A PERFORMANCE AND DEMONSTRAT ION

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Celebrating Great Women of Jazz:

ABBEY LINCOLN(1930–2010)American vocalist, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist Abbey Lincoln was one of jazz music’s most fearless and uncompromising performers. With a deep voice and distinctive singing style, she understood how to capture and express the emotional dimensions of a song. Careful to find some personal meaning in everything she sang, her performances were known for being intensely passionate and powerful. This was especially true of her own original compositions, many of which advocated for racial equality and connected to America’s Civil Rights Movement.

Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, and Joni Mitchell

LYNNE ARRIALE, CARLA COOK, AND GRACE KELLY

Jazz artists Lynne Arriale (pianist), Carla Cook (vocalist), and Grace Kelly (saxophonist) come together to honor and celebrate three music legends: Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, and Joni Mitchell. Joined by Evan Gregor on bass and Ross Pederson on drums, the quintet performs this musical tribute with reinterpretations of popular favorites, plus some original compositions.

NINA SIMONE(1933–2003)American pianist, composer, vocalist, and civil rights activist Nina Simone began playing the piano at age four. She was a natural talent and aspired to be a classical concert pianist. Her plans changed, however, when she was denied a college music scholarship because of the color of her skin. As a result, she began playing jazz in small clubs, where she was also asked to sing. Audiences were won over by her flawless piano technique and unique voice. Soon Simone began writing her own music focusing on issues that were important to her, including the Civil Rights Movement. She is best remembered for these personal, expressive works in which she incorporated elements from different musical styles including jazz, blues, folk, classical, and gospel.

JONI MITCHELL(b. 1943)Known for her low, airy voice, complex guitar and piano compositions, and insightful, poetic lyrics, Canadian vocalist and composer Joni Mitchell is one of the most adventurous artists of her generation. She’s continued to challenge and evolve her characteristic sound throughout her career, often experimenting with different musical styles. In the late 1970s, Mitchell began collaborating with respected jazz musicians including renowned jazz bassist Charles Mingus—another artist attentive to addressing political and social issues in his work. Almost 30 albums and countless performances and awards later, she has refused to be confined by boundaries of musical genre or gender.

MEET THE HONOREES

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Nina Simone and Joni Mitchell Photographs by Jack Robinson, the Jack Robinson Archive, LLC; www.robinsonarchive.com

Lynne ArrialeJazz pianist, composer, and arranger Lynne Arriale is known for her vibrant style and emotionally-charged performances. Described as a musical storyteller, she often experiments with melody (the main tune of a piece of music created by a series of notes) and complex layers of notes and emotions.

Carla CookSinger/songwriter Carla Cook is known for her warm contralto (the lowest female voice type). She not only performs jazz standards but often puts her own jazz spins on songs that were originally composed for R&B, European classical, Motown, blues, gospel, rock, and even country.

About the Program

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Deborah F. Rutter President

Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President, Education

Jason Moran Artistic Director for Jazz

Jazz Performance/Demonstrations are made possible by Kaplan, Inc.; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

www.artsedge.kennedy-center.org

Cuesheets are produced by ArtsEdgE, an education program of the Kennedy Center.

Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at

www.kennedy-center.org/education

The contents of this Cuesheet have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

© 2015 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

During this session, five musicians will celebrate these jazz pioneers by performing a mix of original compositions along with many familiar jazz standards. Jazz standards refer to popular musical compositions that are widely known and performed, so much so, they have become a standard part of the jazz music repertoire, also known as the “Great American Songbook.” While there is no official list of jazz standards, most of these classic songs were created between the 1920s and 60s for Broadway musicals and films. Since then, each has been performed and recorded countless times by a variety of artists.

MEET THE ARTISTS

Listen Up!Jazz is a truly American musical form—and many people consider it one of America’s best contributions to the world of music. To learn more about jazz, visit ArtsEdge at: artsedge.kennedy-center.org/students/kc-connections

Grace KellyJazz saxophonist, singer, and composer Grace Kelly is considered a music prodigy. She began playing piano at age six, and took up the clarinet and saxophone at age nine. Today, at only 23, she has recorded nine CDs and performed in more than 500 concerts all around the world.

Evan GregorEvan Gregor has a deep love for the bass and its role in any ensemble. He’s mastered both the acoustic and electric bass, which allows him to perform in a broad range of musical styles.

Ross PedersonDrummer, producer, and composer Ross Pederson has performed all over the world. He has been recorded on dozens of albums that range in musical styles from jazz to R&B, folk, and indie rock.

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