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Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month on the @KimmelCulturalCampus (Facebook and Instagram)/@KimmelCC (Twitter) with offerings from @dianakrall (Facebook and Instagram) @nonahendryx (Facebook) @quianalynell (Facebook and Instagram), and @lizzwrightmusic (Facebook and Instagram)
Press Contacts:
Lauren A. (Woodard) Hall
484-832-1963
lhall@kimmelculturalcampus.org
Hailey Foster
856-745-0292
hailey@cashmanandassociates.com
CELEBRATE JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH
ON THE KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS
Featuring Grammy® Award winning artist, Diana Krall; Temple University Senior Ensemble; FREE programming; and more this April 2022
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (Philadelphia, PA, April 1, 2022) –– The Kimmel Cultural Campus announces an array of diverse programming in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month this April 2022. The Cultural Campus will present a wide range of acclaimed local and national artists – including the Temple University Senior Ensemble and Grammy Award Winner, Diana Krall – and FREE live performances, as an extension of their newly launched FREE programming.
“We are pleased to present an array of programming in celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month,” said Matías Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center, Inc. “The stages across the Kimmel Cultural Campus will come to life with the inventive and inspiring sounds of Jazz, from the talented student musicians of Temple University to renowned performers like Dianne Reeves. It is particularly exciting to experience the artistry of local performers in new series of free programs in the Kimmel Center Plaza that celebrates the unique power of the arts to bring us together.”
Jazz Appreciation Month-specific programming will kick off with an energetic FREE Lunchtime Unplugged event— featuring Temple University Senior Ensemble. The live showcase will be the third daytime event to occur as part of the arts organization’s recently launched, FREE “In the Plaza”, bringing to life the original vision of the Kimmel Center building as a place for continuous live entertainment. The event will feature six accomplished student musicians, specializing in jazz music and showcasing a variety of instruments including saxophone, bass, guitar, drums, and piano.
Programming continues on Friday, April 8, with Grammy® Award-winning jazz singer, Diana Krall — the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. To date, her albums have garnered two Grammy® Awards, ten Juno® Awards, and have also earned nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi-platinum albums. Krall's unique artistry has made her one of the most recognizable artists of our time, with “a voice at once cool and sultry, wielded with a rhythmic sophistication,” according to The New York Times.
Jazz In The Key Of Ellisonwill fill Verizon Hall with sounds celebrating the musical world of Ralph Ellison — acclaimed author of the National Book Award-winning novel Invisible Man, and accomplished trumpeter. Occurring on Thursday, April 14, music and narration will feature iconic Labelle singer/recording artist Nona Hendryx; 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winner Quiana Lynell; Lizz Wright; the Andy Farber Jazz Orchestra from the Broadway show After Midnight; cohost Carl Hancock Rux;and narration by leading Ellison scholar Robert O’Meally.
Rescheduled to April 21 at the Miller Theater (formerly Merriam Theater), five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves is the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world. As a result of her breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings – a Grammy first in any vocal category.
In observance of Jazz Appreciation Month, the Kimmel Cultural Campus will offer a variety of FREE programming as an extension of their new community offerings; including Nightlife at the Kimmel on April 11, featuring Jazz Philadelphia’s Gerald Veasley – with Joshua Lee on saxophone, The Extended Family, and Philly Lindy Throwdown, led by Nick Cruickshank. Happy Hour Sessions at the Kimmel will take place on Friday, April 15, featuring young lion of Philly Jazz, Nasir Dickerson’s Life Light Empower Band, with original compositions and a fresh spin on popular Philly favs from DJ Junior. Free programming in observance of Jazz Appreciation Month will conclude with an additional Lunchtime Unplugged at the Kimmel on Friday, April 22 — featuring pianist and composer, Micah Graves; vocalist, Danielle Dougherty; and Settlement Music School piano student Jd Esters.
Want more? Be sure to check out our Kimmel-curated playlists– all on our Spotify channel celebrating jazz artists and musicians.
