Jazz at Lincoln Center kicks off its 30th anniversary celebration with a fall concert line-up that showcases the expansive range of jazz on the stages of Rose Theater, The Appel Room, and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, located in Frederick P. Rose Hall. Frederick P. Rose Hall is the home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and located on Broadway at 60th Street in New York, New York.
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis continues to be the torchbearers of jazz, opening the 30th anniversary season with The Fantastic Mr. Jelly Lord (September 14-16), a celebration of New Orleans legend Jelly Roll Morton. The Orchestra will continue to celebrate and create jazz traditions each month, with The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Songbook (October 20-21), Leonard Bernstein at 100 (November 9-11), and Big Band Holidays (December 13-17).
Rose Theater will be the stage for many noteworthy “firsts” throughout the season. The world premiere of Henry Threadgill’s “Dirt, and more Dirt,” as well as the debut of 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg, Threadgill’s new ensemble, will take place during Henry Threadgill: The Pulitzer Prize (September 22-23). HUDSON: Jack DeJohnette · Larry Grenadier · John Medeski · John Scofield (October 6-7), a new quartet of jazz luminaries, will also be making their Rose Theater debut this fall.
The eighth annual Coca-Cola Generations in Jazz Festival will begin September 1 in Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s intimate 120-seat jazz club. This year, the musicians and programs have been chosen to highlight masters of jazz and the young musicians that are carrying on the tradition. Specially curated series include Lessons from Our Masters with sets featuring Grassella Oliphant, Johnny O’Neal, and NEA Jazz Master Toshiko Akiyoshi; Big Band Mondays with Ryan Keberle’s Living Legends Big Band, NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman’s Big Band, and the Mambo Legends Orchestra; and Flip Side Sessions with headlining debuts by Bruce Williams, Yasushi Nakamura, Corcoran Holt and Allyn Johnson. Other highlights include appearances by NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera, drummer Andrew Cyrille, and the young trumpeters Keyon Harrold and Marquis Hill. The full schedule will be available online at jazz.org/dizzys.
Additional concerts during the fall season continue to celebrate the jazz tradition with renowned artists such as Fred Hersch, Kurt Elling, Kate McGarry, Marilyn Maye, Steve Miller, and Catherine Russell. Latin collaborations take over Frederick P. Rose Hall during the month of November with Nuevo Jazz Latino and Eliane Elias: From Bill Evans to Brazil.
Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 2017 fall season highlights are below. For the complete season schedule, visit jazz.org
SEPTEMBER 2017
THE FANTASTIC MR. JELLY LORD
Sep 14-16, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis kicks off the 30th anniversary season with a celebration of New Orleans legend Jelly Roll Morton (1890–1941). Jazz’s first great composer, musical intellect, and piano virtuoso, Morton provided the musical blueprint of an eternal New Orleans and jazz as it is known today. Through both classic and never-before-heard arrangements of essential tunes like “King Porter Stomp,” “Jungle Blues,” “Black Bottom Stomp,” and “The Pearls,” the JLCO will showcase the contemporary power and depth of possibility in the earliest jazz. The concepts found in these pieces have been explored by master musicians for the past century and made truly modern through the lens of Jelly Roll. In addition to the JLCO’s own resident pianist Dan Nimmer, this performance will feature the celebrated pianist Aaron Diehl, rising star Sullivan Fortner, and two promising young Juilliard jazz students from the Midwest and the West: Micah Thomas and Joel Wenhardt.
