The Ertegun brothers Nesuhi (1917-1989) anf Ahmet (1923-2006) have left a unique legacy of recorded music on the Atlantic label. Go back to the early days: Giant Steps was the first album to consist entirely of Coltrane’s own compositions. There are the great Mingus albums…

The Ertegun family are continuing to make a difference through philanthropy, and the record in the past decade, at the instigation of Ahmet’s widow Mica Ertegun, is substantial.

The Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame at Jazz at Lincoln Center was established in honour of the older brother in 2004

At Ravensbourne, a BA Course in Music Production has been set up , and a studio financed by the Ertegun Education Fund.

It was announced today that the largest ever philanthropic gift to the Humanities in the 900-year history of the University of Oxford has been made, to support postgraduate research work. Money was raised at a Led Zeppelin reunion put together by Harvey Golsdmith, Bill Curbishley and Philip Casson in 2007. As John Paul Joones said at the press conference: “We’re talking about music from the soul. These scholarships could not have come from a better place.”

There will eventually be thirty-five graduate scholars financed by the programme. They will be fully funded “needs-blind” scholarships open to postgraduate students of distinction from throughout the world. 37A St Giles in Oxford will become “Mica and Ahmet Ertegun House for the Study of the Humanities” a study centre for the Ertegun Scholars.

Here is Oxford University’s statement.