Norman Granz

American impresario, jazz label founder and producer.
Born August 6, 1918, in Los Angeles, California, USA, of Ukrainian-Jewish ancestry, died November 22, 2001, in Geneva, Switzerland, aged 83.

His series of jazz concerts began at the Los Angeles Philharmonic on July 2, 1944, a benefit concert for Hispanic youths jailed in the "zoot suit" riots in the city. Monthly concerts followed, establishing what became known as Norman Granz Presents Jazz At The Philharmonic banner, others were unofficially recorded.

In June 1947, he established Fantasy, Inc. in 1987.

Granz moved to Switzerland around 1959 continuing to manage Duke Ellington during the sixties, and organized concerts in Europe. On November 1, 1999, Granz received a "Lifetime Achievement Award” from Jazz at Lincoln Center.