Concert Dates: 05/15/08 - 05/17/08
Ticket Cost: $35.00 per night
Show Time(s): 7:00pm
Event Description: 13TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER
MARY LOU WILLIAMS
WOMEN IN JAZZ FESTIVAL
Named after Mary Lou Williams one of the first leading ladies of jazz, the Kennedy Center Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival now ventures forth into its 13th exciting year. For the past 2 years, these concerts have sold out - so get your tickets now for this annual showcase of accomplished and acclaimed female jazz artists on the scene today. The Washington Post says the festival "speaks volumes about the contributions women have made to jazz - and continue to make - both here and abroad." Each evening features three unique sets featuring remarkable female jazz musicians performing with their own ensembles.
7:00PM CONCERTS IN THE TERRACE THEATER
THURSDAY, MAY 15 AT 7 PM
Grace Kelly
Featuring Terri Lyne Carrington
At just 15 years old, saxophonist and Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead alumnus Grace Kelly is rapidly moving her way up in the jazz world. With talents that far outstrip others her age, Kelly has already recorded and performed with many extraordinary musicians in notable venues. She is an award-winning recording artist who has released three CDs as a bandleader, including her 2006 release, Every Road I Walked. Drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, who has recorded with Grace, will join her onstage as a special guest.
Catherine Russell
Vocalist Catherine Russell's musical prowess transcends genre. Born with an enviable jazz pedigree, Russell is the daughter of the late pioneering pianist and bandleader Luis Russell and bassist Carline Ray, who is a member of Jazzberry Jam, the 2005 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Award. The Wall Street Journal says "it's a delight to hear the real thing in Catherine Russell, [who] hits a groove from note one on whatever she sings." Her latest acclaimed CD is called Sentimental Streak.
Keiko Matsui
Pianist Keiko Matsui returns to the Kennedy Center after a four-year absence to wow audiences with her contemporary sound that has garnered legions of fans worldwide. Her elegant piano melodies and gentle jazz grooves have enormous appeal and never disappoint her loyal fan base, which she has cultivated over a dozen albums and stunning live shows. Walls of Akendora, Matsui's latest recording of all-new material, showcases her signature sophisticated jazz style on tunes that range from the classically inspired to bold and brassy.
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FRIDAY, MAY 16 AT 7 PM
Helen Sung
Pianist Helen Sung has been called "marvelously imaginative" and "passionate," and her 2006 CD Helenistique was hailed as "one of the year's most exciting listens" (JazzTimes). With a recent appearance on NPR's Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, the release of her new CD Sungbird (after Albeniz) on Sunnyside Records, and winning the 2007 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Competition, good things are happening!
Sheila Jordan
2008 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Award Recipient
All Music Guide says that vocalist Sheila Jordan is "one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers." Starting with her 1962 debut Blue Note recording Portrait of Sheila, Jordan has become an iconic jazz figure, influencing many other artists in the jazz vocal genre. The New York Times raves, "Her ballad performances are simply beyond the emotional and expressive capabilities of most other vocalists." At this concert, the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Award will be given to Sheila Jordan for her lifetime of service to jazz.
Sherrie Maricle and Five Play
Featuring Maria Anadon
Drummer Sherrie Maricle has found success as a jazz artist, music director, teacher, and composer. Five Play, led by Maricle, is a virtual "United Nations of Jazz," fusing world cultures with extraordinary musicianship. This synthesis of talent, passion, and global sensibility has produced a fresh, exciting quintet infused with imagination, rooted in jazz tradition, and unified by a collective inspiration. Five Play's repertoire is comprised of innovative arrangements of classic and contemporary standards, as well as original music composed by the band's members. The Washington Times says, "In the jazz world, ensembles come and go, but here's hoping Sherrie Maricle and Five Play stick around for a long, long time." They are joined by Portuguese vocalist Maria Anadon.
