Jazz at Lincoln Center will proudly honor the centennial of the birth of jazz visionary and trumpet virtuoso John Birks “Dizzy” Gillespie with thirteen performances dedicated to his jazz legacy as part of the Dizzy Gillespie Festival, January 26-29, 2017. In Rose Theater, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will dig deep into the musical world of Dizzy, focusing on the influence of bebop in the modern era of jazz, while in The Appel Room Carlos Henriquez will lead a lively exploration of Dizzy’s Latin side. Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, named in honor of Dizzy Gillespie, will host dedicated sets nightly – Riley Melherkar: In the Land of Oo-Bla-Dee, Have Trumpet, Will Excite! with Bruce Harris and Kush to Cool: A Tribute to Diz featuring Theo Croker and ELEW.
In addition to the performances, the Dizzy Gillespie Festival will feature live music and food tastings from partner restaurants, including Jazz at Lincoln Center’s own Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Free tastings and live music will take place in the Ertegun Atrium beginning at 6pm on Friday, January 27 and Saturday, January 28.
Jazz at Lincoln Center is located on Broadway at 60th Street in New York, NY. For more information, go to jazz.org.
The complete Dizzy Gillespie Festival schedule and details:
DIZZY GILLESPIE FESTIVAL, JANUARY 26-29, 2017:
Rose Theater
CELEBRATING DIZZY GILLESPIE WITH JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA WITH WYNTON MARSALIS
January 26-28, 8pm
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will dig deep into the musical world of Dizzy. As much a revolution as it was a movement, bebop ushered in the modern era of jazz and marked a decisive line between old and new. The high-speed acrobatics, harmonic sophistication, and technical authority of bebop have permeated all of jazz and continue to inform and challenge musicians of all levels. Vincent Gardner – JLCO trombonist, composer, arranger, and this performance’s music director – will lead the Orchestra in new and classic arrangements of Dizzy’s music, showcasing the thrilling melodies, hard swing, and kinetic solos that define these works. Gardner will also make his highly anticipated return as a JLCO composer, debuting a new work that highlights the essential components of bebop and keeps true to its spirit by offering something fresh, distinct, and technically ambitious.
Tickets start at $35.
Free pre-concert discussions available nightly at 7pm.
The Appel Room
THE LATIN SIDE OF DIZZY WITH CARLOS HENRIQUEZ
January 27-28, 7pm & 9:30pm
Carlos Henriquez, bassist of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, will lead a lively exploration of Dizzy Gillespie’s Latin side as heard in transformative songs like “Manteca” and “A Night in Tunisia.” By integrating the hot sounds of a modern jazz orchestra and the rhythms of Cuba, Gillespie was a leading pioneer in the cultural fusion of Latin jazz, a tradition that Henriquez now embodies. Hailing from the Bronx – a borough with a rich Latin heritage – Henriquez is a virtuoso performer and arranger in both jazz and Afro-Cuban traditions. Since the age of 14, Henriquez has performed with greats including Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, and Celia Cruz. He handled music direction for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s 2010 residency in Cuba and Ruben Blades’ sold-out debut at the House of Swing. For the Dizzy Gillespie Festival, Henriquez will give audiences an exciting look at his own distinct style while also exploring one of the greatest artists in history. He has assembled an extraordinary band for the occasion, featuring Pedrito Martinez, Terell Stafford, Mike Rodriguez, Melissa Aldana, Marshall Gilkes, Larry Willis, and Obed Calvaire.
Tickets start at $45.
Free pre-concert discussions available nightly at 6pm and 8:30pm.
Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
RILEY MULHERKAR: IN THE LAND OF OO-BLA-DEE
January 26, 7:30pm & 9:30pm
With trumpeter Riley Muherkar, alto saxophonist Patrick Bartley, pianist Jeb Patton, bassist Clovis Nicolas, and drummer Sammy Miller
Trumpeter Riley Mulherkar is a rising star known both for his playing and for leadership. In September 2016, Jazz at Lincoln Center audiences witnessed his talent as music director for Dee Dee Bridgewater. For this performance, he brings his own ensemble to the club, featuring four of New York’s finest young talents: Patrick Bartley, Jeb Patton, Clovis Nicolas, and Sammy Miller. Together, they will take audiences through the musical story of Dizzy Gillespie, from his Swing Era upbringing, through his quintessential innovations in bebop, and to his powerful integration of jazz and Afro-Cuban music. It will be an energetic and swinging affair, showcasing some of the greatest jazz music in history as well as some of jazz’s gifted future stars.
Cover: $35
Student: $20
HAVE TRUMPET, WILL EXCITE! WITH BRUCE HARRIS
January 27-29, 7:30pm
Bruce Harris is an immensely talented rising star trumpeter seen regularly at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola alongside New York’s most swinging musicians. He recently led a hip exploration of bebop pioneer Fats Navarro at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola and then kicked off the 2016 Generations in Jazz Festival. Now, as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy Gillespie Festival, Harris will once again exemplify the mantra that “all jazz is modern.” He always brings together some of New York’s most in-demand musicians, who will all add their take on Harris’ chosen Dizzy tunes.
Cover: Fri $40 / Sat $45 / Sun $30
Student: $20
KUSH TO COOL: A TRIBUTE TO DIZ FEATURING THEO CROKER AND ELEW
January 27-29, 9:30pm
Only 30 years old, Theo Croker is a trumpeter and composer who has thoroughly captivated audiences, critics, and fellow musicians alike. He plays with stars like Dee Dee Bridgewater, works in the bands of some of jazz’s hippest young artists, and leads acclaimed groups of his own. As part of the Dizzy Gillespie Festival, Croker will pay tribute to Dizzy in a program he calls Kush to Cool. Croker is well-versed in authentic jazz traditions, but it is safe to assume that he will add his own genre-bending twists to the repertoire – exploring how seemingly simple rhythm section variations can change the fundamental feel of a song, and repositioning quick, spitfire melodies into hooks and foundations for improvisation. Jazz pianist ELEW will be joining Croker on stage, along with Kassa Overall, Eric Wheeler, Anthony Ware, and Luisito Quintero.
Cover: Fri $40 / Sat $45 / Sun $30
Student: $20
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets to Rose Theater and The Appel Room concerts 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: 10am to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain)
Sunday: 12pm to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain)
Hot Seats, $10 seats for select shows in Rose Theater, are available for purchase to the general public on the Wednesday prior to each performance and 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.
For Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola reservations, call (212)258-9595 or visit www.jazz.org/dizzys. Dinner served nightly. General Admission: $20-$45 (unless noted otherwise); students: $5-$25 with valid student ID (selected sets only).
Many of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s concerts stream live in high-definition audio and video for free to a global audience. The concerts will also be available on Livestream’s mobile and connected TV applications with real-time DVR, chat, photos and other materials available to fans worldwide.
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners:
Amtrak, Bloomberg, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company, Con Edison, Entergy, HSBC Premier, SiriusXM, Steinway & Sons, The Shops at Columbus Circle at Time Warner Center, and United Airlines.