A Long Island man was charged Tuesday with stealing almost $500,000 that an elderly Brooklyn jazz great had been awarded by a Japanese arts foundation, the Brooklyn district attorney said.
Noel Muir, 54, helped pianist and composer Cecil Taylor, 85, travel to Japan to accept the prestigious Kyoto Award on Nov. 6, 2013, but then told the foundation to deposit the 50 million Yen prize into his own Citibank account, prosecutors charge.
Taylor, who released an album with jazz legend John Coltrane and played for President Jimmy Carter on the White House lawn, expressed his pain at being ripped off by someone he’d trusted.
“What is painful in your heart is you have friends, that’s what friends are for, and if they make a mistake, hopefully the law will take care of them,” said Taylor at a press conference.
When asked whether he had any shows planned, the jazz great said, “I’m not performing now. I will, but I’m not doing it now. Sometimes it’s best to cool.”
“He should not have been ripped off,” DA Ken Thompson said. “We are determined to get back every dime for Mr. Taylor.”
Muir met Taylor through a mutual friend, law-enforcement sources said.
Muir’s defense attorney did not return a call seeking comment.