Wynton Marsalis, Managing and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, today announces its 2016-17 season consisting of more than 110 concerts in Rose Theater and The Appel Room, more than 350 nights of music in Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and a diverse and extensive range of education and community programs for all ages. Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 29th season is anchored by the exceptional Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and commemorates more than 100 years of recorded jazz.
Jazz as an enduring and constantly evolving art form is explored throughout the season, as visionary musicians from around the world celebrate the centennials of Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Thelonious Monk, Buddy Rich, and more. The season features a full lineup of concerts that explore the living continuum of jazz, kicking off in Rose Theater with Handful of Keys: A Century of Jazz Piano from September 22-24. This special concert features the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, 12-year-old Indonesian prodigy Joey Alexander, 89-year old American treasure Dick Hyman, and special guest pianists Aaron Diehl, Helen Sung, Isaiah J. Thompson, and Larry Willis. That same weekend, across from Rose Theater and adjacent to the beautiful, newly-renovated Mica and Ahmet Ertegun Atrium, Grammy and Tony Award-winning vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater journeys through 100 years of jazz song for Songs We Love in The Appel Room on September 23-24.
“Our 2016-17 season reflects on 100 years of recorded Jazz by remembering and reinvigorating the fundamental principles of that legacy,” said Marsalis. “Over the course of the season, we will discover, recover and explore many of the signature achievements in the fantastic recorded legacy of Jazz and feature the extraordinary members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as music directors, arrangers, and composers on this journey. From the Original Dixieland Jazz Band to Sonny Rollins’ Freedom Suite, to many brand new compositions and improvisations inspired by a century of Jazz innovation, we will yet again be moved in unimaginable ways.”
Renowned artists such as Kurt Elling, Wycliffe Gordon, Branford Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Steve Miller, Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, Dianne Reeves, and Catherine Russell will perform in the 1200-seat Rose Theater. Kenny Barron, Dave Douglas, Ibrahim Maalouf, Lucky Peterson, Joshua Redman, Cécile McLorin Salvant, John Scofield, Elio Villafranca and more hold court in the elegant Appel Room. The 90th birthday of a true living legend, saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath, is also celebrated over two nights in The Appel Room. Ambassador of the Great American Songbook, and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Director of Jazz and Popular Song series, Michael Feinstein returns for the sixth consecutive year to direct, curate and perform in the incredibly popular concert series.
“It is our pleasure to also present a stellar roster of first class artist. NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Heath and Eddie Palmieri, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Miller, and blues legends Lucky Peterson, among many others, showcase their musical legacies with passion and precision on our stages,” continued Marsalis. “Contemporary visionaries Branford Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Dianne Reeves, Joshua Redman, and John Scofield; and rising stars like Joey Alexander, Sullivan Fortner, Hamilton de Holanda, Ibrahim Maalouf, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Evan Sherman speak to the power of Jazz to transform lives across generations and bring us all closer to the truth of improvisation and the blues that continues to transcend all boundaries. Through concerts, touring, educational activities and more, our 29th season is the embodiment of our dedication to entertaining, uplifting and expanding the global community for Jazz.”
Throughout the season, the brilliant instrumentalists who make up the beloved Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra impress us with their skills in a series of concerts, including The Jazz Age: Untamed Elegance, Jazz of the ‘50s: Overflowing with Style, Free To Be: Jazz of the ‘60s & Beyond and The Swing Era: Revolution in Rhythm. Jazz’s rising stars continue to make their debuts as leaders and featured artists on the stages of Rose Theater and The Appel Room, and this year Jazz at Lincoln Center is proud to feature Sullivan Fortner, Sammy Miller, Riley Mulherkar, Alicia Olatuja, Ulysses Owens, Jr. Evan Sherman, Vuyo Sotashe, Brianna Thomas and others. (Click here to view complete season lineup.)