Free pre-concert discussion, 7pm
FRED HERSCH, KURT ELLING & KATE MCGARRY: LEAVES OF GRASS
Sep 15-16, 2017 | 7:00pm & 9:30pm | The Appel Room
Over the course of composer and pianist Fred Hersch’s inspiring career, Leaves of Grass stands out as one of his most ambitious and deeply personal projects. Originally premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2005, Leaves of Grass celebrates the life and poetry of the American bard Walt Whitman, whose work redefined American poetry and had a significant, life-affirming impact on Hersch. In this Appel Room performance, vocalists Kurt Elling and Kate McGarry will reprise their acclaimed roles from the original project, presenting Whitman’s words with grace, emotion, and a lyrical sweetness that would have made Whitman proud. An eight-piece ensemble will assist them in evoking the sweeping melodicism for which Hersch is renowned. It has been over 160 years since Whitman wrote his epic masterwork, “Song of Myself,” which forms the centerpiece of Hersch’s Leaves of Grass, with a message of unapologetic love for one’s true self, appreciation of the present, wonder at the miracle of nature, and the openhearted love of all beings that is especially timely and important.
Free pre-concert discussion, 6pm & 8:30pm
HENRY THREADGILL: THE PULITZER PROJECT
Sept 22-23, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
Composer and multi-reedist Henry Threadgill is a living legend whom The New York Times calls a “composer and bandleader of intense, unyielding originality.” In this centennial year of the Pulitzer Prize, he honors the three Afro-American jazz musicians who have won this prestigious award: Wynton Marsalis, Ornette Coleman, and – as of 2016 –Threadgill himself. On Friday (9/23), Threadgill will lead his Double Up Plus ensemble, comprised of saxophone, cello, tuba, drums, and, for the first time in his career, piano – the three pianists enlisted for the program are David Virelles, Luis Perdomo and David Bryant. On Saturday (9/24), Threadgill will premiere a brand new ensemble called 14 or 15 Kestra: Agg. The debut of a new Threadgill group is always a significant event, as every band throughout his formidable career has introduced a distinct new musical language and personality. The new ensemble is a 15-piece collective of master improvisers, comprising saxophones, flutes, trumpets, trombones, pianos, harmonium, percussion, tuba, bass, cello, and guitar/tres. Threadgill will present the world premiere of a new work, entitled “Dirt and more Dirt.”
Free pre-concert discussion, 7pm
COCA-COLA GENERATIONS IN JAZZ FESTIVAL
September 1-October 1, 2017 | Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola
The musicians and programs selected for the eighth annual Coca-Cola Generations in Jazz Festival will highlight masters of jazz and young musicians carrying on the tradition. Specially curated sets include Lessons from Our Masters with Grassella Oliphant, Johnny O’Neal, and Toshiko Akiyoshi; Big Band Mondays with Ryan Keberle’s Living Legacy Big Band, Dave Liebman’s Big Band, and the Mambo Legends Orchestra; and Flip Side Sessions with headlining debuts by Bruce Williams, Corcoran Holt, Yasushi Nakamura, and Allyn Johnson. NEA Jazz Master Paquito D’Rivera will close out the Festival with the Paquito D’Rivera Ensemble: The Latin Jazz Chronicles. The full schedule will be available at jazz.org/dizzys.
OCTOBER 2017
HUDSON: JACK DEJOHNETTE · LARRY GRENADIER · JOHN MEDESKI · JOHN SCOFIELD
October 6–7, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
Hudson is a new quartet of jazz luminaries, featuring drummer Jack DeJohnette, bassist Larry Grenadier, keyboardist John Medeski, and guitarist John Scofield, each of them a distinctive and famously adaptive improviser. Named after the Hudson River Valley they call home, this instrumental tour de force performs an eclectic repertoire reflective of the region’s musical history—ranging from new, original compositions to unexpected highly interactive interpretations of classics by Bob Dylan, The Band, Joni Mitchell and Jimi Hendrix. Each member performs the dual role of explosive long-form improviser and responsive rhythm player, highlighting the virtuosity and collaborative instincts that have earned these artists such enduring renown and popularity.
