(CelebrityAccess MediaWore) —
Detroit, Los Angeles, Kansas City, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the significant impact these cities had on the development of jazz in America, will be the theme of Jazz at Lincoln Center's (JACL) 2005-06 season entitled "Jazz from Coast to Coast." Through concerts, educational programming and tours, the organization will honor these cities and their musicians who were important contributors to the art form.
"As we strive to establish a greater rapport with our audiences in the House of Swing, our new season is designed to welcome musicians and fans from all over the U.S," said Wynton Marsalis, artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. "Born in New Orleans, jazz music grew up in many important American cities. And even though almost everyone loves their home town, ultimately the most ambitious musicians brought their sounds and styles to New York. Jazz musicians nick-named New York the 'Big Apple.' They made New York swing. The sheer human complexity of Manhattan gave jazz a sophistication and toughness that served it well as it became an international artistic phenomenon. That's why the Apple is considered to be the capital of jazz. Yes, we love New York, but let's not forget the importance of those tributary cities that gave and continue to give this music a truly national foundation."
"With pleasure, we present the music of elder statesmen and young fresh faces alike. We'll have 82-year-old Frank Wess, 18-year-old Eldar Djangirov, 51-year-old Bobby Watson and some first-class barbecue in the club to celebrate Kansas City. With entertaining educational programs, concerts and exhibits, we will create a festive atmosphere around a constellation of performances that feature the music of artists in and from New Orleans, Los Angeles, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. I'm talking about great people like Ron Carter, Yusef Lateef, Gerald Wilson, Jimmy Heath, Regina Carter, Jeff "Tain" Watts and Barry Harris. We plan on having a great time. We welcome you to join us."
"The opening of Jazz at Lincoln Center's new home – Frederick P. Rose Hall – has enhanced the country's artistic landscape with significant effect and to international acclaim. We intend to continue our contribution to American culture in that tradition with our 2005-2006 season," said Derek E. Gordon, president and CEO of Jazz at Lincoln Center. "Our organization will celebrate this vital music by recognizing the great American cities where the masters of jazz were born or achieved fame. All roads lead to New York, but it takes a nation to truly represent the art form of jazz. As each stream flows into the growing strength of the river, so Jazz at Lincoln Center adds to the positive forward momentum of jazz music. Our culture and this music are enriched by the regional influences of the cities where jazz was nurtured. Bringing it all together in the great city of New York will only heighten the creativity."
Throughout the 2005-06 season, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special guests will perform in the following festivals and concerts in Rose Theater.
** Kansas City: KC and the Count will capture Kansas City's orchestral
jazz that was influenced by the area's strong traditions of ragtime and
blues. This series will feature the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra
performing the works of Count Basie, Jay McShann, Bennie Moten, Bob
Brookmeyer, Eddie Durham and Walter Page's Blue Devils. Special guests
Frank Wess (saxophone) and Eldar Djangirov (piano) will join the
resident orchestra on these evenings.
** Detroit: Motor City Jazz will highlight the city's bebop revolution as
well as celebrate the piano and bass legends. The orchestra will
perform original music as well as works of Milt Jackson and Kenny
Burrell with two legends of the Detroit scene, Marcus Belgrave
(trumpet) and Ron Carter (bass). Curtis Fuller (trombone), Charles
McPherson (alto saxophone) and Yusef Lateef (tenor saxophone, flute and
oboe) will also appear as special guests.
** Pittsburgh: From the Heart of Steeltown will focus on the city's long
history in jazz and the many famous musicians from Pittsburgh. Joined
by special guests Jeff "Tain" Watts (drums) and Steve Nelson
(vibraphone), the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will perform the music
of Pittsburgh's sons and daughters including Billy Strayhorn, Art
Blakey and Mary Lou Williams.
** The first half of New Orleans: Congo Square will showcase the style of
collective ensemble and the emphasis on swing in New Orleans jazz. The
Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will perform the music of Jelly Roll
Morton, Sam Morgan, Joe Robicheaux, Clyde Kerr and others. The second
half will consist of a new commission with Yacub Addy and Odadaa! based
upon the legendary Congo Square, the birthplace of jazz.
** Los Angeles will demonstrate the jazz style that emerged in the 1940s
called "cool" and gained popularity in the 1950s through film scores
and soundtracks. The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will perform the
music and arrangements of Bill Holman, Gerry Mulligan, Duke Pearson,
Charles Mingus, Quincy Jones and others with special guests Plas
Johnson (saxophone) and Gerald Wilson (composer and bandleader).
Resident ensemble Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Arturo O'Farrill will perform a series of collaborations in Rose Theater. In Jazz Con Salsa, straight-ahead jazz artists including Joe Lovano and Greg Osby will be paired with the clave of the Latin big band. Jazz In Motion featuring the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with Ballet Hispanico will be the band's first collaboration with a dance company. !Bajo! The Great Tradition of the Latin Bass will be a highlight of the season wherein the big band will present a concert featuring bass players including Israel "Cachao" Lopez, Andy Gonzalez, the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra's own Ruben Rodriguez and Charnett Moffett.
The "Jazz from Coast to Coast" season will also include new collaborations including a Wynton Marsalis commission in honor of philanthropist Irene Diamond, written for jazz quartet, and the Orion String Quartet and Tappin' Into Monk will feature Savion Glover tap dancing to the musical styles of Thelonious Monk.
