Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Puerto Rico, Frank Colón is a specialist in Latin-Caribbean, Brazilian, and Asian percussion instruments—from congas and bongos to batá drums, chequeré, and berimbau. Colón plays "with abundant spirit and imagination," raves the Washington Post. He follows up his Kennedy Center/U.S. Department of State Jazz Ambassadors tour with music from his CD Latin Wonder, a collection of Stevie Wonder tunes set to vibrant Latin arrangements.

Originally from Puerto Rico, this dazzling young alto saxophonist has been hailed as "a bright, new jazz talent" by the Boston Globe. Following a Millennium Stage performance last year and subsequent African tour with his quartet Rhythm Collective, as part of the Jazz Ambassadors program, Miguel Zenón makes his mark with selections from his latest CD Ceremonial, a high-velocity surge of Latin, jazz, classical, and folkloric influences.

One of Brazil's most promising contemporary music exponents, this adventurous singer/songwriter/guitarist/percussionist has earned international praise for his fresh take on the smart and sultry sounds of bossa nova. "Almost everything Vinicius Cantuária sings or plays on the guitar has a sense of the unexpected...backdrops for his lyrics range from the spectral, with abstract percussion, to a joyous sense of carnival" (The Times, London).

Boasting "a honey voice with a touch of Ella Fitzgerald" (The Boston Globe), Tierney Sutton is one of the music world’s most talked-about jazz artists. She has transfixed international audiences and critics alike with her lush alto, commanding presence, and sublime wit—and her latest recording Dancing in the Dark, inspired by the music of Frank Sinatra, debuted in the top ten on Billboard's Jazz Chart. "Whether dreaming out loud or swinging with nimble dexterity, Tierney Sutton is in splendid form" (The Washington Post).

In constant reverence of the jazz idiom while remaining innovative in his own right, drummer Winard Harper mixes post-bebop and Afro-centric sensibilities to create "exquisitely blended ensemble colors" (The Chicago Tribune) with his remarkable sextet. Also a member of the Billy Taylor Trio, he's a virtuoso on the cymbals and African drums, as entertaining to watch as he is to hear. For his sextet's KC Jazz Club engagement, these "musicians who listen and breathe as one" (JazzTimes) perform selections from their most recent album, A Time for the Soul, a collection of pop favorites, jazz standards, and original tunes.

Suave, elegant, formidable, and articulate, Freddy Cole's vocals are among the most respected in jazz—and his piano playing is praised for its exhilarating, robust style. Younger brother to the late Nat "King" Cole, Freddy Cole burns an indelible signature into every syllable he sings. "He lays back, gathers the words and music up in his natural warmth, and creates the illusion of letting them speak for themselves" (The Chicago Sun-Times).

Whether singing in English or Spanish, Chilean vocalist Claudia Acuña possesses a sensuous alto "capable of producing a broad range of moods, from soulful introspection to chanting jubilance" (The Washington Post). On the heels of her latest acclaimed CD Luna, a collection of Spanish songs reinterpreted in her own passionate style, she returns to the Kennedy Center with a compelling fusion of Latin rhythms, world music, and jazz sensibilities.

Cited by the Jazz Journalists Association as Best Jazz Pianist for four consecutive years, Kenny Barron has confirmed his status as "one of the top jazz pianists in the world" (The Los Angeles Times). The nine-time Grammy® nominee possesses an unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies, and infectious spirit. "The sonic force and ferocious rhythmic energy that the Kenny Barron Quintet can achieve are remarkable to behold," says the Chicago Tribune. Joining the ensemble is three-time Grammy®-nominated vibraphonist Stefon Harris, hailed as "one of the significant jazz players of the new century" by the Los Angeles Times.

Since the early 1980s, the Yellowjackets have flourished as one of America’s best-loved and best-selling contemporary jazz groups. Masters of many musical styles, they produce heartfelt ballads and songs inflected with R&B, bebop, or fusion with equal aplomb. "Very few bands hit their stride 20-odd years into their career, but the Yellowjackets appear to be doing just that—and pushing their music into exciting new territory in the process" (Billboard).

