The Bank of America Jazz Festival will take place Feb. 15-20 in New York at its new home, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s (JALC) Frederick P. Rose Hall. This year’s lineup includes the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (LCJO) with Wynton Marsalis, the Bill Charlap Trio and Carol Sloane with the Norman Simmons Quintet.
From Feb. 17-19, pianist Bill Charlap will lead bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington (no relation) through the trio’s repertoire of jazz standards. Also joining Charlap is his mother Sandy Stewart on vocals, along with guitarists Frank Wess and Peter Bernstein and vocalist Ernie Andrews.
On the same days, the LCJO will perform the music of Paul Whiteman. During his varied career, Whiteman led a Navy band and provided music for Broadway shows–and did everything in-between. In 1920, Whiteman moved to New York where he became a well-known bandleader working with legends like George Gershwin, Tommy Dorsey and Bing Crosby. Whiteman also made numerous recordings; Japanese Sandman and Whispering are among his best-known. Guests Bob Wilber (clarinet/soprano sax), Daryl Sherman (vocals), Vince Giordano (tuba) and James Chirillo (guitar) will join the JALC to perform Whiteman’s music.
Carol Sloane, with the Norman Simmons Quintet, will perform from Feb. 15-20 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., with additional sets on Friday and Saturday nights at 11:30 p.m., all at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. Her longtime musical partners, pianist/arranger Norman Simmons, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Ben Riley will join her, along with Paul Bollenback (guitar) and Eric Alexander (saxophone). Sloane has worked with performers such as Art Farmer, Phil Woods, Bill Mays and Tommy Flanagan, while Simmons is best known for providing the arrangement of “Wade in the Water” for the Ramsey Lewis group.
Tickets are available by calling (212) 258-9595, or visiting JALC’s web site at www.jalc.org.
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