Jazz at Lincoln Center will hold its annual gala concert online this year, featuring a pre-recorded performance by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis from the Rose Theater. Available as a stream on demand from April 15 to April 25, the virtual event with a theme of “Innovation + Soul” will be hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater and will honor JALC board member Charles Phillips and his wife Karen with the Ed Bradley Award for Leadership in Jazz. In addition, pianist Jon Batiste will be honored with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Award for Artistic Excellence.
Featured with the JLCO will be Carlos Henriquez, Pedrito Martinez, and Michael Rodriguez in a performance of Henriquez’s composition “2/3’s Adventure,” drawing on the bassist’s roots in the Bronx and influences of mambo, swing, and guajira. The gala will also feature appearances by President Bill Clinton, actor Anna Deavere Smith, jook dancer Lil Buck, vocalist Veronica Swift, and pianist Sean Mason.
Performance-only passes for the “Innovation + Soul” gala are $30. Following the premiere on April 15, ticket holders will have on-demand access to the performance portion of the event through April 25. For virtual gala tickets and packages, and information on ways to contribute to Jazz at Lincoln Center, you can visit jazz.org/gala2021.