This Grammy®-nominated, Baltimore-born alto saxophonist returns following his acclaimed KC Jazz Club concert in September 2003. The Washington Post said he was "in prime form" as he "imaginatively recast a series of jazz and pop favorites, contrasting funk backbeats and church-inflected harmonies with surging swing choruses and richly textured interludes."

Headed by trumpeter/keyboardist Irvin Mayfield and percussionist Bill Summers, New Orleans's Los Hombres Calientes has earned wide national acclaim for its fusion of Afro-Cuban, Latin, and African rhythms within the context of acoustic modern jazz and Mardi Gras funk. In 2000, the group's self-titled debut CD won Billboard's Contemporary Latin Jazz Album of the Year; Newsweek calls them "one of the smartest—and most fun—bands anywhere."

Following her star turn at the 2004 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival—in which she "produced the most memorable and heartfelt music heard during the three-night event" (The Washington PostThe Life of a Song, which features Wallace Roney and Mary Stallings, among others.

A native New Yorker and sensation on the London music scene, jazz singer Stacey Kent has recorded five best-selling CDs and received numerous awards, including the 2002 BBC Jazz Award for Best Vocalist. Her latest CD, The Boy Next Door, pays tribute to her own American music influences with "sophisticated spice [and] a steady current of joy" (The New York Times).

Born to a musical family in New York City and exposed to a variety of musical influences, violinist Karen Briggs champions a unique, flamboyant blend of pop, jazz, funk, and world beat. At the 2004 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival, she was praised for being "arguably the event’s biggest crowd pleaser" by the Washington Post.

One of Mexico’s most famous “divas,” this legendary singer penetrates the soul with a voice of expressive force and versatility. Her music—nurtured with elements of theater, cabaret, opera, and jazz—defies classification, while her association with actors, poets, painters, and writers imparts a rich dimension to the staging of her performances. Hailed for her concerts of “elegance and underlying humor…where old-fashioned cabaret singing and performance art intersect” (The New York Times), Eugenia León returns to the KC Jazz Club following two sold-out concerts in March 2003 as part of the Kennedy Center’s third annual AmericArtes festival.

With his funky touch and vigorous melodic sense, Cedar Walton makes sparks fly across the keys as one of today’s most influential hard-bop pianists. A brilliant interpreter of the classics, he has also penned many originals that have become permanent fixtures in the jazz repertoire. After his appearance in last year’s A Jazz New Year’s Eve with the Timeless All-Stars, the Washington Post praised him as a master with a "flair for subtle embellishments...who doesn't come to town nearly often enough." Along with his Trio, Cedar Walton gives Kennedy Center audiences an encore with more blistering blues and bop.

Lauded as a "sensational veteran jazz singer" by the New Yorker, two-time Grammy® nominee Bill Henderson has crafted a gruff and gravelly, blues-influenced voice that only gets better over time. For more than 50 years, the Chicago-born vocalist with hard-bop roots has been delivering the goods through his deep baritone, exquisite vocal phrasing, and lots of sly humor and heart. His unrelenting acting career makes his singing engagements extremely rare events, so don’t miss this special opportunity to hear a jazz master who "sings every lyric as though he has lived it" (The Village Voice).

Join the Kennedy Center and National Public Radio for this 15th annual celebration, when some of today's top jazz artists perform their favorite holiday songs in the Terrace Theater! An annual NPR tradition, the concert will be produced for broadcast later in the month. This year's program will include Lynne Arriale, Hiromi, Andy Bey, Ray Vega, and others.

Some of today's brightest jazz talents come out to pay homage to Grammy® winner, 2004 National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master, and Washington, D.C. native Shirley Horn—whose trademark velvet vocals and smooth piano stylings have been enchanting international audiences for more than 40 years. For one performance only, vocalists Sheila Jordan, Kevin Mahogany, and Lizz Wright, trumpeter Jeremy Pelt, pianist Kenny Barron, vibist Stefon Harris, the Clayton Brothers Quintet, violinist Regina Carter, and other musical guests join this legendary queen of jazz piano and song to celebrate her amazing career.

Read the Washington Post article about the National Endowment for the Arts announcing Shirley Horn and others as 2004 Jazz Masters.

Please note: Dee Dee Bridgewater, originally scheduled to perform, is unable to appear due to unexpected circumstances.

The Hollywood Reporter calls this 21-year-old singer and pianist "a star in the making...he's got it all: Good looks and charisma, a highly pleasing smooth baritone voice, excellent jazz piano [playing], and superb musical taste." Peter Cincotti counts among his influences the pianism of Errol Garner and the vocal stylings of Frank Sinatra. In 2003, his self-titled debut CD reached number one on Billboard's Jazz Chart. After making his Kennedy Center debut last year in two sold-out concerts, and performing again with Marian McPartland in June 2004, the "jazz wunderkind" (Vanity Fair) returns with his youthful, sophisticated, and swinging style.

SINATRA, BIG BAND, AND BEYOND

Swing in the New Year with Grammy®-nominated Chicago vocalist and composer Kurt Elling, hailed as "truly a musical phenomenon" by London's The Guardian. In this dazzling concert, an annual Kennedy Center favorite, he is joined onstage by Jeff Lindberg’s Chicago Jazz Orchestra, the resident big band of the Kennedy Center Honors. Enjoy standards closely associated with the “Chairman of the Board” himself, Frank Sinatra, plus a few new works by Elling, accompanied by the Laurence Hobgood Trio, led by Elling's frequent collaborator. Afterwards, welcome 2005 in festive style as you swing and waltz until 1 a.m. to two dance bands at the Grand Foyer party, free with your ticket to either performance of A Jazz New Year's Eve.

Dizzy Gillespie once said, "If you know Jimmy Heath, you know Bop." Designated as a National Endowment for the Arts "Jazz Master"—and honored by Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2001 as a "triple threat" for his legendary composing and arranging skills and gifts on the tenor saxophone and flute—Jimmy Heath has a musical appetite that can't be sated. Having collaborated with nearly all the jazz greats of the last 60 years—from Gillespie and Charlie Parker to John Coltrane and Wynton Marsalis—he performs a program of bop and more, inspired by his 1940s beginnings.

A virtuosic trumpeter, prolific composer, and jazz-rock fusion pioneer for nearly four decades, Randy Brecker has graced the bandstands of Horace Silver and Charles Mingus, helped form the band Blood, Sweat, and Tears, and energized recordings by James Taylor, Chaka Kahn, Frank Zappa, and many others. The Los Angeles Times calls his "crisp, clean trumpet sound...a beacon for contemporary jazz."

Asked to join the National Symphony Orchestra when he was only 16, pianist/composer Michel Camilo has since risen to the top of his profession, renowned the world over as a Latin jazz and classical music phenomenon. His technically astounding facility and boundless energy make him "a force to be reckoned with" (The Boston Globe) on the piano, while his insightful gifts as a concerto, film score, and big-band composer keep listeners thirsting for more. For one night only in the Terrace Theater, the Dominican Republic native promises yet another triumphant display of "lightning-quick virtuosity and deep-rooted soul" (New York’s Newsday) with two thrilling concerts.

One of the premier pianists and singers on the New York jazz and cabaret scene, Billy Stritch made his Broadway debut in the 2001 Tony®-winning revival of 42nd Street and continues to dazzle audiences in nightclubs and concert halls around the world. A "musician with chameleon-like skills" who "sings and plays the piano with real drive" (The New York Times), Billy Stritch is also a gifted composer. In 1994, he wrote Reba McEntire's Grammy®-winning hit "Does He Love You" and has enjoyed a longtime association with Liza Minnelli as a producer and arranger of her work.

With his "unusually warm and resonant voice...strongly reminiscent of Nat King Cole" (The Washington Post), Allan Harris offers a poignant and classy homage to one of the greatest vocalists of all time. Hailed by the New York Times as "one of the best male jazz vocalists of his genre," Allan Harris performs the songs that made Cole the King—including "Straighten Up and Fly Right," "Nature Boy," "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," and, of course, "Unforgettable." His engagement in the KC Jazz Club will be recorded for a future CD release.