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SATURDAY, MAY 17 AT 7 PM
Sophie Milman
Since 24-year-old vocalist Sophie Milman's self-titled debut was released in 2004, it has sold almost 100,000 copies worldwide and hit the Billboard Top 5 in Canada and Top 15 in the United States. In 2006, Toronto's Globe and Mail declared, "Milman clearly fits the template for Hot Young Chanteuse, being stylish, good-looking, and vocally gifted…she's very, very good."
Cindy Blackman
Since 1993, percussionist Cindy Blackman has been seen and heard by millions of people all over the world-- performing with her own group, and for 11 years with retro funk rocker Lenny Kravitz. She released her seventh solo release Someday in 2004, and continues to be a solid, dependable drummer who can easily move from straight-ahead jazz to rock to funk and back again. Talking Drum asserts, "You can be assured that Ms. Blackman will be around for a long time to come."
Montclair Women's Big Band
Ellen Seeling, director, featuring Allison Miller and Vicki Randle
The Montclair Women's Big Band is an irresistible swing machine! Under the direction of veteran bandleader Ellen Seeling, and featuring boundary-defying drummer Allison Miller, the ensemble rivets audience attention from their first downbeat, and the commanding sound compels listeners to their feet and dancers to the floor. The groove is infectious, the visuals dramatic, the experience unforgettable. Prepare to be blown away by the Montclair Women's Big Band. They are joined by Tonight Show vocalist/percussionist Vicki Randle.
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Media partner: WAMU 88.5 FM
FREE PERFORMANCES ON THE KENNEDY CENTER MILLENNIUM STAGE
NO TICKETS REQUIRED
Friday, May 16, 2008 at 12:30PM & 6:00PM
4th Annual Women in Jazz Competition
A Performance Plus™ Event
Join five exceptional female jazz saxophonists as they display their talents and compete in front of a jury of renowned international musicians. In this exciting two-part competition performance, the finalists share solo jazz works and trio arrangements showcasing their individuality and style. Don't miss this unique opportunity to see tomorrow's jazz greats. The competition prize is an opportunity to play in the 14th Annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival (May 2009).
Artist / Group Bio: One of the first ladies of jazz, Mary Lou Williams made some of the boldest sounds of all. She began as Pittsburgh’s “little piano girl” and became one of the most durable forces in jazz. Creating and performing some of the genre’s greatest tunes—from boogie-woogie and blues to impressionism, bop, and beyond—she played alongside other legends: Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Thelonious Monk. As a pianist, composer, arranger, teacher, mentor, and humanitarian, Mary Lou left her mark on nearly every aspect of jazz, defying gender, race, and category with her wide-ranging gifts.
Mary Lou was the only major jazz artist who lived through all eras in the history of jazz and played the music of each era. She successfully made the change from Swing to the Modern era. She inspired and encouraged Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Miles Davis, Tadd Dameron, Charlie Parker, Kenny Dorham, and others; her New York residence was their headquarters. Mary Lou even published her own music (through her Cecilia Publishing Company) and recorded for her own Mary Records label.
Pianist Marian McPartland wrote, "Mary Lou is one person who has entirely transcended the label of "woman musician"...Mary Lou is respected by everybody because she knows her craft so well and everyone knows she knows. And it is the reason why she achieved such a high place in the jazz hierarchy so early in life and has continued as an innovator."
Duke Ellington wrote, "Mary Lou Williams is perpetually contemporary. Her writing and performing are and have always been just a little ahead and throughout her career...her music retains--and maintains--a standard of quality that is timeless. She is like soul on soul."
Recognition of her contribution to the world of music came in the form of honorary degrees from Fordham, Boston, and Loyola universities and Manhattan, Bates, and Rockhurst colleges, as well as two Guggenheim Fellowships. In 1973 a street was named in her honor in Kansas City. She was the featured performer at the International Premiere Concert of the Women’s Jazz Festival in March 1978. In the same year, she was a featured performer at President Jimmy Carter’s White House Jazz Party. She founded and served as President of the Bel Canto Foundation for needy musicians as well as the general poor and young children, and she started the New Reform Foundation for gifted children between the ages of 6 and 12. She conducted musical workshops in storefronts and on the streets of Harlem.
