SOUND LIBERATION to Perform Ella Fitzgerald-Inspired Concert
The ensemble performs Gene Pritsker's Mr. Paganini Scats Variations and other works exploring Fitzgerald's influence on new music.
Composers Concordance and Harlem Jazz Boxx are presenting 'Ella Fitzgerald Inspired,' a concert featuring the ensemble Sound Liberation, on Friday, November 6, 2026 at 7:00 PM at Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church, 15 Mt Morris Park W, New York City.
What happens when the spirit of Ella Fitzgerald meets contemporary composition, improvisation, and the adventurous energy of New York's new music community? The concert celebrates one of the most influential voices in American music while looking beyond the familiar repertoire to explore the creative possibilities her legacy continues to inspire.
Fitzgerald was celebrated for her extraordinary voice, impeccable swing, inventive scat singing, and seemingly effortless ability to transform a song. This concert takes those qualities not as museum pieces, but as creative provocations — jumping-off points for contemporary composers and performers.
The result is a program where jazz meets contemporary classical music, written composition meets improvisation, and the legendary American songbook meets the unpredictable possibilities of a live ensemble.
A featured work is Gene Pritsker's Mr. Paganini Scats Variations, a new composition built entirely from the scat material of Ella Fitzgerald's legendary performance of 'You'll Have to Swing It (Mr. Paganini).' Pritsker takes Fitzgerald's virtuosic vocal improvisations as his raw musical material, transforming her scat phrases into the foundation for an entirely new work.
At the center of the evening is Sound Liberation, an eclectic ensemble whose instrumentation alone suggests that this will be no ordinary jazz concert.
The program features music by Dan Cooper, Moppa Elliott, Al Feldman, Ella Fitzgerald, Morgan Lewis, Gene Pritsker, and Klara Schwabe.
With Fitzgerald's voice as both inspiration and musical source material, 'Ella Fitzgerald Inspired' offers a fresh look at the continuing influence of one of America's greatest musical artists — not simply by revisiting her music, but by using her extraordinary creativity as a catalyst for new music.
Event Details
CompCord @Harlem Jazz - featuring Sound Liberation, 'Ella Fitzgerald Inspired'
Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 7pm
Venue: Mount Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church, 15 Mt Morris Park W, New York City
Tickets: $30, available at harlemjazzboxx.com
Composers
Dan Cooper, Moppa Elliott, Al Feldman, Ella Fitzgerald, Morgan Lewis, Gene Pritsker, Klara Schwabe.
Performers
Klara Schwabe — voice & piano
Gene Pritsker — guitar
Loki Karuna — bassoon
Moppa Elliott — bass
Andrew Pastorino — drums
Harlem Jazz Boxx has consistently presented live jazz and gospel in New York City since 2014, establishing itself as a destination for Harlem jazz and gospel experiences, with an emphasis on preserving and celebrating jazz and gospel heritage while fostering educational growth in the Harlem cultural community. More information is available at harlemjazzboxx.com/about.
Composers Concordance was founded in 1984 by Joseph Pehrson and Patrick Hardish, advised by Otto Luening, and strives to present contemporary music in innovative ways, with an emphasis on thematic programming. Directors Gene Pritsker and Dan Cooper co-curate the programs and lead the CompCord Ensemble, Chamber Orchestra, String Orchestra, and Big Band. Associate Directors are Milica Paranosic, Peter Jarvis, Debra Kaye, Seth Boustead, and Audrey Morse. Composers Concordance has also created a Naxos-distributed record label, Composers Concordance Records. The organization's stated vision is to promote contemporary music, composers, and new works as a rightful and respected part of society.
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