On June 14 at 5:00pm, Jazz at Lincoln Center will partner with The Harlem Children’s Zone to present Uptown Family Swing, a free community concert featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Mr. Aubrey’s Show Kids. Director and choreographer Aubrey Lynch II will choreograph a group of students ages 8 to17 from various Harlem and Washington Heights schools, including Harlem Children’s Zone, who will dance to music performed by the JLCO with Wynton Marsalis. In addition, dance students from various New York City dance institutions, including Steps on Broadway, The Ailey School, and American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, will participate in the concert.
Uptown Family Swing features the music of Duke Ellington and the story of Jazzland, conceived and written by Lynch. The dance theater piece follows the adventures of Little Duke and his friends as they discover the fantastic world of Jazzland and all of its magical characters. The audience will be introduced to Dancing Rhythms and the Soldiers of Sound who war against each other, and to the Queen of Jam and the Demon Dream Thief who attempts to dethrone her, and to the Villain of Variation who attempts to dethrone the Queen and rule the Kingdom. Little Duke’s love of jazz music and the secret of his magic trumpet will be revealed as he tries to save the Queen and the kingdom of Jazzland.
The Jazz Ambassadors of The U.S. Army Field Band, the official touring big band of the United States Army that was formed in 1969, will open the show. This special family concert will provide an opportunity for audiences of all ages and experiences to develop a lifelong appreciation for jazz music, its layered heritage and its innovative musicians.
Uptown Family Swing will take place at The United Palace Theatre, located at 4140 Broadway and 175th Street, New York City. A limited amount of free general admission tickets will be distributed. Walk-up seating will be available. Please arrive at the theater a minimum of 30 minutes in advance of curtain to secure your seats. For more information, please call 212-258-9870 or visit jazz.org.
Special thanks to the Dalio Foundation for making this program possible.
About Jazz at Lincoln Center
The mission of Jazz at Lincoln Center is to entertain, enrich and expand a global community for Jazz through performance, education and advocacy. With the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and guest artists spanning genres and generations, Jazz at Lincoln Center produces thousands of performance, education, and broadcast events each season in its home in New York City (Frederick P. Rose Hall, “The House of Swing”) and around the world, for people of all ages. Jazz at Lincoln Center is led by Chairman Robert J. Appel, Managing and Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis, and Executive Director Greg Scholl. Please visit us at jazz.org.
About Harlem Children’s Zone
Founded in 1970, Harlem Children’s Zone is a nonprofit organization that offers a unique, interconnected network of services that are aimed at breaking the cycle of generational poverty for the thousands of children and families it serves in Central Harlem. The organization currently serves more than 12,300 children, most of whom attend traditional public schools. Services provided include, but are not limited to: parenting workshops, early childhood education, after school and youth development programs, health and wellness services, and college preparation and counseling. The Harlem Children’s Zone also runs two charter schools—Promise Academy I and Promise Academy II. The Harlem Children’s Zone is a national model for education reform. For more information, please visit www.hcz.org.
About Aubrey Lynch II and Mr. Aubrey’s Show Kids
Mr. Aubrey’s Show Kids is an arts and education program, a youth performance ensemble, an arts summer intensive, and professional training program that inspires learning and creativity. The programs empower children through dance, music, theater, design, and performance. Mr. Aubrey’s Show Kids was created by Artistic Director and Founder Aubrey Lynch II. As a former dancer with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and former Associate Producer of Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway, Lynch has experienced first-hand the life-changing power of the arts and the unique way they present lessons necessary for success in everyday life. Currently serving hundreds of kids in ten New York City schools, Mr. Aubrey’s Show Kids is committed to ensuring that every child is offered the opportunity to engage in the transformative experience of the arts which can positively impact their commitment and motivation towards academic success and achievement. Many of Mr. Lynch’s students go on to work professionally. Lynch is a firm believer that “The arts aren’t extracurricular. They’re extra-essential.” To learn more, visit www.aubreylynch.com.
About Jazz Ambassadors of The U.S. Army Field Band
The Jazz Ambassadors is the official touring big band of the United States Army. Formed in 1969, this
19-member ensemble has received great acclaim at home and abroad performing America’s greatest
original art form, jazz. The band’s diverse repertoire includes big band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, Dixieland, vocals, and patriotic selections, many of which are written or arranged by members of the Jazz Ambassadors. The Jazz Ambassadors has appeared in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, and throughout Europe. Recent notable performances include concerts at the Toronto Jazz Festival, the Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont, the Kennedy Center Honors, the Jazz Education Network Conference, and an appearance on the Colbert Report. The band’s rigorous touring schedule and reputation for excellence has earned the name “America’s Big Band.” To learn more, visit www.armyfieldband.com.