Deeply committed to the health and safety of guests, artists, and staff and proudly certified by GBAC, the gold standard for infection prevention programs, the Kimmel Cultural Campus is requiring masks to be worn at all times, as well as proof of vaccination for those over 5. Guests under 5 will be required to show a negative PCR test result or negative rapid test. Additional details below.
The Kimmel Cultural Campus thanks Jazz Appreciation Month sponsor Audible.
Below is a full list of Jazz Appreciation Month offerings in chronological order:
LUNCHTIME UNPLUGGED AT THE KIMMEL
Kimmel Plaza
Friday, April 1, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Featuring Temple University Senior Ensemble, this event kicks off Jazz Appreciation Month on the Kimmel Cultural Campus.
- Banks Sapnar, trumpet
- Evan Kappelman, saxophone
- Stanley Ruvinov, bass
- Ben Reinwart, guitar
- Dave Auerbach, drums
- Micah Graves, piano
Evan Kappelman
Evan Kappelman is a saxophonist and composer originating from the historically important jazz community of Kansas City. Evan has performed with bandleader Christian McBride as a member of the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Jazz Academy, as well as at Carnegie Hall followed by a tour across Asia with bandleader Sean Jones and guest artist Kurt Elling as a member of the NYO Jazz program. He has also received honors with selections to the 2019 NAfME All-National Jazz Ensemble, the 2018 Jazz Band of America, a YoungArts Merit Winner in Jazz Performance and Composition, as well as the Dave Brubeck Institute Summer Jazz Colony. Evan is musically rooted in the jazz tradition and incorporates more modern approaches in his playing and compositions. Evan currently resides in Philadelphia where he attends Temple University under the tutelage of Dick Oatts, Tim Warfield, and Terell Stafford.
Ben Reinwart
Modern jazz guitarist and composer Ben Reinwart grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. He attended an elite high school jazz program there named “Jazz St. Louis” under Adaron Jackson. Reinwart is currently completing his undergraduate degree in Jazz Performance at Temple University and is looking toward different graduate school programs in New York City and Philadelphia. His time in Philadelphia has been a crucial part in his growth as a jazz guitarist. Reinwart has studied with Antonio Hart, Jeremy Pelt, Mike Moreno, Tim Warfield, Bruce Barth, and David Wong to name a few. Over the span of his career Reinwart has been able to work with Bob Deboo, Ingrid Jensen, Ben Wolfe, Antonio Hart, Dick Oatts, Scott Wednholt, Chris Cheek, and Lucas Brown.
Dave Auerbach
Dave Auerbach is a senior Jazz performance Major at Temple university. At 22 years old, he has been studying drums for seven years. Growing up in the Philadelphia area, Dave took advantage of the abundance of high-quality music and since the age of 15, he decided to pursue music as a career. He comes from a family of independent and commercial painters and illustrators and though my passion is not for those art forms, the appreciation and admiration they passed along for dedicating oneself to any form of art stuck with him.
Micah Graves
Fueled by a 6-month stint in Amsterdam as an exchange student, pianist Micah Graves returned home passionate about composing music. The Philadelphia native, who turns 24 in January has also implemented an aggressive schedule for recording music that has resulted in three impressive releases in less than a year and includes his sublime, genre bending CD Pawns.
Micah’s musical foundation has roots in several of the same programs that assisted in the early development of Christian McBride, Joey DeFrancesco, Justin Faulkner, Immanuel Wilkins, and many more. He’s an all-state talent that has benefited from Summers at Berklee’s jazz camps and graduating from the jazz program at Temple University.
While contemplating grad school, planning a tour, and playing the role of educator himself, his CD release count is on schedule to double in 2022. The new litter will include two projects featuring more of his original compositions and a release that pays homage to jazz standards.
More artist information to come.
DIANA KRALL
Presented by the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Academy of Music
Friday, April 8, 2022, at 8:00 p.m.