Singled out as America's number-one big band by Down Beat reader and critic polls, bassist Dave Holland’s wildly popular ensemble carries on the swinging sounds of the 1940s while integrating some of today's most innovative harmonies and rhythms. A big band for the ages, the 13-member group is a testament to Dave Holland's nearly four-decade career as a musician of profound imagination, intelligence, and sophistication. The Seattle Times calls the Dave Holland Big Band "the most uplifting and joyous band performing today," while the Los Angeles Times hails the ensemble as "a state-of-the-art example of contemporary jazz artistry."

To hear Grammy®-nominated saxophonist David Sánchez solo “is to hear genius at work” (Newsday).

Though still in her twenties, vocalist Jane Monheit "shows grace, charm, and a seasoned touch in her stunning, imaginative interpretations. More than a star, she is an immense talent" (The Los Angeles Times). Her second album, Come Dream with Me, debuted at number one on Billboard's Jazz Chart and featured her heartrending version of "Over the Rainbow," which she sang at the Kennedy Center's Concert for America in 2002. With her passion for classic jazz standards and hopelessly romantic ballads, she brings a fresh, sultry vibrancy to each and every song.

Bassist and Billy Taylor Trio member Chip Jackson comes together with pianist Don Rebic, drummer Eddie Locke, and alto saxophonist Jerry Dodgion for instrumental versions of songs made famous by renowned vocalists they performed with in the 1940s. Through music and anecdotes, they share memories of Anita O'Day, Billie Holiday, Roy Eldridge, Peggy Lee, Woody Herman, and Helen Humes. As a grand finale, the incomparable Anita O'Day joins the foursome to sing a few songs herself.

With a hauntingly high voice that breaks women’s hearts and makes men cry, Jimmy Scott is a living legend whose decades-long musical odyssey has taken him from the 1940s vaudeville circuit to classic jazz balladry to recent collaborations with rockers Lou Reed and Bruce Springsteen. His career resurgence has led the New York Times to call him "the most unjustly ignored American singer of the 20th century." Of the 1992 Grammy® nominee and subject of the recent award-winning documentary film JIMMY SCOTT: If Only You Knew, Ray Charles once said: "He defined what 'soul' is all about in singing long before anyone was using the word."

Flutist and tenor saxophonist Lew Tabackin is "a tiger of a tenorman, lushly creative and sparkling with intensity" (Down Beat Magazine). And Mulgrew Miller is "perhaps the leading pianist of his generation" (The Boston Globe). Along with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Mark Taylor, they present a program of music to include a centenary celebration of one of the first great saxophonists of jazz—Coleman "Hawk" Hawkins—who made a memorable shift from "hot jazz" to bebop in the 1940s.

Two-time Tony® nominee Christine Andreas—a Broadway favorite for her roles in Oklahoma! and the 20th anniversary production of My Fair Lady—comes to the KC Jazz Club for three glorious evenings as part of "Café Society," a celebration of 1940s cabaret culture. She'll present an evening of warm, elegant renderings of standards, show tunes, and contemporary gems. The concert will include exquisite arrangements of works by George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers & Hart, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Kurt Weill, Lerner & Loewe, and Jules Styne. Andreas will also perfom a few contemporary hits by Billy Joel, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Clint Black.

"A glittering, graceful set of favorites" -- Time Out New York

"A fascinating elixir of songs both new and familiar... a special brand of alchemy that bewitches audiences" -- Rex Reed, New York Observer

"It's refreshing to hear this material handled with the intuition and class it deserves." -- Elysa Gardner, USA Today

Say "jazz trumpet" to even the most casual jazz fan, and the name Dizzy Gillespie immediately comes to mind. More than half a century after he expanded the parameters of bebop by fusing jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All-Star Big Band is an elite corps comprised of some of the finest musicians to play with Dizzy. Downbeat Magazine calls them “a tribute band in the best sense, not trading on Gillespie’s legacy, but carrying it on.”

