Today Jazz at Lincoln Center announces its 2015-16 Concert season, themed “Jazz and American Song”. Through an impressive array of more than 80 concerts and programs, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 28th season celebrates the music of the stage and silver screen, anchored by the exceptional Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis.
The season features a diverse lineup of concerts that explore music created or popularized by masters such as Irving Berlin, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Cole Porter, Ma Rainey, Frank Sinatra, Billy Strayhorn, and others. Renowned artists such as Monty Alexander, Bill Charlap, Adriane Lenox, Steve Miller, Johnny O’Neal, Catherine Russell, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Diane Schuur and more grace the stages of Rose Theater and The Appel Room. Ambassador of the Great American Songbook Michael Feinstein also returns for the fifth consecutive year to curate and perform in the incredibly popular Jazz & Popular Song series.
New interpretations of jazz and popular music also feature prominently throughout the season in concerts led by or featuring celebrated artists such as Jonathan Batiste, Fred Hersch, Charles Lloyd with Bill Frisell, Joe Lovano, and Christian McBride. Many of jazz’s rising stars continue to make their debuts as a leader on the stages of Rose Theater and The Appel Room, and this year Jazz at Lincoln Center is proud to feature Bryan Carter, Aaron Diehl, Chris Pattishall, and Christian Sands. (See complete season chronology below).
“Our 2015-16 season showcases the depth, beauty, diversity and continuity of Jazz and American Song. The early American Songwriters discovered in Jazz and the Blues, methods and materials to further Americanize their songs. And in the superbly crafted body of melodies and harmonies of the American Popular Songbook, the early Jazz musicians found suitable thematic material for more extended development through the art of Jazz. With mutual roots in Ragtime, the two mediums share an intertwined destiny. This fall, we are further privileged to welcome you to experience Jazz at some of New York City’s finest concert halls and performance spaces,” said Wynton Marsalis, Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Over the course of the rest of the season, we celebrate the American Songbook while also presenting singular visionaries like Charles Lloyd, Monty Alexander, Fred Hersch, Steve Miller, Joe Lovano, Catherine Russell, Diane Schuur, and more. As well, we showcase the talents of some of Jazz’s most gifted younger musicians, including Joey Alexander, Aaron Diehl, Charles Turner, and Chris Pattishall. We also shine a light on the relationship between jazz and movement with the debut of my completed work Spaces, featuring the incredible dancers Lil Buck and Jared Grimes. The list goes on, so please come on in and join us!”
Reaching out into the boroughs, the 2015-16 season opens in the Bronx on September 12, 2015 with the debut of new compositions and arrangements by Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra bassist Carlos Henriquez, who returns home to honor his musical roots at Lehman Center for the Performing Arts. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special guest Joey Alexander celebrate the music of Thelonious Monk at Town Hall on October 23-24, 2015. The Jazz for Young People series begins with the greatest of all jazz composers, Duke Ellington, on November 21, 2015 at Symphony Space, as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis leads audiences through Duke’s journey from Washington, D.C. to New York City.
In December 2015, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis welcomes audiences to their annual favorite, Big Band Holidays, featuring vocalists Denzal Sinclaire and Audrey Shakir on December 17-18 in Rose Theater. Intimate concerts in The Appel Room kick off on December 18-19 when Tony-award winning actress and vocalist Adriane Lenox, with music director and pianist Chris Pattishall, lead Divas of the Silver Screen: Celebrating Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney & Ethel Waters.
“Throughout the season, we’ll celebrate our living Jazz masters and uplift the music’s rising stars and emerging voices,” said Jason Olaine, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Director of Programming and Touring. “Audiences will have the opportunity to see many rising stars in headlining roles. Many of these artists have developed from playing Late Night shows and single nights at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola to performing as featured artists and music directors in Rose Theater and The Appel Room. We’re excited to see and hear how seasoned veterans create new shows alongside and in partnership with the next generation of leaders. The 2015-16 will be a season of discovery in the House of Swing.”
In January 2016, acclaimed pianist and composer Fred Hersch leads an all-star ensemble that includes Anat Cohen, Julian Lage, Sullivan Fortner and Stefon Harris in a reflection of Hersch’s music in The Appel Room. In Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra lead trombonist Vincent Gardner serves as Music Director for Jazz in the Key of Life, which finds the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis performing popular music from the ‘60’s to today, debuting new jazz arrangements of hits by Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and others. 2015 NEA Jazz Master and iconic, innovative saxophonist Charles Lloyd returns to Jazz at Lincoln Center for intimate concerts in The Appel Room, joined by versatile guitarist Bill Frisell, a Jazz at Lincoln Center favorite, and his regular bandmates, drummer Eric Harland and bassist Reuben Rogers.
