The weekend of October 7th through the 9th at the Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, Calif., promises to be a grand celebration of jazz icons who shaped and molded their genre. It will be a melding of contemporary geniuses and the inimitable originals who paved indelible roads where jazz continues to be nurtured as a musical art form.
With tickets starting at either $39 or $49, jazz enthusiasts, or just music lovers in general, can either attend all three days if they’re feeling ambitious, or choose between the jazz cornucopia that is scheduled to take place. No matter what, there is something for everyone on a weekend that will stir the souls and rouse the spirits of those who appreciate great music.
On Friday, October 7th, at 8 p.m., the SFJazz Collective (from San Francisco) will incorporate original arrangements and ones by legendary trumpeter Miles Davis, covering the bebop era from the 40s until the rock-involved fusion decade of the 70s. Later that night, the Jazz 100 program will pay homage to four indisputable jazz influences who are no longer with us – Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Mongo Santamaria, and Thelonious Monk. Former Gillespie pianist Danilo Pérez will be on hand with an all-star jazz team comprised of Avishai Cohen (trumpet), Lizz Wright (vocals), Ben Street (bass), Adam Cruz (drums), and more, to honor the harmonic heroes.
Saturday, October 8th (at 8 p.m.) will feature tenor saxophonist Kamasi Washington front and center, who will be playing pieces from his 172-minute solo album, “The Epic,” which recently debuted atop several iTunes jazz charts throughout the world. Those who experience his concert will be in for a treat and quickly realize why so many well-respected individuals of the music realm – like Lauryn Hill, Mos Def, Quincy Jones and Chaka Khan – have either collaborated in a live setting with Washington or teamed up with him in the studio.
Lastly, on Sunday, October 9th, at 3 p.m., Wynton Marsalis, who is a Juilliard Graduate, Grammy-Award winner, esteemed trumpeter/composer, and Artistic Director of Jazz at the Lincoln Center, will perform with his renowned soloists of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. In unison, they will mesmerize observers with their combined melodious sounds. Guest Jamison Ross, winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition for exceptional drumming, will also be highlighted in Sunday’s opening act of what overall guarantees to be a rhythmically remarkable weekend.
The Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, CA.
Tickets can be purchased online at SCFTA.org, in person at the box office between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily, and over the phone by calling (714) 556-2787.
