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JUST ANNOUNCED: @KimmelCenter’s 16/17 Jazz Season includes @lizzwrightmusic @katedmonson @_JoeyAlexander Trio & MORE! kimmelcenter.org #jazz
Press Contact:
Amanda Conte
215-790-5847
aconte@kimmelcenter.org
KIMMEL CENTER ANNOUNCES ALL-STAR LINEUP FOR 2016-17 JAZZ SEASON
Season-Long Celebration of Philadelphia’s Jazz Heritage Includes Jazz 100 with Lizz Wright, Chucho Valdes – Joe Lovano Quintet, Kat Edmonson, Joey Alexander Trio, A Tribute to Abbey Lincoln, and Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia
Tickets Packages On Sale Now
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, June 7, 2016) –– The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts proudly announces an all-star lineup for the 2016-17 Jazz Season. Throughout the season, the Kimmel Center will celebrate Philadelphia’s legendary jazz heritage with six programs including: Jazz 100 with special guest Lizz Wright in a tribute to jazz titans Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mongo Santamaria; an unprecedented presentation of the Chucho Valdes – Joe Lovano Quintet; Philadelphia’s-own Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia; singer-songerwriter Kat Edmonson; the Joey Alexander Trio, led by the namesake 13-year-old prodigy pianist; and a poignant performance of Kennedy Center Jazz Presents: A Tribute to Abbey Lincoln, featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, and Terri Lyne Carrington. 4- and 5-show ticket packages are available now starting at just $99; single tickets will go on sale at a later date.
“We are proud to present this stellar roster of artists, each paying homage to jazz in their own way. And doing so in a city where jazz has been an integral piece of our history,” said Anne Ewers, President & CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “These programs showcase the multifaceted artistry of this genre and we are certain that there is something for every Philadelphia jazz fan on our upcoming season.”
JAZZ 100 FEATURING LIZZ WRIGHT
Merriam Theater
September 30, 2016
This performance marks the centennial birthdays of greats Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mongo Santamaria – all born in 1917. Jazz 100 operates under the musical direction of Danilo Perez, former pianist for Dizzy Gillespie, whose musical DNA also includes Monk and Santamaria. A singular combination of legacy and vision brings an unparalleled combination of players together: Chris Potter (tenor), Avishai Cohen (trumpet), and Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), all alongside the sensational vocals of jazz/R&B singer Lizz Wright.
CHUCHO VALDES – JOE LOVANO QUINTET
Merriam Theater
November 4, 2016
Two artists who exemplify the standards for creativity and exploration at the venerable Blue Note Records will come together for their first-ever collaboration in the Chucho Valdes – Joe Lovano Quintet. Pianist Chucho Valdes, who first appeared on Blue Note in 1985, has been a key figure in the evolution of Afro-Cuban jazz for the past 50 years, while saxophonist Joe Lovano, who started at that label in 1990, has recorded more albums on Blue Note than any other artist. Both fearless innovators at the forefront of artistic expression, this collaboration expands their shared quest for the leading edge in jazz. The promise of combined greatness, anticipated for over twenty years, will deliver beyond expectations in a quintet backed by a bassist, drummer, and percussionist who rank among Cuba’s hottest and most seasoned instrumentalists.
JAZZ ORCHESTRA OF PHILADELPHIA
Perelman Theater
December 3, 2016
June 10, 2017
The Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP) is dedicated to presenting the highest quality jazz to the greatest number of people and designed to preserve, represent, and continue Philadelphia’s unique, rich jazz sound and tradition. JOP aims to become the face of Philadelphia jazz, establishing the city as a nationally and internationally recognized destination for jazz performance. In addition to embodying Philadelphia’s vital jazz legacy with energetic jazz performances, both locally and outside of their home city, the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia provides an essential educational component as part of its mission.
KAT EDMONSON
Perelman Theater
February 12, 2017
Jazz chanteuse Kat Edmonson may have had no formal training, but the young vocalist possesses one of the most authentic voices to ever croon selections from the Great American Songbook. After her appearance on American Idol in 2002, she found success opening for acts like Jamie Cullum, Michael Kiwanuka, Gary Clark Jr., and more. Edmonson's third album The Big Picture was released on September 30, 2014, through Sony Masterworks. Like her second album, it reached #1 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart.
JOEY ALEXANDER TRIO
Perelman Theater
March 18-19, 2017
An extraordinary and uniquely gifted pianist from Bali, 13-year-old prodigy pianist Joey Alexander marks his recording debut with the release of My Favorite Things (May 12, 2015). Alexander brings a delicate, profound, and soulful touch to his own interpretation of such classics as My Favorite Things, Giant Steps, and Over the Rainbow, and showcases his talents as an arranger, composer, and bandleader. He taught himself to play piano by listening to classic jazz albums with his father. An amateur musician, Alexander’s father soon recognized his son’s gift for jazz, as his technique and ability to grasp complicated musical concepts was beyond someone of his years.
KENNEDY CENTER JAZZ PRESENTS: A TRIBUTE TO ABBEY LINCOLN
Merriam Theater
May 5, 2017
Born in Chicago in 1930, American jazz vocalist, songwriter, and actress Abbey Lincoln was raised in rural Michigan and went to a one-room school. From the late 1980s almost until her death in 2010, she recorded albums that introduced, piece by piece, in her own voice, the Abbey Lincoln songbook. Toward the end of her life, Lincoln asked her friend Dee Dee Bridgewater to help keep the Abbey Lincoln songbook alive and on May 20, 2011 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Bridgewater began to fulfill her promise with A Tribute to Abbey Lincoln. This is a redesigned version of that original performance featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, and Terri Lyne Carrington, which showcases Lincoln’s flexible perspective, and commitment to civil rights and to music.
Tickets
4-show and 5-show ticket packages are on sale now, starting at just $99, each reflecting a 15% and 20% discount, respectively. Single tickets will go on sale at a later date. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at kimmelcenter.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for select performances. More information at kimmelcenter.org.
Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, The Kimmel Center’s mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience through diverse programming, arts education, and community outreach. The Kimmel Center campus is comprised of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, SEI Innovation Studio, and the Merck Arts Education Center), the Academy of Music (owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra Association), and the University of the Arts’ Merriam Theater. The Kimmel Center is also home to eight Resident Companies: The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly Pops, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society and Curtis Institute of Music. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2015-2016 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit kimmelcenter.org.
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