The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will showcase the virtuosity of big band drums and rhythm during the Buddy Rich Centennial: Celebrating the Jazz Drum, April 7-8. The drums are the engine of a jazz band, setting the pace and energy for any piece of music. The program will be led by drummer Ali Jackson, and include the world premiere of his Living Grooves: A World in Jazz Rhythm, an extended piece written in the spirit of drum greats like Buddy Rich. Jackson will also debut new arrangements of music made popular by Rich, utilizing his vast knowledge of jazz styles ranging from American drum cadences to ragtime, marching bands, West African traditions, Brazilian music, Detroit jazz tradition, and Afro-Cuban styles.
“I believe rhythm is what defines people and cultures around the world – you can have the same melody but the beat and rhythm serve as the fulcrum that brings it to life,” says Jackson. “During this performance, I want the audience to travel across time and the globe through the beats of the drum. The first part will be a celebration of the musicianship and life of Buddy Rich. His life’s work is a testament to the history of music, from vaudeville, to big band, bebop, and beyond. The second part of the evening will celebrate the musicality of the drums today, using the rhythms of Central Africa by way of Cuba, India, and China, finally converging in the melting pot of America in a jazz vehicle.”
Ali Jackson developed his talent on drums at an early age. In 1993 he graduated from Cass Tech High School and, in 1998, was the recipient of Michigan’s prestigious Artserv Emerging Artist award. As a child, he was selected as the soloist for the “Beacons Of Jazz” concert which honored legend Max Roach at New School Jazz at Lincoln Center University. After earning an undergraduate degree in music composition at the New School University for Contemporary Music, he studied under Elvin Jones and Max Roach. Jackson has been part of Young Audiences, a program that educates New York City youth on jazz. He has performed and recorded with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Harry Connick, Jr., KRS-1, Marcus Roberts, Joshua Redman, Vinx, Seito Kinen Orchestra conductor Seiji Ozawa, Diana Krall, and the New York City Ballet. His production skills can be heard on George Benson’s GRP release Irreplaceable. Jackson is also featured on the Wynton Marsalis Quartet recordings The Magic Hour (Blue Note, 2004), and From the Plantation to the Penitentiary (Blue Note, 2007). Jackson collaborated with jazz greats Cyrus Chestnut, Reginald Veal, and James Carter on Gold Sounds (Brown Brothers, 2005) that transformed songs by indie alternative rock band Pavement into unique virtuosic interpretations with the attitude of the church and juke joint. He has been a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra since 2005. Jackson currently performs with the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, Horns in the Hood, and leads the Ali Jackson Quartet. He also hosted “Jammin’ with Jackson,” a series for young musicians at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy Club Coca-Cola. He is also the voice of “Duck Ellington,” a character in the Penguin book series Baby Loves Jazz that was released in 2006.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, comprising 15 of the finest jazz soloists and ensemble players today, has been the Jazz at Lincoln Center resident orchestra since 1988. Featured in all aspects of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s programming, this remarkably versatile orchestra performs and leads educational events in New York, across the U.S. and around the globe; in concert halls; dance venues; jazz clubs; public parks; and with symphony orchestras; ballet troupes; local students; and an ever-expanding roster of guest artists.
Buddy Rich Centennial: Celebrating the Jazz Drum will take place in Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Frederick P. Rose Hall, located at Broadway at 60th Street, New York, NY.
Free pre-concert lectures will take place nightly at 7pm.
Tickets prices start at $35 and can be purchased on jazz.org 24 hours a day or by calling CenterCharge on 212-721-6500, open daily from 10am – 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 are Monday- Saturday from 10am to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain) and Sunday from noon to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain).
Hot Seats, $10 tickets for select Rose Theater and The Appel Room performances, are released for sale on the Wednesday prior to the performance. All Hot Seats are available for purchase in person only at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, maximum of two tickets per person, subject to availability. For the dates of qualifying Hot Seat performances, please call 212-258-9800.
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