Jazz at Lincoln Center presents two shows to get audiences in the mood for Valentine’s Day in February 2016. Legendary pianist Monty Alexander celebrates Frank Sinatra at 100 in Rose Theater, joined by the always engaging vocalist Kurt Elling. In The Appel Room, 25-year-old vocal wonder Cécile McLorin Salvant takes this occasion to remind us why she has been called the next great jazz vocalist in the lineage of Ella Fitzgerald and Betty Carter. Later in February, the Jazz Jam series spotlights Christian McBride and Jonathan Batiste, with each band leader bringing their own world-class large ensemble to Rose Theater.
Emerging artists dominate the stages of Frederick P. Rose Hall in March 2016. Moonglow: The Magic of Benny Goodman in The Appel Room, narrated live by celebrated actor Wendell Pierce, finds rising star pianist Christian Sands, standout drummer Sammy Miller, 20-year-old vibraphone sensation Joel Ross, and a host of special guest clarinetists, Peter Anderson, Will Anderson, Patrick Bartley, and Janelle Reichman, exploring the unparalleled voice of Benny Goodman. Pianist Aaron Diehl, known fondly as “The Real Diehl” in jazz circles, makes his The Appel Room debut as a leader, joined by vibraphonist extraordinaire Warren Wolf, flamenco guitar virtuoso Dani de Morón, and the legendary saxophonist Benny Golson.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis returns to Rose Theater in April 2016 with Spaces by Wynton Marsalis. Movement is an essential aspect of jazz music, and for this special concert, two extraordinary dance geniuses join the orchestra: Lil Buck and Jared Grimes. In The Appel Room, renowned blues-rock guitarist and life-long jazz fan, Steve Miller hosts a wide-ranging revue, Out of This World: Ma Rainey Meets Miles Davis. Later that month, in Rose Theater, leading pianist Bill Charlap leads Broadway to Harlem, joined by his longstanding trio of drummer Kenny Washington and bassist Peter Washington, plus special guest vocalists Cécile McLorin Salvant and the unparalleled Freddy Cole. Soulful saxophonist Houston Person and virtuoso clarinetist Ken Peplowski also join this ensemble.
Also in April 2016, Michael Feinstein begins the Jazz and Popular Song series, illuminating the significant role of the American Jazz Standard in songs originally written for film and stage. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and vocalist Kate Davis put audiences in a New York state of mind in World on A String: Swinging Songs of Broadway. Jazz vocalist extraordinaire Catherine Russell returns to The Appel Room with Sunny Side of the Street, partnering with fellow vocalists Carolyn Leonhart and La Tanya Hall to perform Sy Oliver’s own re-arrangements of his most famous tunes, originally written for male vocal trios.
In May 2016, Michael Feinstein presents A Right to Sing the Blues in The Appel Room, demonstrating how the blues became part of the popular musical lexicon with writers like George Gershwin and Harold Arlen, and the interpretive brilliance of jazz vocalists. The Miles & ‘Trane Festival also kicks off that month in Rose Theater when the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis presents Miles Davis: The Sorcerer at 90, debuting new arrangements and revisiting favorites from Miles Davis’ legendary body of work, from Birth of the Cool to Miles In the Sky. In The Appel Room, Joe Lovano explores The Spiritual Side of Coltrane through John Coltrane’s magnum opus, A Love Supreme. Lovano debuts an all-star band of Brian Blade, Geri Allen, Tom Harrell, Steve Kuhn, and legendary bassist and longtime Coltrane colleague Reggie Workman. Special guest saxophonist Ravi Coltrane also joins in.
American song also features prominently throughout the month of May. Body & Soul: America’s Unforgettable Crooners honors Bing Crosby, Nat “King” Cole and Mel Tormé . Music director Bryan Carter and vocalists Denzal Sinclaire, Benny Benack III, and Charles Turner, backed by a 22-piece ensemble, pay tribute to these great masters of song. The Ray Charles Songbook brings singer and pianist Diane Schuur to Rose Theater to honor one of her heroes. She is joined by 2012 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition winner Jamison Ross and the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars.
Michael Feinstein’s Sing Me A Swing Song in The Appel Room closes out his Jazz & Popular Song Series in June 2016, celebrating what he describes as, “the enduring influence of swing on popular music and song interpretation.” Lush Life: Celebrating Billy Strayhorn in Rose Theater, the final concert of the season, finds Jazz at Lincoln Center honoring 100 years of Stayhorn’s music. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will perform with renowned vocalist and pianist Johnny O’Neal.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Beginning today, subscriptions will be available for renewal for all Rose Theater and The Appel Room packages, with savings of up to 15% off of single ticket prices. To keep their same seats, current subscribers must renew beginning today through April 12. New subscriptions may be purchased beginning on April 14.
The “Take 3 / 4 / 5” Series offers subscribers the flexibility and freedom to build their own subscription packages from any combination of performances in Rose Theater or The Appel Room. Subscribers can choose as many concerts as they’d like through this program, and receive a 10% discount (Exceptions may apply).
Becoming a subscriber is the best way to lock in the best seats at the guaranteed best prices for the entire season, as single ticket prices can increase as the concert approaches based on demand.
