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As part of its 30th Anniversary celebration, the Jazz Institute of Chicago, will present a once-in-a-lifetime event. Co-sponsored by the Museum of Science and Industry, this concert will offer a rare opportunity to hear how the creative genius of one man influenced the evolution of one of America's most original art forms. Louis Armstrong is the single most important figure in the history of jazz. His instrumental virtuosity was of such a high level that he amazed, challenged and inspired musicians of all kinds– jazz, classical and popular– ultimately elevating the level of musicianship of those who followed him. Without the crucial artistry of Louis Armstrong, jazz could not have established itself as an art form or a popular music, and the cultural life of America would have been changed forever. Experience a living history of a vibrant music and the man whose ideas have traveled throughout the century.
Part I: Setting the Foundation– When Armstrong's music described the rhythms of Chicago's 1920's Black Metropolis, it found an audience far beyond the limits of the city. Chicago's versatile and virtuoso trumpeter Orbert Davis will pay homage to the singular giant by recreating the momentous Hot Five and Hot Seven groups that lit the budding jazz world on fire. Part II: An Enduring Influence– The forties big bands took Armstrong's innovations and sculpted another new kind of sound. Performances of Armstrong's big band music of the period will illustrate his influence as an instrumentalist, vocalist, and entertainer. Fronting a handpicked assemblage of notable Chicago musicians, another virtuoso trumpet player will pay tribute to the musical master. Jon Faddis, former protégé of Dizzy Gillespie will show how Pop's chops helped to blaze the way into the Swing era. Part III: A Legacy for the Future– Propelling the reach of Armstrong's music into the future of jazz, the finale will feature a specially commissioned composition by former Chicago and internationally acclaimed avant garde jazz trumpeter Lester Bowie. Bowie's trademark labcoat stage apparel is symbolic of his love for experimentation on his instrument, but even his most adventurous experiments draw conspicuously from the historic groundwork laid by Master Armstrong. In many respects Bowie embodies the spirit of both the music and the man. This world premiere by another of jazz's trumpet masters will celebrate and extend the legacy of Louis Armstrong's vital influence into the next millennium and beyond. |
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