the jazz community. It provides recognition and encouragement to emerging talent while extending Webster's legacy beyond archival preservation. The foundation's board consists of friends and admirers of Webster, and its trustees monitor his artistic rights and the reissue of his recordings. In that role, the foundation concentrates on the legality, quality, and validity of releases associated with his work. The foundation also promotes live jazz and international exchange. American musicians have visited Denmark with its assistance and, in some cases, supported it through benefit concerts. One documented example came in 2009, when Ernie Wilkins's Almost Big Band opened the Copenhagen Jazz Festival at Copenhagen Jazzhouse, including an All Time Battle of Tenor Saxophones presentation by the Webster Foundation. The organization's activities therefore combine cultural philanthropy, artist support, performance programming, and stewardship of a major jazz archive and repertoire. The foundation's identity remains closely tied to Webster's Danish period and to Copenhagen's role in his final years. Webster moved to Europe in late 1964 and made Copenhagen his last home in 1969. After his death in 1973, his cremated remains were buried in Copenhagen, and his private collection of recordings and memorabilia was preserved in the jazz collections of the University Library of Southern Denmark in Odense. The foundation is not documented here as a listed company, subsidiary, or conventional corporate group; it is a nonprofit cultural trust whose principal public-facing purposes are jazz dissemination, musician recognition, and responsible administration of Ben Webster's artistic legacy.

The Ben Webster Foundation was created after Ben Webster's death to preserve and administer the saxophonist's artistic legacy while supporting jazz in Denmark. Webster had settled in Copenhagen in 1969 after several years working in Europe. During his Danish period, he lacked a manager or agent to handle his artistic rights and recording royalties. In 1972, he joined forces with Billy Moore Jr., who helped clarify Webster's recording history and pursue the royalties associated with it. Webster died in September 1973 after suffering a stroke in Amsterdam. Moore and the trustee of Webster's estate subsequently created the foundation. Harley Robinson, Webster's sole legal heir, assigned his rights to the organization. The foundation received formal confirmation through the Queen of Denmark's Seal in 1976. Its trust deed states a purpose centered on disseminating jazz in Denmark. The organization channels Webster-related royalties to musicians in Denmark and the United States and awards an annual prize to a young musician judged to be outstanding. Although the prize is not large, it has acquired prestige as a form of recognition within jazz. The foundation has also helped bring American musicians to Denmark and has supported concerts, recordings, and other jazz activities. A further responsibility is the supervision of Webster's artistic rights and the reissue of his music. The board monitors whether releases are legally valid and whether their quality and provenance are acceptable. This role is particularly significant because Webster's discography includes recordings made across multiple labels, countries, sessions, and posthumous reissue programs. The foundation's public cultural work has included festival and concert collaborations. In 2009, Ernie Wilkins's Almost Big Band opened the Copenhagen Jazz Festival at Copenhagen Jazzhouse, where an All Time Battle of Tenor Saxophones was presented by the Webster Foundation. The organization thus combines estate management with active support for live performance and musician development. Its work complements other institutions preserving Webster's memory, including the University Library of Southern Denmark's jazz collections, which hold his private collection of recordings and memorabilia.

• 2009

  Copenhagen Jazz Festival presentation

  [1]Ben Websteren.wikipedia.org

  The foundation presented an All Time Battle of Tenor Saxophones as part of the Copenhagen Jazz Festival opening program at Copenhagen Jazzhouse.

• 1976

  Foundation confirmed by the Queen of Denmark's Seal

  [1]Ben Websteren.wikipedia.org

  The foundation received formal confirmation, establishing its legal and cultural role in supporting jazz and administering Webster-related rights.

• 1973

  Foundation created after Webster's death

  [1]Ben Websteren.wikipedia.org

  Billy Moore Jr. and the trustee of Webster's estate established the foundation after Webster died in September 1973.

• 1972

  Webster begins rights clarification with Billy Moore Jr.

  [1]Ben Websteren.wikipedia.org

  Ben Webster worked with Billy Moore Jr. to clarify his recording history and improve the administration of royalties and artistic rights.

A Danish jazz philanthropy and legacy institution focused on artist support, international exchange, archival stewardship, and the responsible administration of Ben Webster's recordings and related rights.

• Music award

  Ben Webster Prize

  An annual award selected by vote for an outstanding young musician. The prize is intended to encourage emerging talent and sustain Webster's connection to Danish jazz. Although its monetary value is described as modest, the award carries substantial prestige within the jazz community and is one of the foundation's clearest public expressions of its cultural mission.

• Cultural programming

  Jazz support and events

  The foundation supports concerts, recordings, visiting musicians, and other jazz-related activities. Its assistance has helped facilitate exchanges between American and Danish jazz communities, while benefit performances and festival programs have connected its legacy work with contemporary live music.

• Rights administration

  Artistic-rights stewardship

  The foundation monitors Ben Webster's artistic rights and the reissue of his recordings. Its stated concern is the legality, quality, and validity of releases, making rights oversight an important institutional service alongside philanthropy and event support.

• 2009All Time Battle of Tenor Saxophones

  Denmark

  A foundation-presented program included in the opening concert by Ernie Wilkins's Almost Big Band at Copenhagen Jazzhouse during the Copenhagen Jazz Festival.

  Outcome. The event connected the foundation's support for live jazz with Copenhagen's international festival scene.

  Source

• 1976

  Formalization as a cultural foundationStrategy

  Background

  After Webster's death, his estate and collaborators needed a durable structure for administering artistic rights and directing royalties toward jazz activity.

  Action taken

  The foundation was confirmed by the Queen of Denmark's Seal and organized around the dissemination of jazz in Denmark, artist support, and stewardship of Webster's legacy.

  Aftermath

  The organization became a continuing vehicle for musician assistance, the annual Ben Webster Prize, cultural events, and oversight of recording reissues.

  Source

1. 1Ben Websteren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Ben Webster Foundationbenwebster.dk