Two renowned American musicians have won the 2007 Polar Music Prize, the annual international music prize founded by former Abba manager Stig Anderson and presented by the Royal Swedish Academy Of Music. The award is always presented to two separate individuals who the Academy believe have made "exceptional achievements in the creation and advancement of music". This year's winners were composer Steve Reich and jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins.
Polar judges said they were presenting the award to Reich in recognition of his "unique ability to use repeats, canon technique and minimal variation of patterns to develop an entire universe of evocative music, endowed with immediate tonal beauty".
Rollins, meanwhile, was being honoured as "one of the most powerful and personal voices in jazz for more than 50 years ... [who] has elevated the unaccompanied solo to the highest artistic level - characterised by a distinctive and powerful sound, irresistible swing and an individual musical sense of humor".
The two winners will receive their awards from Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf on 21 May.