Jazz orchestra to visit TPAC
Dubbed “the best jazz repertory band in the country,” by the New Yorker, the 18-member ensemble will play the music of Quincy Jones and Oliver Nelson in TPAC?s Polk Theater on Thursday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. A recipient of the NEA?s Jazz Master Award, Baker will lead a session for adult musicians at the Nashville Jazz Workshop the following evening.
“No one in this band can remember a performance that didn?t end in a standing ovation. We?re proud to host these great musicians under the direction of a legendary artist, entertainer, and scholar,” said Kathleen O?Brien, TPAC?s president and chief executive officer. “And, of course, we?re thrilled that the NEA chose TPAC for its historic tour after we applied for the honor, hoping to give Nashville area audiences?steeped in rich traditions in music, including jazz?the chance to take part in this national initiative. We also know the Smithsonian musicians will have a great time with the artists, audiences and students in our city.”
An internationally famous composer, conductor, performer, author, and educator, Baker is a veteran of the bands of George Russell, Quincy Jones, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and Lionel Hampton and the author of over 70 books on jazz, including the classic Jazz Improvisation. His compositions, ranging from jazz and sonatas to film scores, have been widely commissioned.
On Friday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m., Baker will lead “How to Learn Tunes,” a workshop for adult musicians and jazz enthusiasts at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, 1319 Adams Street, on memorization techniques, the logic of tune structure, and jazz chord progression.
The orchestra-in-residence at the National Museum of American History, the SJMO was founded by Congress, performs in the nation?s capitol and worldwide, and broadcasts “Jazz Smithsonian,” its own public radio series.
The SJMO will play for local student audiences as well, as an offering of the 2006-2007 HOT (Humanities Outreach in Tennessee) season presented by TPAC Education. The two student performances, followed by discussions with the artists, sold-out almost immediately after they were announced. Baker is also teaching a master class to advanced high school jazz students during his stay in Nashville, while “NEA Jazz in the Schools,” a comprehensive educational resource is available on-line to teachers (and the general public) at www.neajazzintheschools.org. The five-unit curriculum produced by Jazz at Lincoln Center explores jazz as an indigenous American art form and a means to understand American history.
Tickets for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra featuring NEA Jazz Master David N. Baker range from $25-35, depending upon seat locations. For tickets, visit the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in The Mall at Green Hills), online at www.tpac.org, or any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets may also be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 615/255-ARTS (2787). For groups of 10 or more, call 615/782-4060.
For reservations to the seminar at Nashville Jazz Workshop on November 17, call 615/242-5299 in advance as seating is limited. For more information, visit www.nashvillejazz.org.