J@LC Hosts Mingus Event for Kids

As we all know, there is absolutely no reason that young people should wander around at school and at play in a state of ignorance about jazz greats of the past. Unfortunately, cuts in arts education budgets mean that kids may never learn about these musicians at school, and home life is complicated enough without adding forcible jazz indoctrination to the mix.

But never fear: Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz for Young People series will step into the breach (at least for those young people who live in NYC) with a program hosted by Wynton Marsalis entitled “Who is Charles Mingus?” on Nov. 10 and 14. We hope that after the performance the kids will be asking more advanced questions, like “What’s a Pithecanthropus Erectus?”

Marsalis has hosted the Jazz for Young People series since its inception 1992, and he will lead a team of musicians in examining the life of the exciting, controversial bassist, composer and bandleader. Two performances will grace Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Sat., Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. In addition, the Apollo Theater will host two performances for New York City school groups on Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.

Jazz for Young People will present two other concerts during the 2001-02 season: “Who is John Coltrane?” on Feb. 16, and “What is Samba?” on May 18 and 20.

Ticket for the Alice Tully Hall performances are available from www.jazzatlincolncenter.org, or from CenterCharge at (212) 721-6500. School groups interested in tickets to the Apollo Theater performances should call (212) 258-9817.

Originally Published October 24, 2001