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Get into the SWING of things with a fresh take on classic Big Bands… @DIVAJazzOrch’s high-energy “Swingin’ It Forward” at the @KimmelCenter Perelman Theater 4/27! More info @ kimmelcenter.org
Press Contact:
Lauren Woodard Jessica Christopher
215-790-5835 267-765-3738
LWoodard@kimmelcenter.org jchristopher@alliedglobalmarketing.com
ALL-FEMALE CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED DIVA JAZZ ORCHESTRA
CELEBRATES 25 YEARS WITH NEW HIGH-ENERGY SHOW
SWINGIN’ IT FORWARD
ON THE KIMMEL CENTER CULTURAL CAMPUS
APRIL 27, 2019
“DIVA: Big time charts, big time playing and big time solos.”
The Hollywood Reporter
“If there were still big band cutting sessions, DIVA would swing a lot of the
remaining big bands out of the place.”
– Jazz Times
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, February 28, 2019) – The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus is delighted to welcome DIVA Jazz Orchestra to the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts’ Perelman Theater on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. for their hard-charging, high-energy, and dynamic new show, Swingin’ It Forward. DIVA’s fresh, new sound stems from their roots in the tradition of historic big bands.
“DIVA’s imaginative sound will undoubtedly appeal to a wide array of audiences,” said Anne Ewers, President and CEO of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. “These powerhouse female musicians harken back to the renowned big bands we all cherish, yet they provide an infectious originality inspired by the performers themselves!”
The ensembleemulates the force and excitement of the era, while utilizing innovative arrangements of jazz standards, inspired original compositions, and virtuosic, fiery soloists to make the iconic style their own. JazzTimes raved, “The band punched, kicked, roared and swung with a disciplined abandon and an unaffected joie de vivre.”
Drumming extraordinaire Sherrie Maricle leads the ensemble comprised of 15 extremely talented and versatile musicians who just happen to be women. The inspiration for DIVA came from Stanley Kay, one-time manager and relief drummer for Buddy Rich. In 1990, Kay was conducting a band in which Sherrie Maricle was playing the drums. Stanley recognized her extraordinary talent and began to wonder if there were other women players who could perform at the same level. In 1992 the search was on, and through nationwide auditions the foundation for DIVA was poured. What emerged is the dynamic musical force that holds forth to the present day!
Since their premiere performance over 25 years ago, DIVA has toured the world to critical and popular acclaim, performing in countless jazz festivals and such notable venues as Carnegie Hall, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Lincoln Center, and the Hollywood Bowl. Additionally, the ensemble toured with Maurice Hines for his autobiographical musical Tappin’ Through Life.
DIVA Jazz Orchestra is part of the Kimmel Center’s exciting jazz season. Audience members save when they choose 3 or more shows in the Jazz at the Kimmel Center package: Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour (March 23, 2019, Verizon Hall), Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia – Get Organized (June 1, 2019, Verizon Hall), Dan Blacksberg/Rabbi Yosef Goldman World Premiere (June 6, 2019, SEI Innovation Studio), David Allen/Raquel Salas Rivera/Diane Monroe World Premiere (June 7, 2019, SEI Innovation Studio), and Dariel Peniazek/Maya Peniazek/Ariacne Trujillo World Premiere (June 8, 2019, SEI Innovation Studio).
Other featured upcoming performances at the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus include: Martha Graham Cracker in Lashed but not Leashed (March 14-16, 2019, SEI Innovation Studio), Noura Mint Seymali (March 30, 2019, SEI Innovation Studio), Celtic Woman (April 4, 2019, Academy of Music), PHILADANCO: Dance Philly Style (April 12-14, 2019, Perelman Theater), and Rennie Harris: Funkedified (June 7-8, 2019, Merriam Theater).
DIVA Jazz Orchestra
Perelman Theater
April 27, 2019, 8:00 p.m.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now starting at $29.50. Tickets can be purchased by calling 215-893-1999, online at www.kimmelculturalcampus.org, or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Group sales are available for groups of 10 or more and can be purchased by calling 215-790-5883. See www.kimmelculturalcampus.org for more information.
The 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 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. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts is the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the season sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2018-2019 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit www.kimmelculturalcampus.org.
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For a PDF version of this press release, click here.