Diana Krall is the only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. To date, her albums have garnered two Grammy® Awards, ten Juno® Awards, and have also earned nine gold, three platinum, and seven multi-platinum albums. Krall's unique artistry transcends any single musical style and has made her one of the most recognizable artists of our time. As The New York Times recently noted Krall possesses, “A voice at once cool and sultry, wielded with a rhythmic sophistication”
Born in Nanaimo, British Columbia, which is outside of Vancouver, Krall grew up in the western part of Canada and began studying the piano when she was four years old. By the time she was 15, she was performing jazz locally and with the encouragement of her father, a stride pianist with a vast knowledge of such Twenties and Thirties keyboard masters as Fats Waller, James P. Johnson, and Earl Hines, she devoted herself to music. "I think Dad had every recording Fats Waller ever made," she says, "and I tried to learn as many as I could."
Krall was still a teenager when she was awarded a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. After two years in Boston, she moved to Los Angeles, where she met her first jazz heavyweights, including bassist John Clayton, drummer Jeff Hamilton, pianist/singer Jimmy Rowles, and Ray Brown, the legendary bassist who served as her musical mentor. In 1993, the Montreal-based Justin Time Records released her debut album, Stepping Out. The following year she signed with GRP Records and recorded Only Trust Your Heart, which featured Ray Brown on bass and Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone. Only Trust Your Heart also marked the beginning of her association with Tommy LiPuma, a collaboration that would continue until LiPuma’s untimely passing in 2017.
NIGHTLIFE AT THE KIMMEL
Free at the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Kimmel Plaza
Monday, April 11, 2022, from 8:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
A partnered presentation with Jazz Philadelphia’s Gerald Veasley, this event is in observance of Jazz Appreciation Month – with Joshua Lee on saxophone, The Extended Family, and Philly Lindy Throwdown, led by Nick Cruickshank.
This event will be the debut performance of Josh Lee and the Extended Family. Featuring the brightest young Philadelphia musicians, this 15-piece ensemble plays the music of Count Basie, Jimmie Lunceford and Flethcer Henderson: an era that is often neglected. The Extended Family will be accompanied by the talented dancers of The Philly Lindy Throwdown led by Nick Cruickshank. Dancers from all around the city are invited to join in and social dance to this great music.
Joshua Lee
Saxophonist, bandleader, and Managing and Co-Artistic Director of Jazz Lives Philadelphia, Joshua Lee is fully dedicated to the advancement of the Philadelphia jazz community. Joshua graduated from Temple University in 2016 and 2019 with both a Bachelor’s and Master's degree in Jazz Performance. He has had the fortune of mentorship from musicians like Dick Oatts, Terell Stafford, Tim Warfield, and Gary Smulyan on both the Philadelphia and New York scenes.
As a result, Joshua joined the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra in June of 2018 and performs with them around the world while also serving as a regular substitute with groups like the Vanguard Jazz orchestra, Delfeayo Marsalis’ Upton Jazz Orchestra, and Terell Stafford’s Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia. Joshua joined the Jazz Faculty at Temple University in the fall of 2019, was awarded as one of Temple University’s 30 Under 30 in 2020, and joined the WRTI team in early 2021.
Philly Lindy Throwdown
In jazz and jazz dance, innovation is the tradition. Lindy Hop, jazz dance, and jazz music have been around for over a hundred years, but the goal has never been to recreate the past, rather, it is to let the influences of the past combined with the vernacular of the present guide each step and shape.
The dancers of Philly Lindy Throwdown aim to embody this feeling in their fast swingouts, their high-flying air steps, and their playful improvography, all done in tandem with and in response to live jazz music. Swing may sometimes feel like a journey through time, but the destination is always today.
JAZZ IN THE KEY OF ELLISON
Presented by The Kimmel Cultural Campus
Verizon Hall
Thursday, April 14, 2022, at 7:30 p.m.
JAZZ IN THE KEY OF ELLISON celebrates the musical world of Ralph Ellison. It is a concert production inspired by the musical life of America’s iconic writer Ralph Ellison, presented in music, words, and images. Ralph Ellison, acclaimed author of the National Book Award-winning novel Invisible Man, was an accomplished trumpeter who was close to many of the great jazz innovators of his lifetime – from Armstrong and Ellington to Bird and Monk. The concert celebration premiered in November 2016 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center.