In addition to these concerts, Jazz at Lincoln Center will host the Music of Wynton Marsalis — 25 Years On the Scene, a retrospective and celebration featuring guest artists, combos and a string orchestra.
Other highlights of the new season include:
** The vibrant Red Hot Holiday Stomp featuring Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe
Gordon and others;
** Philadelphia: City of Brotherly Jazz will highlight major jazz artists
and organists who represent the Philadelphia jazz style. Jimmy Heath,
Joey DeFrancesco and Pat Martino will perform the works of Lee Morgan,
Jimmy Smith, Bobby Durham, Mickey Roker and Benny Golson;
** Great American Songwriters series featuring artists including Bill
Charlap, Ethel Ennis, Houston Person, Kenny Washington and Peter
Washington;
** Music of the Masters: Stanley Turrentine — featuring Eric Alexander,
Gene Ludwig, Grady Tate, Robert Stewart and Dave Stryker;
** The Singers Over Manhattan series featuring today's best jazz singers
on the scene including Carla Cook, Miguel Poveda, Tierney Sutton and
Loston Harris;
** Valentine's Day concert featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater; and
** Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra members, in small combo configurations,
will play original songs with all-star rhythm sections led by Mulgrew
Miller and Cyrus Chestnut.
Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola will also honor the jazz music of many cities — from Los Angeles, California, to Cadiz, Spain — and many generations and genres of swinging jazz styles and players — from young pianist Robert Glasper to Jessica Williams and Chano Dominguez to Bobby Hutcherson and Lou Donaldson to the Juilliard Jazz Ensembles. Besides featuring the cultural traditions of jazz hotbeds such as Kansas City, Detroit, and Philadelphia, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola will also regularly highlight the contributions of women in jazz including Toshiko Akiyoshi, Geri Allen, Eliane Elias, Renee Rosnes and Maria Schneider. Young jazz talent from area colleges and universities will continue to be featured during Upstarts! on Monday nights and during late night after hours programming.
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Jazz at Lincoln Center educational events, which comprise two-thirds of its overall programming, will reach hundreds of thousands of students, educators and general audience members during the 2005-06 season.
Education highlights for the 2005-06 season include:
** Jazz Talk continues its tradition of jazz discussion with Robin D.G.
Kelley and Eric Reed covering the finer points of Thelonious Monk.
George Wein and Bruce Lundvall will join the Talks on the business side
of the music, and Farah J. Griffin of Columbia University will moderate
a panel of jazz and hip-hop artists for Jazz in a Hip-Hop Generation;
** An expansion of the Jazz for Young People series, including Tappin'
Into Monk, What is New Orleans Jazz?, Who is Count Basie? and Ballet
Hispanico with Arturo O'Farrill;
** The Master Class series returns for its second season featuring Gerald
Wilson in From Bebop to Big Band and the amazing Regina Carter will
tutor in the art of the violin;
** Jazz 101 returns with a special series of classes on Kansas City,
Pittsburgh and the New Orleans-born virtuoso Louis Armstrong. Executive
Director of the Jazz Museum in Harlem, Loren Schoenberg, will lead this
series of exhilarating eight week classes. Other offerings will include
The Intro with Dr. Lewis Porter and Early Gigs: Jazz Pre-History 1880-
1920 with Reid Badger;
** The Middle School Jazz Academy will bring ten promising musicians to
Frederick P. Rose Hall for weekly lessons in instrumental jazz and
leadership skills;
** Jazz at Lincoln Center has partnered with the NEA to develop new
curriculum called Jazz in the Schools, which is available to U.S. High
Schools in the fall;
** In conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center, Random House will release
Understanding Jazz by Tom Piazza in September;
** Jazz at Lincoln Center will introduce a new series of jazz arrangements
for easy to medium level jazz bands. The Jazz for Young People
Curriculum, based on the popular concert series, continues a multimedia
jazz appreciation curriculum designed for students in upper elementary
school, middle school and beyond;
** 11th Annual Essentially Ellington Festival and Competition; and
** New season of the popular WeBop! program for 2-5 year olds, Jazz in the
Schools Tours, Essential Jazz Editions, Juilliard Institute for Jazz
Studies programs, print music publishing, professional development for
educators, open rehearsals, and the production and distribution of
educational publications for teachers, students and general audiences.
"We are extremely excited about the educational events during the 2005-06 season," said Laura Johnson, vice president of Education. "Jazz at Lincoln Center is committed to creating jazz performers and listeners of all ages and to enrich people's lives through music. We want everyone from New York City to Los Angeles to come enjoy, celebrate and learn about jazz in all its varieties and forms."
The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will tour internationally throughout the year. Also this season, touring entity Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents will tour "The Music of Miles Davis" featuring Eddie Henderson, trumpet; Gary Bartz, alto saxophone; Wayne Escoffery, tenor saxophone; Dave Kikoski, piano; Ed Howard, bass and Jimmy Cobb, drums.
In 2005, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra will release the second in a series of CD releases and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra will release their debut CD. Both titles will be on Palmetto Records. WeBop! Volumes I and II CDs will also be available for the first time. –Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen
