The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is celebrating the Ella Fitzgerald Centennial with a series of concerts starting in February.
On Friday, Feb. 17, jazz violinist and MacArthur fellow Regina Carter brings her current tour show, Simply Ella, to the Family Theater with performances at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Accompanied by guitarist Marvin Sewell, keyboardist Brandon McCune, bassist Chris Lightcap, and drummer Alvester Garnett, Carter interprets a variety of songs from Ella’s repertoire. Concert length is 75 minutes with no intermission.
On Friday and Saturday, March 24 and 25, the NSO Pops with conductor Steve Reineke joins vocalists Sy Smith, Capathia Jenkins and Montego Glover in the Concert Hall for Sophisticated Ladies: 100 Years of Ella & Company, featuring Ella Fitzgerald’s most famous songs as well as those by her contemporaries including Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday and Dinah Washington. Show time is 8 p.m. for both nights.
On Friday, May 5, jazz vocalist Jane Monheit and special-guest trumpeter Nicholas Payton honor Ella in The Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Celebration, a Family Theater event with two performances at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Featuring songs from Monheit’s recent album The Songbook Sessions: Ella Fitzgerald, the show offers a contemporary take on the Ella Fitzgerald songbook, and is part of the Reneé Fleming VOICES series. Concert length is approximately 70 minutes with no intermission.
For more information on these events and to purchase tickets, visit the official Kennedy Center website.
