The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with pianist Chick Corea performed this past weekend as part of the San Diego Symphony's jazz series. When I last heard the band two years ago without Corea, I thought it was in a bit of a rut, and I can see why Wynton Marsalis, its usual leader, chose the pianist to stand in for him while he's on a composing break. Corea uses harmony and rhythm in a modern style very different from that of the Swing Era big bands like Ellington's that Marsalis had in mind when he formed the orchestra in 1988. He must have seen Corea as a refreshing addition at a first concert with him in 2011. In any event, 'rut' was no longer an appropriate term for many of the intricate arrangements premiered at that concert and reprised here last Saturday.
AT&T hosted its 2nd annual The Humanity of Connection at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City on Thursday, March 15th celebrating the power of human connectivity and the technologies that chronicle and connect the remarkable achievements of African Americans.
A joyful lesson in Black musical history will take place at Aaron Davis Hall on Saturday, April 7, as acclaimed performers Marvin Lowe and Queen Esther Marrow lead a cast of singers in exploration of the diversity and brilliance of Black American music through the decades at "A Soulful Music Celebration." Presented by City College Center for the Arts (CCCA) in partnership with Marvin Lowe & Friends, the 3 p.m. concert will feature an ensemble of artists and singers taking audiences on a fantastic journey of music, culture and heritage.
American soprano Kathleen Battle's luminous voice has been called '…without qualification, one of the very few most beautiful in the world' (The Washington Post ). Yet beyond the glory of her singing, in a career filled with countless accolades, honors and major milestones, what has perhaps distinguished her most is her almost magical ability to create an unwavering bond with her audience. Returning to Seattle for the first time in two decades, the legendary opera star takes the stage at the University of Washington's Meany Hall on April 14, 2018, to explore traditional spirituals and the writings of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass. She is joined by acclaimed jazz pianist Joel Martin and local choirs The Sound of the Northwest and UW Chamber Singers.
For its inaugural launch in June, Mostly Modern Festival (MMF), a new summer music festival that flips the traditional programming model by devoting most of its attention to the music of our time, will present eight concerts featuring an illustrious array of guest artists and ensembles, an orchestra largely made up of Mostly Modern Festival Institute (MMFI) participants, music by esteemed resident composers … and more than 30 brand-new works in world premiere performances by 30 MMFI participating composers (see list below).
Academy Award-nominee, Angela Bassett will join Kathleen Battle as a guest narrator in Battle's program Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey accompanied by pianist Joel Martin and the LA-based choir, The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers at the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts (The Soraya) on Thursday, March 29 at 8:00pm.
Evoking the rhythms, passion, and pulsating energy of Cuba, our vibrant neighbor to the south, the Annenberg Center's three-week Cuba Festival, March 22-April 13, presents the country's hottest emerging stars and revered and beloved icons, showcasing the rich artistic talent of Cuba through music and dance.
Birdland Jazz Club's schedule for March 12-March 18 includes the Donny Nova Band, Kurt Elling, Jane Bunnett and Maqueque, Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, and more!
American soprano Kathleen Battle's luminous voice has been called by The Washington Post "...without qualification, one of the very few most beautiful in the world." Yet beyond the glory of her singing, in a career filled with countless accolades, honors and major milestones, what has perhaps distinguished her most is her almost magical ability to create an unwavering emotional bond between herself, her music and her audience. On Thursday, March 29 at 8pm, that special bond will be on full display when Ms. Battle makes her debut at The Soraya with Kathleen Battle: Underground Railroad-A Spiritual Journey accompanied by pianist Joel Martin and the LA-based choir, The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers.
The 100th birthday of the legendary composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein will be celebrated at the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m. with the Bill Charlap Trio. Charlap, long an admirer of the remarkable and charismatic Bernstein, received a Grammy Award nomination for his album Somewhere: the Songs of Leonard Bernstein (2000), and is well known for his interpretations of Bernstein's popular songs, mostly written for Broadway musicals like West Side Story, On the Town, and Candide.
The Peking Acrobats (March 9-10) kicks off the month and Erth's Dinosaur Zoo Live (March 24) offers more family fun. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Teada (March 17). Big Sonia screens as part of the On Screen/In Person Film Series, March 20. Annenberg Center's three-week Cuba Festival begins with DanzAbierta (March 22-23) and The Pedrito Martinez Group (March 24). The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia explores music's numerous crossroads in intersect: Anatomy of Fusion (March 28)
Broadway's new Dolly, Bernadette Peters, turns 70 today, and she's celebrating in style! Today between shows, the company of HELLO, DOLLY! celebrated and sang her 'Happy Birthday' as she blew out her candles!
Good morning BroadwayWorld! Today's top stories: CAROUSEL, starring Joshua Henry, Jessie Mueller, and more, begins previews on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre tonight!
American Composers Orchestra (ACO) continues its 2017-2018 season, under the leadership of Artistic Director Derek Bermel, Music Director George Manahan, and President Edward Yim, with Dreamscapes, on Friday, April 6, 2018 at 7:30pm at Carnegie Hall's Zankel Hall (57th St. and 7th Ave.).