DIZZY GILLESPIE ALUMNI ALL-STAR BIG BAND
Musical Director and NEA Jazz Master SLIDE HAMPTON
with special guest ROBERTA GAMBARINI, vocals
featuring
NEA Jazz Master JAMES MOODY (tenor sax/flute/vocals); NEA Jazz Master JIMMY HEATH (tenor sax/flute); NEA Jazz Master FRANK WESS (alto sax/flute); ANTONIO HART (alto sax/flute); GARY SMULYAN (baritone sax); RANDY BRECKER (trumpet); CLAUDIO RODITI (trumpet); FRANK GREENE (trumpet); GREG GISBERT (trumpet); STEVE DAVIS (trombone); JAY ASHBY (trombone); DAVID GIBSON (trombone); JEFF NELSON (bass trombone); MULGREW MILLER (piano); MARTY ASHBY (guitar); JOHN LEE (bass/executive director); DENNIS MACKREL (drums)

Nothing says romance more than an evening with "the only jazz singer with a voice big enough to rival Sarah Vaughan's" (The New York Times). For Valentine's Day, Dianne Reeves infuses a 1940s-inspired program of dreamy ballads, blues, and more with her stylish beauty, natural storyteller instinct, and incomparable voice that "caresses every phrase with palpable warmth and joy" (Billboard).

Musical chameleon Marian McPartland can adapt to any style or situation and still sound like no one but herself. For more than seven decades, the indefatigable jazz pianist, radio host, and educator has been one of the most important jazz ambassadors the world has ever known. Originally from England, she moved to America shortly after World War II, overcoming resistance to her nationality and gender to establish herself as "the First Lady of piano jazz" (New York’s Newsday). Able to bring "unexpected musical density to even the most familiar of melodies" (The New York Times), Marian McPartland comes to the Kennedy Center to reflect on meeting the jazz giants of the 1940s and perform some of their greatest hits.

"Dazzling postmodern saxophonist" (The New Yorker) James Carter defies industry convention to produce bold and invigorating compositions, be it jazz or swing, classical or funk. He returns to the KC Jazz Club for an old-school approach to romance with songs from his latest CD Gardenias for Lady Day—a tribute to Billie Holiday featuring many of the legendary singer’s classic songs, including "More Than You Know," "I’m in a Low Down Groove," and the immortal "Strange Fruit."

Influenced by opera, classical, rap, world music, fine art, and film, Jason Moran "has assimilated piano techniques of eight decades, devising a personal music that refuses to acknowledge stylistic prejudices" (The Village Voice). Recently named "Up and Coming Artist of the Year" by the Jazz Journalists Association, he delivers more genre-bending flair in encore KC Jazz Club performances.

Praised for her "affinity for hushed balladry and brash, extemporaneous swing" (The Washington Post), acclaimed jazz singer Vanessa Rubin leads a thrilling tribute to one of the most innovative songwriters, pianists, bandleaders, and arrangers of 1940s bebop. From "Lady Bird" to "If You Could See Me Now," Tadd Dameron's songs reign as some of the most beautiful and optimistic in the repertoire. Joined by an all-star horn section to create the "Dameron Sound," Vanessa Rubin and music director Cecil Bridgewater present a selection of Tadd Dameron's greatest hits, newly arranged by some of his contemporaries, including Frank Foster, Benny Golson, and Jimmy Heath.

Vocals: Vanessa Rubin; Trumpet/Flugelhorn/Music Director: Cecil Bridgewater; Trombone: Clifton Anderson; Tenor Saxophone/Flute: Patience Higgins; Alto Saxophone/Flute: Antonio Hart; Baritone Saxophone: Alex Harding; Piano: Carlton Holmes; Bass: Kenny Davis; Drums: Carl Allen

Whether warming up a romantic tune with his silky-smooth voice or unleashing his impressive improvisational skills, Steve March Tormé fires up the classics of yesteryear with a potent sense of swing. Son of the late Mel Tormé, his "easy voice is sweetly seductive, and his dedication, historicity, and sincerity show through" (DownBeat Magazine).

Multi-talented drummer/vocalist/bandleader T. S. Monk continues to roar, sizzle, and soar after more than three decades of creating his own genre-defying music. The Boston Globe says he "keeps the spirit of his father's legacy alive [with] a light touch, like a quiet virtuoso," while Variety calls him "unquenchably driving, and one of the few who can keep the pulse swinging." T.S. Monk’s latest recording Higher Ground showcases his self-dubbed brand of "cross-talking" artistry that bridges a wide variety of styles, from R&B and funk to hip-hop and traditional jazz.