Free pre-concert discussion, 7pm
THE JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA SONGBOOK
October 20–21, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
Continuing Jazz at Lincoln Center’s 30th anniversary celebration, this evening is dedicated to the brilliant composers of New York City’s house band: the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The JLCO has put forth a vast, innovative body of original work over the past decade and they will treat audiences to a collection of their best compositions. From current JLCO members like Chris Crenshaw, Vincent Gardner, Victor Goines, Carlos Henriquez, Wynton Marsalis, and Ted Nash, to past members and special guests like Wycliffe Gordon and Christian McBride, the JLCO Songbook includes some of the finest and most stylistically diverse big band music in history. Such variety and uniformly high quality is a rare achievement for any band, but no other group has ever had 11 composers and arrangers of this level in its ranks.
Free pre-concert discussion, 7pm
MARILYN MAYE
October 27–28, 2017 | 7:00pm & 9:30pm | The Appel Room
Singer and cabaret icon Marilyn Maye is an entertainer whom Ella Fitzgerald praised as one of her absolute favorite singers. Maye appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson an unprecedented 76 times and has performed with legends like Count Basie, Charlie Parker, Bucky Pizzarelli and Michael Feinstein. Recently, Maye also brought her theatrical energy to The Appel Room with Michael Feinstein, to Rose Theater as part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s annual fundraising gala, and to a packed Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. For the first time, audiences will enjoy a full feature performance by this famously engaging crowd-pleaser in the unparalleled majesty of The Appel Room. Maye is one of the remaining geniuses from the Golden Age of Showbiz, and she offers an American Songbook experience like none other.
NOVEMBER 2017
NUEVO JAZZ LATINO
November 3–4, 2017 | 7:00pm & 9:30pm | The Appel Room
This all-star ensemble of Nuevo Jazz Latino was created by Jazz at Lincoln Center to commission new songs and arrangements with some of the greatest young leaders in Afro-Latin music today, including four brilliant Cubans – pianist Elio Villafranca, saxophonist Yosvany Terry, drummer and MacArthur Award-winner Dafnis Prieto, and genius conguero-vocalist Pedrito Martinez – plus two native New Yorkers: trumpet powerhouse Mike Rodriguez and Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra bassist, composer, arranger, and educator Carlos Henriquez. When the group was first assembled in 2014, each musician contributed original music specifically for this ensemble. The result was an eclectic repertoire of new music that utilized the unique talents of each musician. The super-group reassembled for a sold-out week at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and they are joining forces again to present new pieces and expand upon the original Nuevo Jazz Latino compositions.
ELIANE ELIAS: FROM BILL EVANS TO BRAZIL
November 3–4, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
Brazil-born, New York City-based pianist, singer, and composer Eliane Elias is renowned equally for her mastery of straight-ahead jazz, Brazilian music, and the many fusions in between. In this unique Rose Theater concert, audiences will experience two sides of her artistry across two distinct sets. One half of the performance will be dedicated to the iconic Bill Evans Trio, with a band featuring both members of Evans’ final trio: drummer Joe LaBarbera and Elias’ husband, bassist Marc Johnson. Elias’ Bill Evans repertoire is particularly special for its inclusion of two unpublished Evans compositions, personally given to Johnson before Evans’ passing. The other half of the show is described as a “Brazilian Journey” takes the music through several generations of Brazilian compositions, including songs from Elias’ Made in Brazil, winner of the 2016 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. In addition to bassist Marc Johnson, the band includes two of Brazil’s finest modern musicians: drummer Rafael Barata and guitarist Rubens de La Corte.
LEONARD BERNSTEIN AT 100
November 9–11, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis offers a truly unique way to celebrate the legacy of master educator, composer, and musical thinker Leonard Bernstein. Grammy Award-nominated composer and arranger Richard DeRosa will work with JLCO trombonist Vincent Gardner to craft unique arrangements of Bernstein’s music for the JLCO. The group will perform a wide array of classics like West Side Story and Candide, as well as unexpected gems from Bernstein’s vast repertoire. The JLCO will also provide insightful background about the composer and the musical selections, an informative approach that was exemplified and greatly popularized by Bernstein himself.
Free pre-concert discussion, 7pm
FAMILY CONCERT: WHO IS BENNY GOODMAN?
