Jazz at Lincoln Center Celebrates International Jazz Appreciation Month

Jazz at Lincoln Center celebrates International Jazz Appreciation Month with a diverse line-up of artists throughout Frederick P. Rose Hall, the “House of Swing.” The exciting offerings in April include an homage to Broadway composers with jazz-oriented roots, sets celebrating International Jazz Day and Duke Ellington’s birthday, and an historic showcase of Sy Oliver arrangements performed only once in its entirety in nearly 30 years.

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Science of Jazz! lecture series, with cocktails and live jazz, returns especially for Jazz Appreciation Month and explores the connections between jazz and the brain.

See programming highlights below. For a full list of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s International Jazz Month events, go to http://www.jazz.org/jazzmonth/ .

All events take place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th Street, New York, New York.

• Edmar Castaneda
  Featuring Edmar Castaneda, saxophonist Shlomi Cohen, drummer/percussionist Dave Sillima, and vocalist Andrea Tierra
  Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
  April 14-15, 2016
  Sets at 7:30 and 9:30pm

  Edmar Castaneda is an unparalleled virtuoso on the harp, recognized internationally for his stunning blend of jazz and foreign folk music, particularly from Colombia, Venezuela, and Argentina. His incredible dexterity and rhythmic independence beg for the cliché that he “must be seen to be believed,” as audio alone gives the illusion of – at minimum – a bass and harp duo. His stellar trio further rounds out the music’s jazz-rooted global representation, and tonight’s performance also features vocalist Andrea Tierra of Medellin. This quartet just returned from touring Australia and New Zealand, and their most recent New York appearance was at Carnegie Hall. Don’t miss this chance to see them in our most intimate setting!

• Elio Villafranca
  Featuring Elio Villafranca, alto saxophonist/ flutist Vincent Herring, tenor saxophonist/ clarinetist Greg Tardy, bass clarinetist Todd Marcus, trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, trombonist James Burton, acoustic bassist Gregg August, drummer Jaimeo Brown, percussionists Arturo Stable and Jonathan Troncoso, and dancer Liethis Hechavarria

  Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
  April 16-17, 2016
  Sets at 7:30 and 9:30pm

  Cinque – Suite of the Caribbean debuted in The Appel Room in 2015 and was one of the top concerts of our 2014–15 season. Cuban pianist and composer Elio Villafranca now brings this incredible project to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Villafranca is known for ambitious projects that fuse the jazz idiom with extensive knowledge of percussion and Latin rhythms, and this suite is one of his greatest accomplishments. Focusing on the influences of the Congolese traditions of rhythms, melodies, and dances–through the music of Puerto Rico, Santo Domingo, Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba–Villafranca showcases the unifying elements of the islands, which share similar cultures despite their diverse histories. This five-movement work is inspired by the life of Joseph Cinque, a slave born in Sierra Leone who, while on the way to being illegally sold in Cuba, revolted aboard the Amistad and gained his freedom. If you missed this special concert in The Appel Room or want to hear it performed by another outstanding group of musicians, join us at Dizzy’s for a powerful night of music.

• World on A String: Swinging Songs of Broadway
  Featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and guest Kate Davis
  Rose Theater
  April 14-16, 2016
  8pm

  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. 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. Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim and Mel Brooks have penned timeless musical gems that continue to uplift and entertain – both on Broadway and on record. 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
  The Appel Room
  April 15-16, 2016
  Sets at 7:30 and 9:30pm

  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.

   

• Science of Jazz! Lecture Series
  Varis Leichtman Studio
  April 25, 2016
  6:30pm

Musicians, music fans and scientists David Heeger, Michael Shadlen and Chris Washburne engage in an interactive improvisational lecture and musical performance that explores the connections between jazz and the brain. Together, they will elucidate connections between neuroscience, improvisation, perception, emotion, communication and more. The evening will feature live music and cocktails.

• Celebrating Ellington and Beyond: Ulysses Owens, Jr. and Friends

  Featuring Ulysses Owens, Jr., bassist Yasushi Nakamura, pianist Allyn Johnson, trumpeter Marcus Printup and alto saxophonist Ted Nash
  Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
  April 29- May 1
  Sets at 7:30 and 9:30pm

In just the past few years, Ulysses Owens, Jr. has performed at Dizzy’s ClubCoca-Cola with artists including Christian McBride, Steve Wilson, Mulgrew Miller, Steve Nelson, and child prodigy Joey Alexander. One of the most high-profile sidemen, this GRAMMY® Award winner and DownBeat Rising Star has recently stepped into a leadership role and assembled some top-shelf groups. Tonight’s band features two members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra – trumpeter Marcus Printup and saxophonist Ted Nash – as well as the prolific bassist Yasushi Nakamura and “king of D.C. piano” Allyn Johnson. This show takes place on Duke Ellington’s birthday and is highly recommended for any kind of jazz fan.

Tickets for Rose Theater and The Appel Room 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).

For Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola reservations, call 212-258-9595 or visit www.jazz.org/dizzys.
Prices vary. Dinner served nightly.
General Admission: $20-$45 (unless noted otherwise);
Students: $5-$30 with valid student ID (selected sets only);
Late Night Session: $5-$20.
Minimum of $10 applies to all.

SPECIAL OFFERS:
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola continues the Hot Fives Special — $5 cover and $5 food and drink specials — during the Late Night Session sets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays — a great way for patrons to hear some of the most talented young jazz performers while enjoying spectacular views of Manhattan.
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.