The star-led evening of music and narration will feature iconic Labelle singer/recording artist Nona Hendryx; 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winner Quiana Lynell; Lizz Wright; the Andy Farber Jazz Orchestra from the Broadway show After Midnight; cohost Carl Hancock Rux;and narration by leading Ellison scholar Robert O’Meally. Other performing artists from the R&B/Jazz world to be announced.
Still images and video of Ellison, legendary performers including Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, and paintings by Ellison’s close friend Romare Beardon provide a visual backdrop.
HAPPY HOUR SESSIONS AT THE KIMMEL
Free at the Kimmel Cultural Campus
Kimmel Plaza
Friday, April 15, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Featuring Young lion of Philly Jazz, Nasir Dickerson’s Life Light Empower Band, with original compositions and a fresh spin on popular Philly favs. This event is in observance of Jazz Appreciation Month. With DJ Junior.
Nasir Dickerson
Born in Philadelphia, PA, raised in Camden, NJ, Nasir is a graduate of University of the Arts, with a bachelor's degree in Saxophone Performance (2006) and a Master’s Degree in Music Education (2007). Nasir is a teacher of music at Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy in Camden, NJ. He received the Teacher of the Year award in 2010, followed by an Emmy Award in 2011, as part of a music teaching team who used a “Vertical Articulation” teaching method.
Nasir is the leader of the jazz sextet, “Nasir Dickerson & The Renaissance Messengers,” and has produced two albums “Journey to Father Land” & “The Revealer.” He is also, an artistic/music director for “The Universal African Dance & Drum Ensemble.” In 2011, Nasir performed in the movie “WARRIOR” by LIONSGATE starring Nick Nolte. He has performed with artists such as rappers The Roots Crew, Vocalist Bilal, Vocalist Maysa, Rappers Beanie Sigel, State Property, Stalley, and The legendary Stylistics. He has opened for legendary jazz greats, such as Dr. Donald Byrd, Robert "Bootsie" Barnes, Wallace Roney, Jimmy Heath, Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Duane Eubanks, Jymie Merritt, Mickey Roker, Stanley Wilson and Sid Simmons. Nasir is also a World Champion 6th Degree Master Black Belt in the Martial Arts and has been inducted into two Martial Arts Hall of Fames.
DJ Junior
Some do it for the fame. Some do it for the money. But the very best selectors play music for the love of it. Take DJ Junior, one of Philadelphia’s premiere purveyors of indie hip-hop, house, rare grooves, broken beat and afrobeat.
Each Friday from 6 to 9 PM EST, Junior shares this passion for independent artistry on Eavesdrop Radio, the radio show he created and now co-hosts with Lil’ Dave. The show, which is broadcast by Drexel University’s WKDU 91.7FM and archived on Junior’s web site, www.recordbreakin.com, features music and interviews from hundreds of signed and unsigned musicians. By providing a platform for those outside of the commercial loop, Eavesdrop has attracted a worldwide following.
In 2007 Junior started Record Breakin' Music (RBM), a Philadelphia-based, boutique record label with a straightforward approach to releasing quality new music with a soulful foundation. To date the label has released over 80 releases. "Our focus has and always will be to present quality music to a culture that embraces it."
DIANNE REEVES
Presented by The Kimmel Cultural Campus
Miller Theater (formerly Merriam Theater)
Thursday, April 21, 2022, at 8:00 p.m.
Five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves is the pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world. As a result of her breathtaking virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings – a Grammy first in any vocal category.
Featured in George Clooney’s six-time Academy Award nominated Good Night, and Good Luck, Reeves won the Best Jazz Vocal Grammy for the film's soundtrack.
