About Us

Press Room

January 18, 2016

Jazz at Lincoln Center Announces 2016 Blue Engine International Tour

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ANNOUNCES
THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
2016 BLUE ENGINE INTERNATIONAL TOUR

Critically-acclaimed big band tours
15 cities around the world in 40 days with more than 75 musical arrangements

New York, NY
(January 18, 2016) —  

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, “the greatest large jazz ensemble working today” (Chicago Tribune), will perform a stylistic range of material with a host of guest artists throughout 15 international cities in 40 days. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis 2016 Blue Engine International Tour, named for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s new platform, Blue Engine Records, begins on February 4 in Paris, France and will conclude on March 12 in Wellington, New Zealand.

On its longest tour in nearly 15 years, the orchestra will demonstrate its dynamic range with a repertoire that contains more than 75 arrangements.

“The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is the face of our collaborative institution. Our tours provide us the opportunity to collaborate with organizations all over the world,” said Wynton Marsalis, Managing and Artistic Director, Jazz at Lincoln Center. “The education programs and breadth of music on this tour speaks to the flexibility of this ensemble. We look forward to bringing a different experience to people at every performance.”

In London, the orchestra will be joined by Wayne Shorter to perform Shorter’s compositions, newly arranged by members of the orchestra.

The 2016 Blue Engine International Tour will also feature the Australian and New Zealand premieres of Marsalis’ Symphony No. 3, entitled “Swing Symphony.” The orchestra will perform the work with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson in Sydney, with the West Australian Symphony conducted by Christopher Dragon in Perth and with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Matthew Coorey in Wellington.

Exhibiting its virtuosity, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will also perform new material: the George Gershwin Songbook with guest artists in London, and a “Jazz In The Key Of Life” repertoire which includes new arrangements of popular music’s most skillfully crafted and sophisticated songs by Stevie Wonder, the Beatles, Elton John, Donny Hathaway and more.

Throughout the tour, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform original compositions and arrangements by orchestra members and their contemporaries. The orchestra will also feature the unique repertoire for which it is world renowned: modern renditions of traditional favorites including tunes by Thelonious Monk; classic Blue Note Records selections by Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson, Jackie McLean, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson; and selections from the orchestra’s 2015 album release on Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Blue Engine Records, Live in Cuba.

The 2016 Blue Engine International Tour will feature education programs and residencies at the Barbican Centre in London and the New Zealand Festival in Wellington. In London, Vincent Gardner and orchestra members will work with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Great Britain and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra Big Band Academy as a lead up to the youth orchestras’ performances at the Barbican. In Wellington, in addition to master classes and open rehearsals, the orchestra will perform its signature Jazz For Young People: Who Is Duke Ellington? concerts for students and families.

For more information, go to jazz.org.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with
Wynton Marsalis

2016 BLUE ENGINE INTERNATIONAL TOUR

February 4
Paris, France – The Olympia

February 5
Le Havre, France – Le Volcan

February 6
Lyon, France – Auditorium de Lyon

February 8
Amsterdam, Netherlands – Royal Concertgebouw

February 9
Dortmund, Germany – Konzerthaus Dortmund

February 11
Wroclaw, Poland – National Forum of Music

February 12
Brno, Czech Republic – Sonocentrum

February 13
Vienna, Austria – Vienna Konzerthaus

February 15
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – Philharmonie Luxembourg

February 18
London, UK – with special guest Wayne Shorter at Barbican Centre

February 20
London, UK – George Gershwin Songbook with guest artists at Barbican Centre

February 24
Sydney, Australia – Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

February 25 – 27
Sydney, Australia – Swing Symphony with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra  conducted by David Robertson at Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

February 29
Albany, Australia – Albany Entertainment Centre

March 3 – 4
Perth, Australia – Swing Symphony with the 
West Australian Symphony conducted by Christopher Dragon at Perth Concert Hall

March 6
Brisbane, Australia – Queensland Performing Arts Centre

March 10-11
Wellington, New Zealand – Swing Symphony with 
the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Matthew Coorey at Michael Fowler Centre

March 11
Wellington, New Zealand – Jazz For Young People:  Who Is Duke Ellington at Michael Fowler Centre

March 12
Wellington, New Zealand – Michael Fowler Centre

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.