The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz "The Blues and Jazz: Two American Classics Gala Benefit Concert" in association with The Recording Academy® Los Angeles recently honored B.B. King and Paul G. Allen. On October 26, 2008, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood some of the biggest names in Blues, Jazz and Rock performed in a sold-out tribute concert to 14-time Grammy winner B.B. King, who received the Institute's Founder's Award and Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen, who was honored with the 2008 Herbie Hancock Humanitarian Award.

Hosted by Don Cheadle, Quincy Jones, Thelonious Monk Jr. and Billy Dee Williams, the benefit gala featured performances by Herbie Hancock, Bono, Terence Blanchard, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Robert Cray, George Duke, The Edge, Keb' Mo', Wayne Shorter and many more in support of public school music education in Los Angeles, New Orleans and the Mississsippi Delta. More info at www.monkinstitute.org.