On September 23, 1983, Duke University opened the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, responding to longstanding demands by members of the Afro-American Society, who had held a three-day sit-in 15 years earlier at the university’s Allen Building to protest what they considered unfair policies toward black students. Speakers at the Williams Center’s dedication included Father O’Brien, who was by then Executive Director of the Mary Lou Williams Foundation, novelist Toni Morrison, and D. Antoinette Handy.
The purpose of the Black Cultural Center was to preserve and enhance black culture at Duke; to promote better understanding and harmony among the races; to provide a meeting facility for those with an interest in black culture; to promote the recruitment of black students to Duke by providing a magnet area; to help motivate the student population and general public to increase their knowledge and understanding of black culture; and to help black students maintain their self-esteem by promoting cultural pride.
Always a teacher, Mary Lou frequently began major performances with a guide to piano styles that have influenced jazz over its history. She firmly believed that jazz and prayer are "twin mates of spiritual expression."
"Real jazz has love, and it has the spirit of God coming out of the suffering of black people. There are two things I express, the religious ideas and the musical ideas--both, otherwise it would be cold and have no feeling. When I’m playing, it seems as though someone else takes over. What I play comes from God, and I write it for the benefit of other people."
Artist's Website: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/jazz/womeninjazz/
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Address: 2700 F Street, NW Washington DC 20566 U.S.
About the Venue: Kennedy Center Jazz features the hottest artists...in the best place to hear great jazz.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened its doors on September 8, 1971, and celebrates its birthday each September with the free Open House Arts Festival. As always, the Center continues its efforts to fulfill President Kennedy's vision by producing and presenting an unmatched variety of theater and musicals, dance and ballet, orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, and folk music, and multi-media performances for all ages. Every year the institution that bears President Kennedy's name brings his dream to fruition, touching the lives of millions of people through thousands of performances by the greatest artists from across America and around the world. The Center also nurtures new works and young artists, serving the nation as a leader in arts education and creating broadcasts, tours, and outreach programs.
As part of the Kennedy Center's Performing Arts for Everyone outreach program, hundreds of free performances are offered each year featuring national and local artists; these include early-evening concerts on the Millennium Stage, dozens of performances during the annual Open House Arts Festival, and daily concerts of seasonal music in December as part of Holidays at the Kennedy Center. Tickets and Information: 800.444.1324 or 202.467.4600.
Dining before performances is close and convenient. The Center's restaurants, The Roof Terrace Restaurant and Bar, and the KC Cafe, are located on the Roof Terrace level; take the elevators from the Hall of Nations.
Phone: 202.467.4600
Directions: The Kennedy Center is located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, DC, at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue, NW, and the Rock Creek Parkway. It is accessible by Metro (subways and buses), by taxi, and by car. By subway, the Foggy Bottom/George Washington Univ. Station (23rd and I) is the closest stop. From there it is a short walk via New Hampshire Avenue OR use the FREE Kennedy Center Shuttle (signs are towards the left as you exit the escalator). It departs every 15 minutes from 9:45 am-midnight Monday-Friday, 10 am-midnight Saturdays, and noon-midnight Sundays and 4:00 pm-midnight on federal holidays.
There are also several parking options available at the Center. If you are driving, plan your trip carefully. You should allow plenty of time to arrive, find parking, and reach your seats before curtain time. There are several parking and directions changes that have occurred recently due to construction in the Foggy Bottom area. The Kennedy Center has completed its Parking Garage expansion and Site Improvements project to better serve your parking needs. The Garage's new features include a dedicated entrance from Northbound Rock Creek Parkway to "C" Level North (open for most performances) and direct access to the Potomac Expressway and Roosevelt Bridge from the South exits and Northbound and Southbound Rock Creek Parkway from all North exits.
If you are driving to the Kennedy Center, we recommend that you view the parking/directions updates before you begin your trip. http://www.kennedy-center.org/visitor/directions.html
Venue Website: http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/jazz/
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