For more information on 2015-16 season subscriptions, visit jazz.org/subs. To order a subscription or to request information, please call the Subscription Services hotline at 212-258-9999, e-mail subscriptions@jazz.org, or visit jazz.org/subs
Membership Discount
Jazz at Lincoln Center offers a robust Membership Program, with a wide array of benefits, including deep discounts on concert tickets. Individuals who join at the $50 level and above are eligible to receive 50% off tickets to Jazz at Lincoln Center-produced concerts in Rose Theater and The Appel Room on the day of the event. Tickets must be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office. Members must show their valid membership card to receive this discount. Limit two discounted tickets per member. Subject to availability. Learn more and sign up at jazz.org/membership.
Pricing
Ticket prices for Rose Theater are $30 and up dependent upon seating section, except where noted below:
– Jazz for Young People® tickets in Rose Theater are $10, $20 or $25.
– Ticket prices for The Appel Room are $55 and up, dependent on seating section for the 7pm sets and $45 and up, dependent on seating section for the 9:30pm sets.
– Ticket prices for Jazz & Popular Song shows are $55 and up.
– Ticket prices for Ring In The Swing: A New Year’s Eve Dance Party are $325 per person and include live music, open bar, and Southern style buffet dining.
Note: Hot Seats, $10 seats for each Rose Theater performance (excluding Jazz for Young People® concerts and other performances as specified) and performances in The Appel Room (excluding Jazz & Popular Song concerts), are available for purchase to the general public on the Wednesday prior to each performance. Subject to availability. Available only for select Appel Room shows; please call 212-258-9800 for available Hot Seats performance dates.
Hot Seats are available only by walk up at the Box Office. Maximum of two tickets per person. 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.
*Please note that a $3.50 Jazz at Lincoln Center Facility Fee applies to ALL ticket purchases, with the exception of $10 Hot Seats. A $7 handling fee also applies when purchasing tickets from CenterCharge or a $6 handling fee applies when purchasing tickets via jazz.org.
All single tickets for The Appel Room and Rose Theater can be purchased through jazz.org 24 hours a day or 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).
Single tickets go on sale August 10.
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, one of the three main performance venues located in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s home, Frederick P. Rose Hall, produces world-class jazz performances nightly and welcomes locals and visitors alike to enjoy the city’s best music, food and libations. The intimate 140-seat jazz club is set against a glittering backdrop with spectacular views of Central Park. There are student rates and special Monday Night Presentations. Reservations: 212-258-9595 and jazz.org/dizzys.
*Offers subject to change
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.
Please visit jazz.org for more information.
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JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
2015-16 SEASON CHRONOLOGY
SEPTEMBER 2015
Carlos Henriquez: Back in the Bronx
September 12, 2015, 8pm
Lehman College, Bronx
One of the first truly bilingual musicians, equally virtuosic with the language of jazz and the Afro-Latin tradition, Carlos Henriquez – the Bronx-born, Nuyorican veteran bassist of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra – is a force to be reckoned with. By age 14, Henriquez was performing at People’s Park, across the street from his high school, with Latin jazz greats Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Celia Cruz, and as a member of the first ever top-placing Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Festival and Competition jazz band, Henriquez’ roots with Jazz at Lincoln Center run deep. To kick off the new season, the Bronx native brings Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis back to the Bronx with a one-night-only performance at Lehman College, where his compositions and most notable arrangements will be front and center. Joined by special guest percussionists, Henriquez presents music that shows the breadth of his technical and stylistic dexterity. A musical director for countless performances, including the 2014 Jazz at Lincoln Center debut concert of salsa giant Rubén Blades; a well-loved educator with our Jazz For Young People series; and notably, the music director for our historic trip to Cuba in 2010, Henriquez is truly homegrown talent, both of the Bronx, and of Jazz at Lincoln Center, who has become a cornerstone of a shared story.
OCTOBER 2015
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Plays Monk
Joey Alexander, Special Guest
October 23-24, 2015, 8pm
Town Hall
Few musicians have made such significant or unique contributions to the jazz lexicon as pianist-composer Thelonious Monk. Widely regarded as a genius composer of uncompromising creativity, his music is equally loved and feared by musicians for its wide intervals, angular melodies, and surprising rhythms, making it both difficult and rewarding to play. Joining the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will be 11-year-old pianist Joey Alexander, a jaw-dropping young prodigy undaunted by the challenge. Alexander, who has already released his first album as a leader with Motéma and performed to great acclaim at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, represents the next generation of musicians in reverence of Monk. For two special nights at Town Hall, the raw energy of this music–rearranged for big band by members of the JLCO–will be unforgettable.
NOVEMBER 2015
Family Concert: Who is Duke Ellington?
