JAZZ At Lincoln Center, 3/17-18
JAZZ At Lincoln Center pays tribute to Stan Kenton this weekend with an All Star salute. It’s the maestro’s 100th birthday. No wonder! Starts 3/17-3/18 at the Rose Hall. This 1200 seat theater was packed last eve. Nearly every seat.Wow! Led by Music Director Wynton Marsalis on trumpet and with guest star Lee Konitz on alto saxaphone, this 20 piece orchestra really rocked to Kenton’s 50s-70s “swing” . In two sets. Music composers included Kenton’s family, i.e., Bill Russo, Pete Rugolo, and Bill Holman, and the man himself.Add Gerry Mulligan, Gene Roland, Ray Wood, Richard Rogers & Lorenz Hart, and George Gershwin, to name a few. The sounds were truly reminiscent of Kenton’s 40 piece touring band of the post WW II era when swing was king, spending 38 years at the helm. Listen to Konitz’s tabula rasa of songs like “My Funny Valentine” and “lover Man” from his 1953-4 collaboration with Kenton.The entire evening was held together by Mr. Marsalis, however, as he quipped with members of his orchestra before and after many of the takes. His lively exchanges with Konitiz who appeared in both sets was comical, but really informative. The evening was well had. Composed of 5 trumpets, 5 trombones, and 5 saxaphones, this orchestra was very sharp, on point you might say.
JAZZ At Lincoln Center hits home with
concerts year-long, student programs, educational workshops, and a lecture series for novices as well as serious tenders of the music. It also supports a number of interactive websites, promotes national and international tours, and holds a series of student competitions, and a weekly national radio program. Try jalc.org for more info on JAZZ At Lincoln Center in NYC.The phone there is: 212- 258. 9595 where
you find a lineup for both the Rose Hall and Dizzy’s Coca-Cola, the center’s main stage for dinning and live performance.
Michael Zufolo reporting.