November 18, 2017 | 1pm & 3pm | Rose Theater
In this hour-long Jazz for Young People concert, families will laugh, learn, and “Sing, Sing, Sing” with the “King of Swing,” Benny Goodman. Through live musical performances and entertaining storytelling, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will share Goodman’s joyful music and inspiring story. One of twelve children born on Chicago’s west side to poor Jewish immigrants, Goodman went on to become the groundbreaking bandleader who formed the first racially integrated jazz bands recognized by the public, and he brought them to the country’s most hallowed venues – a full decade before Jackie Robinson integrated baseball. JLCO saxophonist and clarinetist Victor Goines will host the event and teach audience members how Goodman created his irresistible musical magic.
DECEMBER 2017
THE FABULOUS DORSEY BROTHERS
December 1–2, 2017 | 7:00pm & 9:30pm | The Appel Room
Saxophone and clarinet virtuosos Peter and Will Anderson showcase the music and history of another brotherly pair: Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Of the Andersons twins’ off-Broadway Dorsey Brothers revue, the Wall Street Journal raved that they “establish [the Dorseys] as gargantuan heroes of a long-departed, almost mythical era, when the ability to play an instrument better than anyone else could make you king of the whole world.” Joining the Andersons is a supremely hot band featuring the poll-dominating trombonist and vocalist Wycliffe Gordon; one of New York’s top young vocalists, Brianna Thomas; rising star trumpeter Bruce Harris; and a formidable rhythm section of Jeb Patton, Clovis Nicolas, and Aaron Kimmel. Rounding out the show is an original script penned by Loren Schoenberg – a Grammy Award-winning musician, writer, scholar, and Founding Director and Senior Scholar of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem. In addition to their instrumental prowess, the Dorseys were celebrated bandleaders who collaborated with the finest musicians, launching the careers of young talents like Frank Sinatra and working with legends like Buddy Rich, Sy Oliver, and Bing Crosby on chart-toppers including “Sunny Side of the Street,” “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” “Tangerine,” and “Swanee River.”
STEVE MILLER: THE BLUES TRIANGLE
Memphis, Dallas, & Chicago
December 1–2, 2017 | 8:00pm | Rose Theater
Renowned blues-rock guitarist, singer/songwriter, and 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steve Miller returns to Rose Theater for a journey through the Blues Triangle. Having learned his first chords at age five from his godfather Les Paul, followed by playing lead guitar from T-Bone Walker at age nine, and then working with the best bluesmen in Chicago – Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, James Cotton and Paul Butterfield – Miller has a serious affinity for the blues. In this program, he will explore music from three essential blues hubs: Memphis, Dallas, and Chicago. As fans of the genre know well, the blues adapts its own unique flavor depending on the location, and Miller is well equipped to highlight the important nuances and similarities between these vibrant musical cities.
Free pre-concert discussion, 7pm
BIG BAND HOLIDAYS
December 13–17, 2017 | 7:00pm (Wed), 8:00pm (Thurs-Sat), 2pm (Sun) | Rose Theater
Continuing a beloved New York tradition, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis warms up the House of Swing with soulful renditions of holiday classics. With fresh arrangements, playful improvisation, and entertaining storytelling, they bring out the magic in such classics as Count Basie’s “Jingle Bells,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and Billie Holiday’s “I’ve Got my Love to Keep me Warm.” Jazz royalty Catherine Russell joins as special guest vocalist for the second year, along with fellow vocalist Kenny Washington, continuing a spirited partnership that has spread Yuletide cheer in dozens of cities across the country. The December 17 matinee will be Jazz at Lincoln Center’s second Relaxed Performance, designed to provide families with children or adults with autism, learning difficulties, or other sensory and communication needs the opportunity to enjoy performances in more relaxed environments. All audiences are welcome to join.
All single tickets for The Appel Room and Rose Theater can be purchased starting today, June 27, at 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.
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