On February 20–21, Jazz at Lincoln Center brings the soul of New Orleans and the spirit of Mardi Gras to Rose Theater for New Orleans Songbook. From Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong to Ellis Marsalis and James Black, New Orleans has long been an apex of innovation and inspiration. Pianist Aaron Diehl and vocalists Cyrille Aimée and Milton Suggs will kick off the evening by celebrating the composers and inspired songs of the Crescent City, the historic epicenter of jazz. The evening continues with The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra’s premiere of founding Artistic Director Irvin Mayfield’s “New Orleans Jazz Market,” a composition celebrating the orchestra’s soon-to-be-built permanent home of the same name, set to open in Spring 2015.
The prodigious Diehl, who has re-imagined the music of masters like Morton, serves as Music Director. DownBeat calls Suggs, “A commanding singer… steeped in tradition… but with modern sensibilities,” and the Washington Post describes Cyrille Aimée as possessing “a voice like fine whiskey – oaky and smooth, with a hint of smokiness.” Mayfield brings his Grammy-winning 18-piece band and his “clarion intonation and relaxed power” (New York Times) to the Rose Theater stage for the first time. An ambassador for his hometown as well as an esteemed bandleader, Mayfield has been a driving force in New Orleans’ cultural renewal in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
New Orleans Songbook concerts will take place in Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, located at Broadway at 60th Street, New York, New York. The concerts will also stream live in high-definition audio and video for free to a global audience via jazz.org/live. Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2014–15 Concert and Education Season features a season-long journey “through the Americas.” Through a diverse array of concerts and programs, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 27th season explores how jazz has both integrated and influenced the rich musical traditions of the Caribbean and North, South, and Central America. Click here for the complete season schedule.
Tickets can be purchased through jazz.org 24 hours a day or through CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, open daily from 10am to 9pm. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, ground floor. Box Office hours: Monday-Saturday from 10am to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain) and Sunday from noon to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain). Hot Seats, $10 seats for select shows in Rose Theater and The Appel Room (9:30pm performances only), are available for purchase to the general public on the Wednesday prior to each performance. Subject to availability. Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Hot Seats Ticket Discount Program is supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners: Amtrak, Bloomberg, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company, Con Edison, Entergy, HSBC Premier, The Shops at Columbus Circle at Time Warner Center, and SiriusXM.