November 21, 2015, 11am and 1pm
Symphony Space
Jazz for Young People Series
This season, our Jazz for Young People series begins with the greatest of all jazz composers: Duke Ellington. Through interactive performances and lessons, our young audience will go on Duke’s journey from Washington, D.C. to New York City, where he digs deep into this music called jazz as it’s being birthed from the belly of New Orleans. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will illustrate how Duke’s discovery of the blues and the development of his own innovative ideas created a new vernacular that would forever change the musical landscape of jazz. His legacy as a composer, a leader and a vanguard of American music is celebrated through this hour-long, youth-oriented event.
DECEMBER 2015
Big Band Holidays
December 17-18, 2015, 8pm
December 19, 2015, 2pm & 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Series
In this much-anticipated annual tradition (not to mention the official Rose Theater homecoming of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra), the JLCO with Wynton Marsalis offers swinging performances of holiday music. The JLCO will debut new arrangements of familiar songs sacred and secular, from Count Basie’s “Jingle Bells” to classics like “White Christmas” and “’Zat You Santa Claus.” Big Band Holidays travels the country annually, spreading holiday cheer in a tour that includes a four-show run in Rose Theater. Extraordinary guest vocalists Denzal Sinclaire and Audrey Shakir join the festivities. A Juno award nominee and National Jazz Award recipient, Sinclaire is regarded as one of the most dynamic voices in jazz, making important contributions in the continuum of the great jazz crooners. Shakir is one of the greatest bebop singers in the world today, an unrecognized talent with a thrilling voice, sure to send elation through the audience. A long-time friend of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Shakir made her first appearance at the opening festivities of Frederick P. Rose Hall and has performed with artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Pharoah Sanders. She is also an early inspiration to her son, verteran JLCO saxophonist Walter Blanding. Together with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, they share the stage of Rose Theater to celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year.”
Divas of the Silver Screen: Celebrating Lena Horne, Rosemary Clooney & Ethel Waters
December 18-19, 2015, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Singers Over Manhattan Series
Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, and Rosemary Clooney are honored in our opening Singers Over Manhattan performance. Groundbreaking artists who overcame enormous barriers, their sacrifices are as significant as their talents. Their enormous contributions to stage and screen are heralded by an array of talented performers led by Tony award-winning actress and vocalist Adriane Lenox, whose brilliance in the Broadway hit After Midnight was met with critical acclaim. The concert features fresh new voices Martina DaSilva, Tatiana Eva-Marie, and Shenel Johns, with music direction by pianist Chris Pattishall who, under the expert tutelage of piano giants Mulgrew Miller and Marcus Roberts, has become a rising star and a Jazz at Lincoln Center mainstay. Together they explore classics such as “Stormy Weather” and “Taking a Chance on Love.” Tap dancer Michela Marino Lerman adds a rare spin to the show with the added element of dance routines from iconic scenes in the golden era of stage and screen.
Ring In The Swing: A New Year’s Eve Dance Party
December 31, 2015
Doors Open at 8:30pm
The Appel Room
Just as New York City is the epicenter of New Year’s Eve, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s annual Ring In the Swing dance party is the most festive, one-of-a-kind celebration in town for counting down! Our roster of past performers includes GRAMMY ® Award nominated percussionist Pedrito Martinez, the Harlem Renaissance Orchestra, and Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, to name a few. Join us for an unforgettable evening of live music, a Southern-style buffet dinner, open bar, champagne toast, and party favors. The dramatic view of Central Park from the Appel Room is the pièce de résistance.
JANUARY 2016
Fred Hersch & Friends: Intimate Moments
January 15-16, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Live in The Appel Room Series
Acclaimed pianist and composer Fred Hersch has put forth some of the most arrestingly beautiful solo and trio projects in the last ten years. To that, add the most gorgeous backdrop in New York City via the Appel Room, and you’ve got the recipe for an evening of unmatched elegance and intimacy. The ten-time GRAMMY® Award nominee enlists a multi-generational ensemble of world-class players in a variety of combinations, including duo piano with protégé Sullivan Fortner, which promises to be as visually stunning as it will be sonically, with two pianos on stage. Additional band members include clarinetist Anat Cohen, guitarist Julian Lage, and the extraordinary vibraphonist Stefon Harris. It’s “You and the Night and the Music,” on one of the most sensuous evenings of the season.
Jazz in the Key of Life
January 15-16, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz Jam Series
Led by Music Director and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra lead trombonist Vincent Gardner, the JLCO with Wynton Marsalis will perform the most skillfully crafted and sophisticated songs in popular music from the ‘60’s to today, debuting new jazz arrangements for our orchestra. Among others, they will revisit the hits of Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway. The multi-talented Gardner has experience in pretty much every arena: we know him for his considerable jazz experience with our own orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Harry Connick, Jr., and more – but he’s also performed with a diverse array of artists, including Lauryn Hill, Matchbox 20, Chaka Khan, and A Tribe Called Quest. If we’re lucky, we might hear a sampling of why Gardner was the 2014 DownBeat “Rising Star” Critic’s Poll Nominee for Male Vocalist. For music fans new to jazz, this concert is an opportunity to hear familiar melodies with fresh ears, and fans of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra already know that they can arrange any material for big band, make it swing hard, and lace it with mind-blowing improvisation.