To the world at large, entertainer Megan Mullally is best known as "the funniest woman on T.V." (The New York Post) for her Emmy-winning role as Karen Walker on Will & Grace. On Broadway, she has also been praised for her musical theater talents in revivals of Grease and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. And as a concert artist, she has performed to sold-out audiences with her band Supreme Music Program, which recently released its second album featuring an eclectic range of songwriters, from Kurt Weill to The Beatles. She follows up her memorable appearance at the Kennedy Center’s 2003 Spring Gala with a dazzling 1940s-themed program featuring her band Supreme Music Program.

When Roy Haynes plays his drums, more than half a century of experience informs every thundering stroke. His unrelenting swing and quicksilver responsiveness have been pushing the beat of jazz forward since the early 1940s. Dubbed "one of the seven wonders of modern jazz" by Billboard, Roy Haynes salutes the late Charlie "Bird" Parker, the legendary alto saxophonist with whom Haynes played in the 1940s and '50s, when Parker and others were creating what came to be called bebop. In the Terrace Theater, alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett and bassist Christian McBride join the drummer for masterful tunes from Haynes's CD Birds of a Feather.

Winner of more Grammy Awards® than any other big band in history, the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra teams with multi-Grammy®-nominated vocalist Nnenna Freelon to commemorate the 100th anniversary of legendary bandleader Count Basie's birth. This exciting collaboration celebrates the man and his music with some of Basie’s best-known repertoire, tipping the hat to vocalists who have performed with the orchestra — among them Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan—and adding new material designed and arranged for Freelon's unique vocal stylings, including the only song Vaughan ever wrote.

The Washington Post calls him "a vibrant force on the keyboard," while the San Francisco Chronicle dubs him "the best-known jazzman alive." The Kennedy Center's Artistic Advisor for Jazz, Dr. Billy Taylor is joined by his longtime Trio mates, bassist Chip Jackson and drummer Winard Harper, for a rousing salute to trumpet legend Dizzy Gillespie, with whom Taylor performed in the late 1940s and early '50s when he was house pianist at New York's famed Birdland club. Renowned trumpeter Jon Faddis—whose career includes many performances with Gillespie and tributes to his mentor—lends his tremendous range to this lively concert, to feature Taylor's classic tune "Diz," created in honor of his celebrated colleague.

One of Brazil's most illustrious guitarists, Latin Grammy® nominee Guinga "synthesizes numerous sources, including impressionist music, opera, old popular songs, and jazz, yet he distills an intoxicating brew all his own" (Brazzil Magazine). As part of his debut American tour, Guinga and his ensemble will perform an eclectic mix for two guitars, clarinet, and trumpet.

Vocalist and songwriter Lorraine Feather is no stranger to Café Society. In her early years, she lived above New York's famed club Café Society Downtown and her father Leonard Feather conducted its many jam sessions. JazzTimes says she "emerges as a true original" on her recent CD Café Society, which features classic jazz works set to her own lyrics. She joins the multi-talented Shelly Berg, "a whirlwind of motion on the piano bench" whose hard-bop stylings "leave the crowd breathless" (The Los Angeles Times).

Because of his sprawling background of work—from albums with B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt, to soundtracks by John Williams and Henri Mancini, to Billboard Jazz Chart-topping solo recordings— most everyone has heard John Patitucci's extraordinary bass lines somewhere. His awe-inspiring abilities on both the electric and acoustic bass combined with his vivid palette of influences, including American folk music and Brazilian jazz samba, make him an "eloquent and daring" (The Boston Globe) musical storyteller.

The first of these two unique concerts features individual performances by three gifted pianists. The Village Voice calls Bruce Barth "one of the best pianists in town." JazzTimes says Eric Reed “has command of the keyboard...and nuances that make him a first-class jazz pianist." And Rolling Stone hails Jessica Williams as "a vibrant force on the contemporary music scene."

JazzTimes calls Grammy®-nominated vocalist Carla Cook "a straight-ahead jazz diva with a gospel soul, big band heart, classical cool, and improvisational hot." All About Jazz says Terell Stafford is a trumpeter "full of crackling energy." Together with Stafford's quartet, they perform music made famous by jazz legends Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie.