“100 years ago, not only was Jazz music first recorded, many of Jazz music’s most important and influential artists were born, leaving a legacy of recorded music that has inspired generations of musicians, composers and singers,” said Jason Olaine, Director of Programming and Touring at Jazz at Lincoln Center. “Across our stages in Rose Theater, The Appel Room, and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, we will celebrate Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, and Buddy Rich while shining a light on some of the most talented, soulful and entertaining artists of today. The 2016-17 Season will be a season of looking back with gratitude while swinging forward with enthusiasm.”
Following the opening weekend, in September and October 2016, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 29th season continues with performances featuring some of the most talented soloists of the 21st century. Pianist Brad Mehldau makes a highly-anticipated return to Rose Theater for two nights on September 30 and October 1. Mehldau shares the stage with saxophonist Joshua Redman during the first evening and then offers audiences what is sure to be a mesmerizing solo concert for the second evening. Across the Atrium on that same weekend, Ibrahim Maalouf makes his Appel Room debut for a full performance of his work Kalthoum, an homage to Egyptian icon Oum Kalthoum. From October 14-15, Elio Villafranca headlines in The Appel Room with the world premiere of his JALC-commissioned work Letters to Mother Africa; while in Rose Theater, an all-star band comprised of Danilo Perez, Wycliffe Gordon, Chris Potter, Avishai Cohen, Ben Street, Adam Cruz, and Ledisi celebrates the centennials of Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Mongo Santamaría, and Thelonious Monk. From October 21-22 in The Appel Room, Jazz at Lincoln Center fêtes legendary saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath. WBGO’s very own Gary Walker. Stanley Cowell, Jon Faddis, and Roberta Gambarini will be part of the festivities. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, led by veteran JLCO member Victor Goines, revisits the Jazz Age on October 28-29 in Rose Theater.
November 2016 brings the first family concert, Who is Count Basie?, on November 5 in Rose Theater, finding the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis exploring the music of Kansas City through the eyes of The Count. Embracing Basie’s big band legacy, drummer-bandleaders Sammy Miller and Evan Sherman lead their respective big bands for an interactive jazz experience and spirited battle in The Appel Room on November 11-12. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, led by trumpeter Marcus Printup, perform new arrangements of classic tunes and rarely heard works of the Swing Era from November 17-19 in Rose Theater.
In December 2016, legendary Brazilian vocalist Rosa Passos makes a long-awaited return to the United States, for an evening of bossa nova in The Appel Room with special guest Kenny Barron (December 9-10). 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Steve Miller returns to the Rose Theater to explore the music of T-Bone Walker on December 9-10. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, led by saxophonist Sherman Irby, return for their annual Big Band Holidays concerts with vocalist Catherine Russell from December 14-18 in Rose Theater.
In January 2017, intimate concerts in The Appel Room recommence with powerful bluesman Lucky Peterson while the Branford Marsalis Quartet joins with Grammy Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling for soulful concerts in Rose Theater on January 20-21. Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra lead trombonist Vincent Gardner serves as Music Director for Celebrating Dizzy Gillespie, debuting a new work on the occasion of Dizzy Gillespie’s centennial for three nights in Rose Theater on January 26-28. Carlos Henriquez, bassist of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, leads his own band featuring Terell Stafford, Mike Rodriguez, Marshall Gilkes, Larry Willis, Melissa Aldana, Pedrito Martinez and Obed Calvaire in an exploration of Dizzy’s Latin side on January 27-28 in The Appel Room.
Jazz at Lincoln Center presents two shows to get audiences in the mood for Valentine’s Day in February 2017. Dianne Reeves returns for the sixth time with songs and stories of love and romance on February 10-11 in Rose Theater. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by trombonist Chris Crenshaw, immerse listeners in the incredible depth and diversity of jazz from the 1950s on February 17-18 in Rose Theater.