Our Love is Here To Stay: The George Gershwin Songbook
January 28-30, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Series
A true giant of American song, the music of George Gershwin is celebrated by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in a program that makes evident Gershwin’s perpetual significance in American culture. While Gershwin’s thousands of compositions span the sweep of American music, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will treat you to a contemporary feast of jazz-influenced pieces by one of the most inventive and iconic songwriters of all times.
Charles Lloyd & Friends Featuring Bill Frisell
January 29-30, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Jazz Innovators Series
Iconic, innovative saxophonist Charles Lloyd returns to Jazz at Lincoln Center as a 2015 NEA Jazz Master. After serving as Chico Hamilton’s music director and Cannonball Adderley’s bandmate in the early 1960s, Lloyd led an historic group of Keith Jarrett, Cecil McBee, and Jack DeJohnette that recorded one of the first jazz albums to sell over a million copies and was the first jazz band to play at the legendary Fillmore. Lloyd’s virtuosity, spirituality, and crossover appeal made him a veritable rock star who shared bills and recording dates with The Grateful Dead, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and the Beach Boys. Still one of the most spiritually engaging and hardest working performers in the world, Lloyd continues to prove his reputation for forming definitive small groups. These concerts will feature the famously versatile guitarist Bill Frisell, a Jazz at Lincoln Center favorite, plus Lloyd’s regular bandmates, drummer Eric Harland and bassist Reuben Rogers.
FEBRUARY 2016
Family Concert: Who is Frank Sinatra?
February 6, 2016, 1pm & 3pm
Rose Theater
Jazz for Young People Series
Songs like “I’ve Got the World On a String,” “That’s Life,” and “It Was a Very Good Year” are synonymous with one golden voice. As we celebrate Frank Sinatra’s centennial, Jazz for Young People concludes for the season with an enriching illustration of just what makes “Old Blue Eyes” a singular pop icon. The Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars, who last appeared on Broadway in the hit musical After Midnight, will be led by saxophonist and educator Andy Farber. Singer Kenny Washington will perform some of Sinatra’s most revered songs, delving into Sinatra’s sense of swing, impeccable phrasing, and signature rendering of ballads. Musician and storyteller Allan Harris serves as your host and guide for the show. After nearly 25 years, this beloved family-oriented series continues to be a wellspring of enlightenment for curious minds. Join us for this interactive event that will undoubtedly leave you swinging.
Cécile McLorin Salvant
February 12-13, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm}
The Appel Room
Singers Over Manhattan
If music be the food of love, it doesn’t get more perfect than singer Cécile McLorin Salvant for a Valentine’s Day-inspired performance. In the last five years, the 25-year-old vocal wonder has risen with lightning speed to international acclaim. An innovative singer with extraordinary soul, intuition, and deep character, Salvant is the next great jazz vocalist in the lineage of Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, and Dianne Reeves. The 2010 Thelonious Monk International Vocal Competition winner and 2014 GRAMMY® Award nominee has become a Jazz at Lincoln Center regular and her growing reputation for having an exceptional command of diverse and challenging repertoire will serve audiences well for this romance-laden occasion.
Monty Alexander & Friends: Frank Sinatra at 100
February 12-13, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Visionary Voices
At 17 years old, a serendipitous encounter with Frank Sinatra and his long-time pal Jilly Rizzo changed the trajectory of pianist Monty Alexander’s career forever: Alexander would soon become the house pianist for the famed Jilly’s club in New York City and develop a unique relationship with its most famous patron. Frank Sinatra’s centennial elicits fond memories of Alexander’s time spent at the intimate hangout, and with the help of GRAMMY® Award-winning and DownBeat Critics Poll-dominating singer Kurt Elling, he will share stories and anecdotes from a treasured and rare perspective. A masterful pianist, Alexander’s career spans five decades and includes collaborations with some of the most important figures in jazz, like Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, and Dizzy Gillespie, as well as an illustrious recording career as a leader. This early, nurturing period in which the young pianist and an iconic hero spontaneously mused on saloon songs up into the wee hours of the night is a Valentine’s weekend treat sure to satisfy both nostalgic and contemporary tastes.
Christian McBride/Jonathan Batiste
February 26-27, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz Jam Series
Two world class bands explore the relationship between jazz and American popular song. The double-bill is headlined by GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist Christian McBride, who first composed for big band in 1995 as a commission for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. The master musician has since appeared on over 300 recordings and is considered one of the most accomplished bassists alive. Now a leader of his own GRAMMY® Award-winning Big Band, featuring a staggering and diverse lineup of top musicians, McBride simultaneously shows off his compositional talent and unmatched ability to drive a band from behind the bass. The other portion of the concert features a large ensemble assembled and led by Jonathan Batiste, a prodigious young talent still in his 20s, whom The New York Times calls “stunning” and “imaginative.” Batiste is a phenomenal pianist, melodica player, actor (HBO’s Treme and Spike Lee’s Red Hook Summer), and is Associate Artistic Director of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. With his diverse artistry, vast musical knowledge, and entertaining leadership, the young star will present a unique perspective on the American Songbook.
