https://www.facebook.com/jazzatlincolncenter/videos/10155331973214675/
Count Meets the Duke: Wynton Marsalis, Vincent Gardner, Rodney Whitaker, and Dan Block – all current or former members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra – join a group of handpicked young artists to perform the music of Count Basie and Duke Ellington. Kansas City's Count Basie Orchestra remains a standard-setting example of a hard-swinging big band, with iconic soloists, infectious tunes, and the eternally envied "All-American Rhythm Section" of Jo Jones, Freddie Green, and Walter Page. Duke Ellington, too, was an extraordinary bandleader, as well as a genius composer of incalculable influence. Throughout its incredible variety, Ellington's music has a timeless quality and unmatched ability to uplift and enlighten, offering an ideal showcase a big band's nuance and cohesion. The rising stars in tonight's band are in early stages of what will surely be exciting musical careers, and each has earned a spot on stage through deep dedication. The band features trumpeters Jumaane Smith, Riley Mulherkar, and Anthony Hervey; saxophonists Julian Lee, Patrick Bartley, Zoe Obadia, and Ben Cohen; trombonists Jeffery Miller, Sam Chess, and Rebecca Patterson; guitarist Cosimo Fabrizio; violinist Chase Potter; vocalist Brianna Thomas; pianists Joel Wendhart and Isaiah J. Thompson; bassist Russell Hall; and drummer Sammy Miller. Several of these artists have joined the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on tour, and many are regular performers at Jazz at Lincoln Center, including Julian Lee, who regularly hosts Late Night Session at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. When the Count meets the Duke, it will be an inspiring multigenerational exploration of the jazz canon's core.
