Portraits of Bards, Titans, and Legends The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Jazz is the art of the people. Wynton Marsalis, the son of a jazz musician, was raised in New Orleans clubs amid a cast of vivid characters, and his music is fueled by the creativity and intelligence of the musicians who bring it to life. This music is inseparable from the explosion of invention made possible by America’s democratic freedoms. Featuring New Orleans small ensembles, Jazz Age big band traditions, and the full Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the program presents Marsalis' musical portraits of American legends—boxer Jack Johnson, cornetist Buddy Bolden, and drummer Art Blakey—alongside his concerto for the deeply soulful Scottish baritone saxophonist Joe Temperley. Marsalis will also unveil a new work set to the wise and practical words of American bards Benjamin Franklin, Walt Whitman, and Mark Twain, with passages selected by historian Geoffrey Ward.

Made possible by the John and Jody Arnhold Innovation Fund.

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Join us before the performance at 6:30 p.m. for a pre-concert lecture and gain deeper insight into the music and artists featured in the concert.