MARCH 2016
Moonglow: The Magic of Benny Goodman
March 4-5, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Jazz Innovators Series
The story of jazz’s first popular integrated band – a decade before Jackie Robinson integrated baseball – is told by scriptwriter and seven-time Emmy Award-winner Geoffrey Ward (Ken Burns’ Jazz), narrated live by host Wendell Pierce (HBO’s Treme and The Wire), and performed by a rising star ensemble of pianist Christian Sands (in the role of Teddy Wilson), drummer Sammy Miller (Gene Krupa), 20-year-old vibraphone sensation Joel Ross (Lionel Hampton), and a host of special guest clarinetists. Peter Anderson, Will Anderson, Patrick Bartley, and Janelle Reichman each take a turn representing the unparalleled voice of Benny Goodman. These unique and informative performances will feature live music and spoken word as informative, inspiring, and emotionally stirring joint crafts as they channel the “King of Swing” and tell the story of his groundbreaking band.
Aaron Diehl: The Real Deal
March 18-19, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Live in The Appel Room
Pianist Aaron Diehl, known fondly as “The Real Diehl” in jazz circles, has been a Jazz at Lincoln Center favorite since he was named “Outstanding Soloist” in the Essentially Ellington competition in 2002. He has since toured the world in the bands of Cécile McLorin Salvant, Wycliffe Gordon, and more. Now a respected leader and prolific sideman, the prestigious winner of the 2011 Cole Porter Fellow of the American Pianists Association makes his Appel Room debut as a leader. In our three venues, Diehl has repeatedly demonstrated his immaculately tasteful playing, authentic understanding of jazz, and propensity for inventive long-form solos. These concerts will feature his contemporary, vibraphonist extraordinaire Warren Wolf, Flamenco guitar virtuoso Dani de Morón, and the legendary saxophonist Benny Golson, an American treasure whose copious career spans over sixty years. True to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s mantra “all jazz is modern,” this concert is a living representation of jazz’s history and future meeting as one in-the-moment creation.
APRIL 2016
Spaces by Wynton Marsalis
April 1-2, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Visionary Voices Series
Appropriate for all ages in spirit and years, this special concert is the debut performance of a previously unfinished work. Composed with the concept of an “animal ballet” in mind, Wynton Marsalis’ Spaces will attempt to recapture the natural fascination we have with the sounds and movements of animals. Movement is an essential aspect of both jazz music and natural life itself, and two extraordinary dance geniuses represent this connection in their work: Lil Buck, a groundbreaking young artist recently seen with Yo-Yo Ma, Madonna, and Cirque du Soleil; and Jared Grimes, a quadruple-threat tap dancer who in 2014 won the Astaire Award and choreographed on Broadway for After Midnight and Holler If You Hear Me. They join the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in the world-premiere of this visually captivating performance.
Steve Miller: Out of This World
Ma Rainey Meets Miles Davis
April 8-9, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Jazz Innovators Series
Renowned blues-rock guitarist, multi platinum selling singer/songwriter, and life-long jazz fan, Steve “Guitar” Miller hosts a wide-ranging musical-and-beyond revue. From his stylized guitar and vocals – backed by an all-star jazz quintet – to comedy, tappers, high energy boogie-woogie, and much more, the evening promises a dizzying number of surprises and high-level performances. Having learned his first chords at age five from his godfather Les Paul, how to play lead guitar from T-Bone Walker at age nine, and then working with the best Bluesmen in Chicago – Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, and Paul Butterfield – Miller has incorporated his affinity for the blues into such hits as “The Joker,” “Fly Like An Eagle,” and “Jet Airliner.” When Ma Rainey Meets Miles, expect the realms of blues and jazz to be out of this world.
Bill Charlap: Broadway to Harlem
April 8-9, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz Jam Series
Raised by the dynamic combination of his Broadway composer father (Moose Charlap) and a self-described “popular singer with jazz overtones” mother (Sandy Stewart), Bill Charlap’s future in music was inevitable. He began playing piano at the age of three, and this talented architect of the keys is widely recognized for his crisp style, undeniable talent, and supreme virtuosity. For this special evening, Charlap will be joined by his longstanding trio of drummer Kenny Washington and bassist Peter Washington. In addition, special guest vocalists include 2014 GRAMMY® Award nominee Cécile McLorin Salvant and the unparalleled Freddy Cole, whom writer Stanley Crouch refers to as a “swinging, romantic balladeer.” Soulful saxophonist Houston Person (best known for his work with Etta James), and virtuoso clarinetist Ken Peplowski join this ensemble for an unforgettable night of George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Irving Berlin, Fats Waller, Eubie Blake, and other icons of American songwriting. Join Charlap on a swinging tour through the heart of New York City via musical theater, jazz, and the blues as we travel from Broadway to Harlem.