Singular artists dominate the stages of Frederick P. Rose Hall in March 2017. Trumpeter and composer Dave Douglas leads an all-star group, formed especially for these concerts to perform new music, as he revisits his seminal 1997 album Sanctuary in The Appel Room on March 3-4. Performers include Myra Melford, Mark Dresser, Marc Ribot, Susie Ibarra, and Wadada Leo Smith. NEA Jazz Master and nine-time Grammy Award-winner Eddie Palmieri celebrates his 80th birthday in Rose Theater, also on March 3-4. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, this time led by saxophonist Walter Blanding, debuts a big band arrangement of Sonny Rollins’ historic “Freedom Suite” as well as The Happiness of Being, a new work by Blanding, from March 17-18 in Rose Theater. Joshua Redman brings his “Still Dreaming” quartet with Ron Miles, Scott Colley, and Brian Blade to The Appel Room on March 31-April 1 to interpret the music of the Ornette Coleman’s “Old and New Dreams” quartet of the 1970s and ‘80s that included Joshua’s father, Dewey Redman.
In April 2017, Michael Feinstein begins the beloved Jazz and Popular Song series with an exploration of the artistry of quintessential crooner Nat “King” Cole on April 5-6 in The Appel Room. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra returns to Rose Theater on April 7-8 with new arrangements of the music of Buddy Rich and an exploration of the pivotal role of the drums in propelling big bands. JLCO drummer Ali Jackson serves as music director for these concerts. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra also commemorates the centennial of the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald with guest vocalists Kenny Washington and Roberta Gambarini on April 27-29 in Rose Theater.
In May 2017, Michael Feinstein presents The Music of Mel Tormé in The Appel Room, leading what is sure to be an insightful and highly entertaining foray into the world of Tormé on May 3-4. The following two nights on the same stage, guitar icon John Scofield adds new insights to two of his most revered albums: 1986’s Blue Matter and 1996’s Quiet. Grammy-award winner Cécile McLorin Salvant makes her third headlining appearance in The Appel Room on May 19-20, crafting a program that assimilates the vast lineage of jazz vocalists into her own powerful and distinct expression. To close out the month’s programming, Wynton Marsalis, Vincent Gardner, and Rodney Whitaker join a group of handpicked young artists to perform the music of Count Basie and Duke Ellington on May 19-20 in Rose Theater.
In June 2017, Jazz at Lincoln Center presents the Monk Festival. For their the final concert of the season, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra revisits the music of the enigmatic Thelonious Monk, joined by Pakistani flutist Baqir Abbas and Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Hamilton de Holanda for three nights from June 1-3 in Rose Theater. Monk’s legacy is considered in The Appel Room on June 2-3 by two of jazz’s brightest young star. 12-year-old Indonesian sensation Joey Alexander, the first true child prodigy in the history of jazz, and New Orleans pianist Sullivan Fortner, recipient of the 2015 Cole Porter Fellowship in Jazz, both offer their skillful interpretations of Monk. Michael Feinstein’s Ella On My Mind will feature performances of classic tunes made famous by the “First Lady of Song”on June 7-8 in The Appel Room to close the 2016-17 concert season.
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, one of the three main performance venues of Frederick P. Rose Hall, produces world-class jazz performances nightly, often reflecting and augmenting the programming in Rose Theater and The Appel Room. 2016-17 season highlights at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola include the return of the popular Generations in Jazz Festival from September 1-October 2. As part of the festival, critically-acclaimed saxophonist Dave Liebman brings his 70th birthday celebration to the club from September 9-11. Legendary New Orleans pianist Ellis Marsalis returns to the club to celebrate his 82nd birthday from November 10-13. Wycliffe Gordon continues our soulful Thanksgiving tradition, leading a big band to kick off the holiday season from November 23-27. In what will certainly be one of the season’s most anticipated performances, the legendary pianist and composer Randy Weston brings his African Rhythms Quartet to the club from December 2-4.