This unique showcase for great jazz piano continues with individual performances by three keyboard masters. Time Magazine says Geoffrey Keezer has "more than enough virtuosity and sheer musical wit." Peter Martin "plays with the kind of daring and excitement that marks a distinctive personality," hails the Washington Post. And the Boston Globe calls Mulgrew Miller "perhaps the leading pianist of his generation."

Vocalists LaVerne Butler—who "has a sure grasp of jazz's two essential elements, jazz and swing" (The Washington Post) —and "young sophisticate" (All About Jazz) Erin Bode team with pianist Bruce Barth's acclaimed trio for the first of two evenings dedicated to classic American pop and jazz standards.

The San Francisco Chronicle calls Dena DeRose "an exceptionally gifted pianist, as well as a sultry and intelligent singer." For the second of two evenings dedicated to American popular song, she joins saxophonist Steve Wilson—"one of the best New York jazz has to offer" (The New York Times)—and his quartet along with "hot new trumpeter" (The Village Voice) Jeremy Pelt.

“[The festival's] music speaks volumes about the contributions women have made to jazz—and continue to make—both here and abroad” (The Washington Post).

The Kennedy Center presents the tenth anniversary of this popular festival that showcases some of today’s top female jazz artists and celebrates their vital contributions to the genre. Three concerts in the Terrace Theater will feature performances by Geri Allen, Hiromi, Jazzberry Jam!, René Marie, Kit McClure Big Band, and Allison Miller and Ingrid Jensen: Agrazing Maze. To commemorate the festival’s namesake, the Friday evening concert has been called the Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project, featuring an All-Star Big Band and Morgan State University Choir with Cecilia Smith, Cecil Bridgewater, Benny Powell, Tanya Darby, Tia Fuller, and many others. Plus, don’t miss a free pianist competition, the 2005 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival Award recipient, and more.

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

________________________________________
THURSDAY, MAY 19 AT 7 P.M.

Hiromi
Japanese pianist and composer Hiromi “plays with an almost demonic energy and amazing stamina,” says the All Music Guide. Fusing elements of classical music, rock, and jazz, she refuses to label her music, preferring to follow what moves her. At last year’s NPR Jazz Piano Christmas in the Terrace Theater, “she stole the night” (All About Jazz).

Allison Miller and Ingrid Jensen: Agrazing Maze
“A fast-rising young drummer” (The New York Times), U.S. State Department Jazz Ambassador alumnus Allison Miller defies all boundaries, bringing her individual flair to a wide range of styles. A favorite from past festivals, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen was selected by Down Beat Magazine as one of the “25 most important improvising musicians of the future.” With Enrique Haneine on piano and Carlo DeRosa on bass, their quartet Agrazing Maze creates lively compositions and a distinctive sound.

Kit McClure Big Band
For more than 20 years, saxophonist Kit McClure’s all-female ensemble has exhibited its range of bop, soul, and blues with “unexpected freshness” and “crisp, swinging enthusiasm (The New York Times). The band recently released recordings that resurrect the music of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the popular all-female and mostly black jazz orchestra from the 1930s and ’40s.

________________________________________
FRIDAY, MAY 20 AT 7 P.M.

Mary Lou Williams Resurgence Project
featuring an All-Star Big Band;
Morgan State University Choir;
Cecilia Smith, musical director;
Cecil Bridgewater, assistant conductor;
with Benny Powell, Tanya Darby, Tia Fuller, and others
The Washington Post has said, “If there’s one thing the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival can never have too much of, it’s music composed or inspired by its namesake.” The tenth anniversary delivers on the goods with this special night featuring music composed by Williams, to include many of her classic hits and arrangements, plus versions of her works that have never been performed before.

Musical Director and vibraphonist Cecilia Smith leads an all-star lineup that includes trumpeters Cecil Bridgewater, E.J. Allen, Tanya Darby, and Iantheia Calhoun; trombonists Benny Powell, Jennifer Krupa, Debra Weisz, and Jack Jeffers; saxophonists Bill Easly, Tia Fuller, Lakecia Benjamin, Billy Pierce, and Howard Johnson; pianist Amina Claudine Myers; keyboardist Carlton Holmes; bassist Kenny Davis; drummer Montez Coleman; guest vocalist Elon Robin Dixon; and the world-renowned Morgan State University Choir under the direction of Dr. Eric Conway.