Michael Feinstein: The Great Jazz Standards
April 13, 2016, 7pm
April 14, 2016, 7pm & 9pm
The Appel Room
Jazz & Popular Song Series
Michael Feinstein begins the Jazz and Popular Song series illuminating the significant role of jazz in sustaining the popularity of the American Jazz Standard. Songs originally written for film, stage, and nightclub acts became classics through the genius of artists like Coleman Hawkins and Ella Fitzgerald. Experience the evolution of “Body and Soul”, “Stardust” and “All the Things You Are” from none other than the “Ambassador of the Great American Songbook.”
World on A String: Swinging Songs of Broadway
April 14-16, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Series
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and vocalist Kate Davis pay tribute to Broadway’s brightest lights. The famed avenue has been home to some of the most talented, inventive, and sophisticated composers, many with jazz-oriented roots. Hoagy Carmichael always used his heart and soul while penning music starting in the 1930s, and his songs are still featured on Broadway today in shows like Ain’t Misbehavin’, Swing!, and Bullets Over Broadway. Harold Arlen wrote over 500 songs, including many for the stage as well as the classic “Over the Rainbow,” which was voted the No. 1 song by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. Jerome Kern & Irving Berlin are two of the most significant American theatrical composers of the early 20th century, each having been represented on Broadway hundreds of times. Gutsy songstress Kate Davis shares her own fresh spin on the standards, which are sure to put you in a New York state of mind.
Catherine Russell: Sunny Side of the Street
April 15-16, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Singers Over Manhattan Series
Join vocalist extraordinaire Catherine Russell for an historic walk on the “Sunny Side of the Street” in her long-awaited return to The Appel Room. For the occasion, Russell partners with vocalists Carolyn Leonhart (who has worked with groups as diverse as Steely Dan and Wax Poetic) and La Tanya Hall (associated with Bobby McFerrin, Michael Feinstein, and more). This talented trio will perform Sy Oliver’s own re-arrangements of his most famous tunes, originally written for male vocal trios. These arrangements were lovingly reworked by Oliver himself for a female vocal trio of Catherine Russell, her late mother, Carline Ray, and Oliver’s late wife, Lillian Clark. The updated music, including songs like “Ain’t She Sweet,” “You’re Cheating on Me,” and “Opus One,” was performed only once by the original trio. Tonight, you will experience this rare personal treasure of re-crafted classics, continuing a musical legacy intimately connected to both the arranger and Russell’s own personal heritage.
MAY 2016
Michael Feinstein: A Right to Sing the Blues
May 11, 2016, 7pm
May 12, 2016, 7pm & 9pm
The Appel Room
Jazz & Popular Song Series
The diversification of the blues and its relationship to American popular song is a phenomenon which shaped essentially every other genre of American music. Jazz and Popular Song series director Michael Feinstein demonstrates how the blues became part of the popular musical lexicon with writers like George Gershwin and Harold Arlen, and the interpretive brilliance of jazz vocalists. “There were a lot of singers before Ella who would have sung ‘Am I Blue’ and ‘I’ve Got a Right to Sing the Blues’, who would have sung the song square,” says Feinstein, “but it was vocal jazz artists who mined the jazz and blues elements from these songs, and therefore made them enduring standards.”
Miles & ‘Trane Festival
Miles Davis: The Sorcerer at 90
May 12-14, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Series
The first half of our Miles & ‘Trane Festival is led by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, as the band debuts new arrangements and revisits favorites from Miles Davis’ legendary body of work. The diverse, label-defying Davis, who would have turned ninety this year, remains the pinnacle of transformative expression, musically and beyond. From Birth of the Cool to Miles In the Sky, the famously versatile Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will perform and offer fresh perspective on some of his groundbreaking concepts and timeless masterpieces.
Miles & ‘Trane Festival
Joe Lovano: The Spiritual Side of Coltrane
May 13-14, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Live in The Appel Room Series
It’s been a little over 50 years since John Coltrane released his magnum opus, A Love Supreme, the musical declaration of God’s presence in his life and music. The four-part suite is regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time and is a masterpiece of improvisation. Coltrane’s ceaseless innovations, and the musical realizations of his spiritual discoveries remain a universal source of inspiration to most every living jazz musician. Tenor titan Joe Lovano grew up listening to Coltrane and has found lifelong inspiration and involvement in this unparalleled music. As we approach the musical giant’s 90th birthday, Lovano pays homage to the spiritual side of one of his earliest inspirations, alongside an all-star band of Brian Blade, Geri Allen (5/14 only), Tom Harrell, Steve Kuhn, longtime Coltrane colleague Reggie Workman, and special guest saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, himself a GRAMMY® Award-nominated creative force.
