Sunday, Oct. 12 at 4 p.m. — RUTLAND —NEA Jazz Master and arguably the most famous jazz musician alive, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is bringing his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JALCO) to the historic Paramount Theatre in downtown Rutland, on Sunday, Oct. 12, for a 4 p.m. performance.
Marsalis is an iconic figure in the evolution of the art form and a tireless advocate for jazz as America’s classical music. From his New Orleans beginnings and fiery debut with legendary drummer Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers to his string of acclaimed albums and current role as Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, he has amassed an unrivaled number of awards and accolades, including nine Grammys and the Pulitzer Prize for Music, the first ever awarded to a jazz artist.
“This rare Vermont appearance by Marsalis and JALCO is a major jazz event and we are proud to welcome these virtuosos to our stage!” said Eric Mallette, Paramount Theatre Programming Director. “We don’t want patrons to be confused…this is not a broadcast streamed from Lincoln Center. We are going to have 16 of the world’s greatest jazz musicians live on our stage filling the hall with their unstoppable talent and brilliant sound.”
Since 1988, Marsalis has led the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, a 15-piece assemblage of virtuosos which has contemporized the notion of a “big band,” simultaneously honoring the rich heritage of Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong while debuting a stunning variety of commissions from illustrious names including Joe Henderson, Christian McBride, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Lovano and of course, Wynton himself. Their latest EmArcy release, “Vitoria Suite,” is a large-scale work exploring the common ground between the blues and the flamenco tradition of Spain, featuring guitar great Paco de Lucia.
Founded by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra has been going strong for 25 years. The original line-up consisted of Wynton’s septet and former members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and now features fifteen of the best all-around musicians in jazz today. Marsalis, the first jazz composer to receive a Pulitzer Prize (for “Blood on the Fields”), conceived the idea of preserving and advancing America’s art form through the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra’s performances.
Tickets ($74.75-94.75) are available at the venue box office located at 30 Center Street, Rutland, by calling 802-775-0903 or online at www.paramountlive.org.
