Voices of Freedom
Celebrate Black Excellence
•
1h 3m
Experience the essential works of some of the 20th century’s most powerful singers and songwriters, performed by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and vocalists Melanie Charles, Shenel Johns, and Ashley Pezzotti. Under the music direction of JLCO trombonist and vocalist Chris Crenshaw, this brand-new program looks back at four great singers whose unapologetically honest art has stood the test of time in its meaning and musicality.
Originally recorded March 26th, 2021.
Personnel
REEDS
Sherman Irby - alto saxophone, flute, clarinet
Ted Nash - alto saxophone, flute, clarinet
Victor Goines - tenor saxophone, clarinet
Walter Blanding - tenor saxophone, clarinet
Paul Nedzela - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
TRUMPETS
Ryan Kisor
Kenny Rampton
Marcus Printup
Wynton Marsalis
TROMBONES
Chris Crenshaw, The Golkin Family Chair
Vincent Gardner
Elliot Mason
RHYTHM
Dan Nimmer - piano
Carlos Henriquez - bass
Obed Calvaire - drums
SPECIAL GUESTS:
Melanie Charles - vocals
Shenel Johns - vocals
Ashley Pezzotti - vocals
Up Next in Celebrate Black Excellence
-
The Fantastic Mr. Jelly Lord
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis delivers a joyous celebration of New Orleans legend Jelly Roll Morton (1890–1941). Jazz's first great composer, musical intellect, and piano virtuoso, Morton gave us the musical blueprint of an eternal New Orleans and jazz as we know it to...
-
Isaiah J. Thompson
This March, pianist Isaiah J. Thompson's first live album—The Power of the Spirit—is coming out on Blue Engine Records. "A young musician and composer with a mature touch and rare combination of talent, creativity, humility and honesty” (NPR), Thompson is an emerging, generational talent who has ...
-
Lush Life: Celebrating Billy Strayhorn
Legend has it that Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) wrote the American songbook icon, “Lush Life,” at the tender age of 16. Though this early date has been disputed by some scholars, what isn’t in question is that Duke Ellington's first recordings of Strayhorn’s work were published when Strayhorn was ...
