Jazz at Lincoln Center will celebrate the centennial of genius composer and pianist Thelonious Monk with fourteen performances in all three venues in Frederick P. Rose Hall, dedicated to his jazz legacy as part of the Monk Festival, June 1-4, 2017. With an artist roster than spans the generations and the globe, the performances will exemplify Thelonious Monk’s truly universal influence. The global exploration of Monk features the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, along with Pakistani flutist Baqir Abbas and Brazilian instrumentalist Hamilton de Holanda as guest artists in Rose Theater, June 1-3. In The Appel Room, June 2-3, Monk’s music will be performed by two young pianists of the next generation of jazz: 13-year old piano prodigy Joey Alexander and New Orleans’ Sullivan Fortner, recipient of the 2015 American Pianist Association’s prestigious Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz honor. Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola will continue to highlight Monk’s influence for the next generation of musicians with Light Blue: Gabe Schnider and Friends Celebrate Monk and Monk’s Dream: Russell Hall Plays Monk.
In addition to performances, the Monk 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 Saturday, June 3 only.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall is located on Broadway at 60th Street in New York, NY. For more information about the Monk Festival, go to jazz.org.
The complete Monk Festival schedule and details are as follows:
THE MONK FESTIVAL, JUNE 1-4, 2017:
WORLD OF MONK
June 1-3, 8pm | Rose Theater
With its iconic melodies, insightful harmonic progressions, and complex but danceable rhythms, the music of Thelonious Monk offers limitless opportunity for improvisation and interpretation. Monk’s music is loved all over the world, and because of its fundamental simplicity, musicians of all styles and backgrounds find kinship in it. This global exploration of Monk features the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, two very special guests, and brand new Monk arrangements. The first featured guests is flutist Baqir Abbas, a virtuoso Pakistani musician who has performed with the JLCO on several prestigious occasions. Abbas’ solo-trading performance with Ted Nash is a highlight of Song of Lahore – the 2015 documentary chronicling the Sachal Jazz Ensemble’s historic journey to the Rose Theater stage. The JLCO’s second guest is Hamilton de Holanda, a top Brazilian instrumentalist widely considered the “Jimi Hendrix of the bandolin.” A versatile master who has singlehandedly reinvented the 10-string bandolin, de Holanda synthesizes distinct musical styles from around the world. Together, these international virtuosos and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s American big band will interpret Monk’s music in a way completely unique to this collaboration.
Tickets start at $35.
Free pre-concert discussions available nightly at 7pm.
‘ROUND MIDNIGHT: MONK’S LEGACY
June 2-3, 7pm & 9:30pm | The Appel Room
Thelonious Monk is a singular genius in the world of jazz. Exceptionally difficult and equally gratifying to play, his masterfully constructed compositions are proving grounds for thoughtful improvisation. One such composition is the masterpiece “‘Round Midnight,” written when Monk was only 18 years old. During this program, his music will be performed by two of the most exciting young pianists of the next generation of jazz: 13-year-old Indonesian piano prodigy Joey Alexander and New Orleans’ Sullivan Fortner (also known as “Church Swing”), recipient of the 2015 American Pianists Association’s prestigious Cole Porter Fellow in Jazz honor. Both artists will play solo selections and works with their respective trios. In a notable measure of their exceptional musicality, these artists have received extensive praise for their own interpretations of Monk. Following Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Annual Gala in 2014, DownBeat gushed that Alexander “played his own solo variations on [Monk’s] “‘Round Midnight” with a breathtaking precocity and mastery of several decades of piano style.” And after winning the aforementioned Cole Porter Fellowship, the New York Times described Fortner as “calling Monk himself to mind,” with his “driving, staccato attack.” With unwavering dedication, these exceedingly talented young artists are on the path to greatness.
Tickets start at $45.
Free pre-concert discussions available nightly at 6pm and 8:30pm.
LIGHT BLUE: GABE SCHNIDER AND FRIENDS CELEBRATE MONK
June 1, 9:30pm | Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Gabe Schnider is one of New York’s most talented and promising young guitarists. This Juilliard student has already performed or recorded with Wynton Marsalis, James Moody, Joshua Bell, Dianne Reeves, Jon Batiste, Esperanza Spalding, choreographers Bill T. Jones and Damian Woetzel, and numerous others. He has played on many of the world’s great stages, including at the 2016 Marciac Jazz Festival as a member of Wynton Marsalis’ “Young Stars of Jazz” band. As part of the Thelonious Monk Festival, Gabe Schnider will celebrate Monk’s work through a wide array of influences that highlight its reach in and beyond the world of jazz.”
Cover: $35
Student: $20
MONK’S DREAM: RUSSELL HALL PLAYS MONK
June 2-4, 7:30 & 9:30pm | Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
Jazz at Lincoln Center is extremely proud to watch Russell Hall’s career take off at such a remarkable speed. This recent Juilliard graduate first graced Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2010, 2011, and 2012 during our Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. He was awarded “Most Outstanding Bassist” every year. Hall has since played at the top jazz venues in New York and around the world, working with a “who’s who” list of jazz greats, including filling in as bassist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. As part of the Thelonious Monk Festival, Hall will be leading a band of similar pedigree, featuring some of the absolute best upcoming jazz musicians. They’ll be exploring Thelonious Monk’s timeless repertoire, bridging the great history and future of jazz.
Cover: Fri $40 / Sat $45 / Sun $35
Student: $20 (9:30pm sets only)
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets to Rose Theater and The Appel Room concerts can be purchased through jazz.org 24 hours a day or via 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.
Additional information may be found at jazz.org |
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YouTube: youtube.com/jalc | Live Stream: jazz.org/live
Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges its major corporate partners:
Bloomberg, Brooks Brothers, The Coca-Cola Company,
Con Edison, Entergy, JP Morgan Chase, Lincoln Center Corporate Fund, Movado, Related, Sirius XM, United Airlines.