Reeves has recorded and performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. She has also recorded with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Daniel Barenboim and was a featured soloist with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. Reeves was the first Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first singer to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Reeves worked with legendary producer Arif Mardin (Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin) on the Grammy winning A Little Moonlight, an intimate collection of standards featuring her touring trio. When Reeves’ holiday collection Christmas Time is Here was released, Ben Ratliff of The New York Times raved, “Ms. Reeves, a jazz singer of frequently astonishing skill, takes the assignment seriously; this is one of the best jazz Christmas CD's I've heard.”
In recent years Reeves has toured the world in a variety of contexts including “Sing the Truth,” a musical celebration of Nina Simone which also featured Liz Wright and Angelique Kidjo. She performed at the White House on multiple occasions including President Obama's State Dinner for the President of China as well as the Governors’ Ball.
Reeves’ most recent release, Beautiful Life, features Gregory Porter, Robert Glasper, Lalah Hathaway and Esperanza Spalding. Produced by Terri Lyne Carrington, Beautiful Life won the 2015 Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance. Reeves is the recipient of honorary doctorates from the Berklee College of Music and the Juilliard School. In 2018 the National Endowment for the Arts designated Reeves a Jazz Master – the highest honor the United States bestows on jazz artists.
This event was rescheduled by the Kimmel Cultural Campus to April 21, 2022.
LUNCHTIME UNPLUGGED AT THE KIMMEL
Kimmel Plaza
Friday, April 22, 2022, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Featuring Micah Graves, pianist and composer
Danielle Dougherty, vocalist
Jd Esters, Settlement Music School piano student
Micah Graves
Fueled by a 6-month stint in Amsterdam as an exchange student, pianist Micah Graves returned home passionate about composing music. The Philadelphia native, who turns 24 in January has also implemented an aggressive schedule for recording music that has resulted in three impressive releases in less than a year and includes his sublime, genre bending CD Pawns.
Micah’s musical foundation has roots in several of the same programs that assisted in the early development of Christian McBride, Joey DeFrancesco, Justin Faulkner, Immanuel Wilkins, and many more. He’s an all-state talent that has benefited from Summers at Berklee’s jazz camps and graduating from the jazz program at Temple University.
While contemplating grad school, planning a tour, and playing the role of educator himself, his CD release count is on schedule to double in 2022. The new litter will include two projects featuring more of his original compositions and a release that pays homage to jazz standards.
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Safe & Clean Commitment
The Kimmel Cultural Campus is proudly certified by the Global Biorisk Advisory Council – the gold standard for cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention programs.
We will always put the safety of our guests, artists, and staff first, and we have worked closely with partners, producers, artists, guests and other performing arts centers around the nation to develop the most comprehensive plan to safely reopen our doors. We are committing to a healthy and clean environment with increased disinfection, enhanced ventilation, and will enforce recommended health authority guidelines, including masks and proof of vaccination.
Masks are required to be worn at all times when on the Kimmel Cultural Campus, except when actively consuming food or beverage in designated locations. Prolonged periods of mask removal are not permitted.
All attendees for public events must show proof of full vaccination at the time of entry, with valid photo ID and copy of vaccination card (physical or photo). Children under 5 are no longer required to show a negative PCR test or negative rapid result when accompanied by a fully vaccinated adult.
This policy is subject to change based upon guidance from the CDC and local health authorities. For more information on our Safe & Clean Commitment and the most up-to-date information about our policies, please visit kimmelculturalcampus.org.
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KIMMEL CULTURAL CAMPUS
Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region's diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1-million guests per year and includes Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall, Perelman Theater, and SEI Innovation Studio), the Academy of Music, and the Miller Theater (formerly the Merriam Theater) – representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia's Avenue of the Arts. We are home to The Philadelphia Orchestra and seven esteemed Resident Companies: Opera Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philly POPS, PHILADANCO, The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and Curtis Institute of Music. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region's most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region's young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is the proud Kimmel Cultural Campus Season Sponsor. Read Kimmel Cultural Campus' vision statement, world view, and mission statement here. Learn more about our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and how it encompasses our mission, co-workers, and programs here.
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For photography, please visit https://kcccpress.smugmug.com
For a PDF version of this press release, click here.