From swingin’ gospel and lush big band arrangements to soulful religious works and hard-driving bop, don’t miss this thrilling showcase celebrating Williams’s musical genius. The concert will also include the presentation of this year’s Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival Award to three members of Jazzberry Jam!—Bertha Hope, Carline Ray, and Paula Hampton—for their lifetime of service to jazz.

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SATURDAY, MAY 21 AT 7 P.M.

Jazzberry Jam!
featuring 2005 Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival Award recipients
With a delectable mix of tradition and innovation, Jazzberry Jam! spreads it on thick. Colleagues for 30 years, pianist Bertha Hope, bassist Carline Ray, and drummer Paula Hampton bring their virtuoso band back to the festival for more bold sounds. The ensemble also includes saxophonist "Sweet" Sue Terry and vocalist Ulysses Slaughter. Noted jazz musician Branford Marsalis says they “sound so sweet. Mmmm, mmmm, mmmm. ” (NPR’s Jazz Set).

Geri Allen
The acclaimed pianist, a Howard University alum, portrayed Mary Lou Williams in the 1996 film Kansas City and performed in last year’s festival, where she was praised for producing “the most memorable and heartfelt music during the event” (The Washington Post). She returns for 2005 with a complete performance of Williams’s signature work, “Zodiac Suite.”

René Marie
An exuberant and formidable jazz singer, René Marie possesses “the talent to be included in the very top level of performers” (The Los Angeles Times). She returns to the Kennedy Center with her own original songs, taking “a freestyle approach to jazz standards that makes even an overly familiar song feel like it’s the first time you’ve heard it” (The Miami Herald).

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FREE PERFORMANCES ON THE KENNEDY CENTER MILLENNIUM STAGE, NO TICKETS REQUIRED

WEDNESDAY, MAY 18 & THURSDAY, MAY 19
IAJE—Sisters in Jazz Collegiate All-Stars
In cooperation with the International Association of Jazz Educators. Featuring Delandria Mills, flute; Lakecia Benjamin, alto saxophone; Jacquelyn Coleman, trumpet; Carmen Staaf, piano; Maeve Royce, bass; Hanne Pulli, drums; and Sylvia Cuenca, guest director.
Performances at 6 p.m.

FRIDAY, MAY 20
Women in Jazz Pianist Competition
A Performance Plus™ event
The Kennedy Center presents this exciting two-part piano competition, in which five finalists get to display their talents in front of Millennium Stage audiences and a jury of renowned international musicians. The five finalists are Rebecca Cline, Miki Hayama, Mary Louise Knutson, Daniela Schaecter, and Ayako Shirasaki. The winner will be announced later the same evening during the festival’s 7 p.m. performance in the Terrace Theater. The winner will enjoy the opportunity to perform as part of the 11th annual festival in 2006.
Performances at 12:30–2:30 p.m. & 6–7 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 21
Jam Session
Musicians are invited to bring their instruments and join the jam!
12:30–2:30 p.m.

One of the major forces in the Japanese world of jazz, Grammy® nominee Makoto Ozone has made an equally impressive impact in America, with a technique that belies a comprehensive mastery of the full jazz piano spectrum. Also a distinguished composer, he creates music that ranges from romantic and post-bop to works that brush the edge of free jazz. The Guardian calls him a "tour de force" performer with "high standards of virtuosity and accuracy."

A pivotal figure in the history of bebop, the late Billy Eckstine was also one of the first African Americans to achieve lasting success as a ballad singer in the pop mainstream. As "the standout vocalist of his generation" (Newsweek), Kennedy Center favorite Kevin Mahogany uses his gifts for bebop, ballads, and blues to honor this 1940s jazz icon.

A self-taught guitarist who plays with "exceptional harmonic ingenuity and finesse" (The Washington Post), Russell Malone is well-known in the jazz world for his congenial, clever style and astounding versatility. He lends his virtuosic talents to a spirited music set, including 1940s works by Charlie Christian, arguably the first important electric guitarist.