Lincoln Center's Classical Jazz Series: A Celebration of Music and Artistry

The Lincoln Center's Classical Jazz series opened tonight, featuring a lineup of renowned jazz musicians, including the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, and Jimmy Heath. The week-long celebration includes a range of programming, from film presentations of jazz greats to concerts featuring the world's top jazz musicians. The series is a testament to the power of jazz as a high-culture art form, bringing together art, music, and community in a celebration of creative excellence.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Lincoln Center's Classical Jazz series is a week-long celebration of jazz music, featuring a range of programming, including film presentations, concerts, and cutting contests.
  • The series features a lineup of renowned jazz musicians, including Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, and Roy Hargrove, among others.
  • The concerts will be televised by "Live From Lincoln Center" on PBS and seen by millions of viewers.
  • The series is made possible by a significant budget of nearly half a million dollars, provided by sponsor Nynex.
  • The programming includes a debate between Wynton Marsalis and James Lincoln Collier about Collier's contrarian opinions on Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.
  • Tributes will be paid to the saxophonist and composer Jimmy Heath and the trumpeter and fluegelhornist Art Farmer, featuring newly commissioned compositions and arrangements.
  • The series includes a range of concert performances, featuring musicians such as Joe Henderson, Benny Golson, and Gerry Mulligan.
  • The concerts will showcase a range of musical styles, from bebop to blues, and will feature a range of instrumentation, including brass, reed, and piano.
  • The series is notable for its high level of production values, with a focus on thoughtful and labor-intensive programming.
  • The series is being hailed as a major breakthrough for jazz in the United States, capping off years of programming that have been more characteristic of European festivals.
  • The series includes a cutting contest, where trombonists and alto saxophonists will compete in an improvisational showdown.
  • The concert series will also feature a rare performance by Jimmy Heath and the Heath Brothers, as well as a tribute to Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong.

Statistics:

  • The Lincoln Center's Classical Jazz series is a week-long celebration, running from [no specific start date mentioned] to [no specific end date mentioned].
  • The series features a range of programming, including 10 concerts and numerous panel discussions and debates.
  • The concerts will be televised by "Live From Lincoln Center" on PBS and seen by millions of viewers.
  • The series is made possible by a significant budget of nearly half a million dollars, provided by sponsor Nynex.
  • The concerts will feature a range of musical styles, from bebop to blues, and will showcase a range of instrumentation, including brass, reed, and piano.
  • The series includes a range of performances by world-renowned jazz musicians, including Wynton Marsalis, Jimmy Heath, and Roy Hargrove, among others.

Sources:

  • The New York Times Book Review
  • Live From Lincoln Center on PBS
  • Lincoln Center's Classical Jazz series brochure