Education
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Education initiatives continue to reach larger and more diverse audiences in 2016-17. The innovative “Education on the Road” program, led by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, continues to provide workshops, master classes, and other outreach activities as parts of the band’s national and international tours. Jazz Academy, the organization’s recently launched online education portal, will expand its media library, which by June 2016 will house nearly 1,000 freely available instructional videos covering a wide range of musical and historical topics.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra enters its fourth year with tuition free ensembles and classes for high school age musicians, and Jazz for Young People® on Tour extends to schools and community-based organizations throughout all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and other U.S. cities to present more than 450 concerts throughout the season. The Essentially Ellington program will continue to reach band directors and students in more than 3,700 schools worldwide by distributing free scores of Duke Ellington and Tadd Dameron’s music, as well as other educational resources. Additionally, the program will expand its educational reach through a series of 15 regional festivals that enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of the music. The companion Band Director Academy program will continue its annual offerings at Frederick P. Rose Hall.
Additional education programming:
- Summer Jazz Academy with Wynton Marsalis, this year at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY will take place from July 18 -31, 2016.
- Middle School Jazz Academy takes place in three sites: Frederick P. Rose Hall in Manhattan, Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn, and Lehman College and Mind Builders in the Bronx.
- More WeBop sites will be established in NYC and with national partners in St. Louis, Chicago, and Omaha.
- An increased number of pre-concert lectures will precede most JALC-produced events in Rose Theater and The Appel Room.
- Listening Parties and Master Classes will provide attendees with new depths of insight into major jazz artists’ aesthetics and inspirations.
- Syncopated Leadership workshops, developed in collaboration with the Fordham Graduate School of Business, will continue to offer executive training opportunities through jazz performance practice.
Touring
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis announces new tours throughout North America in 2016-17. Summer tour stops include a trio of Canadian dates at prestigious jazz festivals in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in June and July 2016. The orchestra will also perform in a limited number of tour dates with special guest Wayne Shorter in July 2016 and a one-night-only special performance with legendary pianist Chick Corea later this summer.
In August 2016, Jazz at Lincoln Center takes up residence at the legendary Chautauqua Institution in the southwestern corner of New York State. Exploring “what it means to be human,” the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will conduct master classes and educational activities, and perform in three concerts, including a reprisal of Marsalis’ Abyssinian Mass: A Gospel Celebration with Chorale le Chateau.
Also taking place during the Chautauqua residency in August 2016, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, will offer audiences a unique opportunity to witness a work-in-process performance of Marsalis’ New York Commission. This new work, composed by Marsalis for symphony orchestra and jazz orchestra, celebrates the New York Philharmonic’s 175th Anniversary and will have its world premiere at David Geffen Hall on December 28–30, 2016, and January 3, 2017. The JLCO with Marsalis will share the stage with Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic for this much-anticipated cross-campus collaboration.
In fall 2016, the orchestra returns to the West Coast of the United States for performances in Oakland, Sonoma, Davis, Palo Alto, Las Vegas, San Diego, and cities in the Pacific Northwest. The annual Big Band Holidays U.S. Tour will feature special guest vocalist Catherine Russell in December 2016.
Blue Engine
Blue Engine Records, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s new platform, continues to fulfill an important part of our vision: bringing Jazz at Lincoln Center’s music even further beyond our halls to a wider audience of music fans. The label has now released three albums: Live in Cuba by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis; The Bronx Pyramid by Carlos Henriquez; and Big Band Holidays by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The Abyssinian Mass by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis featuring Damien Sneed and Chorale Le Chateau with special guest Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III will be released on March 18, 2016.
Ticket Information
Beginning today, current subscribers and donors of Jazz at Lincoln Center are invited to purchase subscriptions 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 8. New subscriptions may be purchased beginning on April 12.
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. Completely customizable concert series packages composed of three or more concerts, for either venue, are also available for a 10% discount and come with all other subscriber benefits.
For more information on 2016-17 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 $75 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, subject to availability. 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 $35 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 series performances are $55 and up.
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 JUNE 21.
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, United Airlines, and SiriusXM.
Please visit jazz.org for more information.