Body & Soul: America’s Unforgettable Crooners
May 20-21, 2016, 7pm & 9:30pm
The Appel Room
Singers Over Manhattan Series
Bing Crosby, Nat “King” Cole and Mel Tormé are three masters of “The Great American Songbook.” Their velvety voices and sentimental serenades made them the 20th century’s quintessential crooners, but their groundbreaking achievements across radio, television, and film made them legends. Music director Bryan Carter and his stellar ensemble, featuring vocalists Denzal Sinclaire, Benny Benack III, and Charles Turner, pay tribute to these iconic geniuses of song. The show features new arrangements by Carter and a versatile 22-piece ensemble that delivers the hard-hitting big band sound utilized by Tormé during his tenure with The Judy Garland Show, as well as the lush strings that often enveloped the sweet vocals of Nat “King” Cole. This talented, award-winning ensemble wears many hats, entertaining the audience from both in-front and inside the ensemble, laying the foundation for the lyrical landscape of a brilliant evening.
The Ray Charles Songbook
May 20-21, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
The year singer and pianist Diane Schuur was born was pivotal for one of her heroes: Ray Charles had just signed with Atlantic Records to craft the new sound of soul. Charles’ ingenious synthesis of gospel, jazz, blues, and country music would become his legacy and, for Schuur, a blueprint for possibilities. With 2012 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Drums Competition winner Jamison Ross and the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars, Schuur, affectionately nicknamed “Deedles,” pays homage to “The Genius” by performing some of his most revered works. Over the last three decades, Schuur’s illustrious and multi-faceted recording career has earned her two GRAMMY® awards. Charles’ own big band included members of the Ellington and Basie Orchestras at times, underscoring the influence and significance of jazz on his astonishing career. Schuur’s personal kinship with Charles (they once shared the stage for a pair of duets for a benefit concert for the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind) lays the perfect foundation to celebrate the artistry of one of the most important American musical figures of the twentieth century.
JUNE 2016
Michael Feinstein: Sing Me A Swing Song
June 8, 2016, 7pm
June 9, 2016, 7pm & 9pm
The Appel Room
Jazz & Popular Song Series
“Popular music was never the same after artists like Frank Sinatra regularly started to swing American standards,” asserts Jazz and Popular Song series director Michael Feinstein. For our final installment of the season, “Sing, Sing, Sing,” “Mack the Knife,” and “Satin Doll,” celebrate what he describes as, “the enduring influence of swing on popular music and song interpretation.”
Lush Life: Celebrating Billy Strayhorn
June 10-11, 2016, 8pm
Rose Theater
Visionary Voices Series
Legend has it that Billy Strayhorn wrote one of the greatest songs in the American songbook, “Lush Life,” at the youthful age of 16. Though this timeline has been disputed by some scholars, there’s no debating the fact that Duke Ellington released his first recordings of Strayhorn’s work when Strayhorn was only 23 years old. For the final concert of the season, Jazz at Lincoln Center honors 100 years of his music. Whether working as Duke Ellington’s key collaborator or on his own, Strayhorn was a leading composer who contributed such classics as “Take the A Train.” His work is integral in the foundation of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, who will perform with renowned vocalist and pianist Johnny O’Neal. The excitement during this concert will be palpable as O’Neal fulfills a long-held personal goal of performing with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Throughout his career, O’Neal worked regularly with Clark Terry, Ray Brown, Art Blakey, and more. Of O’Neal, piano legend Barry Harris, who mentored him in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s once said: “He’s a very special cat. If ever somebody sounded like Art Tatum, it’s him. He’s got it all.”
EDUCATION
Swing University
Whether you are new to the music, or seek to deepen your knowledge, Swing University offers students of all ages a chance to learn about jazz from the musicians who make it and the scholars who study it. Hear your favorite music anew as Jazz at Lincoln Center curator Phil Schaap and other jazz experts share insights, expertise, and tall tales as they lead classes through jazz’s storied past. 2015-16 courses include our flagship 8-week Jazz 101, 201, and 301 series, as well as a variety of specialty 4-week and 6-week courses. For more information, please visit jazz.org/swingu.
WeBop®
WeBop is an early childhood education program where young children (eight mos. To five yrs.) and their parents learn about the ideas, instruments, styles, and great performers of jazz. Classes offer a creative outlet for exploring jazz through movement, songs, stories, and play. Produced in collaboration with Dr. Lori Custodero, Teachers College, Columbia University. For more information, visit jazz.org/webop.
Fall 2015 Term
ABC’s of Jazz
September 22-November 15, 2015
Winter 2016 Term
Making Jazz Friends
January 5-February 28, 2016
Spring 2016 Term
Meet the Jazz Band
March 15-May 22, 2016
Summer 2016 Term
Exploring Jazz Styles
May 31-June 26, 2016