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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Press Contacts: April 10, 2012 Rachelle Roe Maggie Berndt Erin Dennis SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS JAZZ SERIES ANNOUNCES COMPLETE 2012/13 CONCERTS 10-Concert Jazz Series Brings Jazz’s Biggest Names to Chicago, Including Sonny Rollins, Jack DeJohnette, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau, Wayne Shorter, Nicholas Payton and More Series Also Features Two Programs Highlighting 2012/13 Rivers Theme with Symphony Center Presents Commissions from Bill Frisell and Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic CHICAGO The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association’s Symphony Center Presents Jazz series boasts one of the most comprehensive, innovative, varied and widely heralded jazz series in the country. The complete lineup for the 2012/13 Jazz season includes living legends and today’s top talent presented on 10 Friday nights at 8 p.m. from October through June. The Jazz series features two concerts that are part of the 2012/13 Rivers exploration. This theme, which crosses over Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Center Presents performances, explores how artists from all cultures have been affected and inspired by rivers and how rivers are a driving force of change that affect humanity on multiple levels. The 2012/13 jazz series kicks off on Friday, October 12 with a Symphony Center Presents commission, The Great Flood, a film by director Bill Morrison with original music composed and performed by legendary guitarist Bill Frisell. This film tells the story of the disastrous 1927 Mississippi River flood, which destroyed homes and lives, contributing to The Great Migration of thousands of African-Americansincluding many Delta blues musiciansnorthwards to cities including Chicago. Frisell performs his score live, assisted by Ron Miles on trumpet, Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. This special presentation also marks the start of the CSO’s Rivers exploration. The Great Flood was commissioned by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (World Premiere); Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University; Carnegie Hall; Symphony Center Presents, Chicago and Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College. The Great Flood was commissioned through Meet The Composer's Commissioning Music/USA program, which is made possible by generous support from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the Ford Foundation, the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Helen F. Whitaker Fund. Additional support made possible by USA Projects, an online initiative of United States Artists.

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Page 1: SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS JAZZ SERIES ANNOUNCES COMPLETE ... · SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS JAZZ SERIES ANNOUNCES COMPLETE 2012 ... from Bill Frisell and ... 2012/13 Symphony Center Presents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Press Contacts: April 10, 2012 Rachelle Roe Maggie Berndt Erin Dennis

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS JAZZ SERIES ANNOUNCES COMPLETE 2012/13 CONCERTS

10-Concert Jazz Series Brings Jazz’s Biggest Names to Chicago, Including Sonny Rollins, Jack DeJohnette, Wynton Marsalis, Brad Mehldau,

Wayne Shorter, Nicholas Payton and More

Series Also Features Two Programs Highlighting 2012/13 Rivers Theme with Symphony Center Presents Commissions from Bill Frisell and Orbert Davis’

Chicago Jazz Philharmonic

CHICAGO — The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association’s Symphony Center Presents Jazz series boasts one of the most comprehensive, innovative, varied and widely heralded jazz series in the country. The complete lineup for the 2012/13 Jazz season includes living legends and today’s top talent presented on 10 Friday nights at 8 p.m. from October through June.

The Jazz series features two concerts that are part of the 2012/13 Rivers exploration. This theme, which crosses over Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Symphony Center Presents performances, explores how artists from all cultures have been affected and inspired by rivers and how rivers are a driving force of change that affect humanity on multiple levels.

The 2012/13 jazz series kicks off on Friday, October 12 with a Symphony Center Presents commission, The Great Flood, a film by director Bill Morrison with original music composed and performed by legendary guitarist Bill Frisell. This film tells the story of the disastrous 1927 Mississippi River flood, which destroyed homes and lives, contributing to The Great Migration of thousands of African-Americans—including many Delta blues musicians—northwards to cities including Chicago. Frisell performs his score live, assisted by Ron Miles on trumpet, Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. This special presentation also marks the start of the CSO’s Rivers exploration. The Great Flood was commissioned by Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (World Premiere); Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University; Carnegie Hall; Symphony Center Presents, Chicago and Hopkins Center, Dartmouth College. The Great Flood was commissioned through Meet The Composer's Commissioning Music/USA program, which is made possible by generous support from the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, the Ford Foundation, the Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Helen F. Whitaker Fund. Additional support made possible by USA Projects, an online initiative of United States Artists.

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An all-star lineup of musicians gathers to celebrate the 70th birthday of the legendary drummer, pianist and composer Jack DeJohnette on Friday, November 2. Known for his work with Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Charles Lloyd, Thelonious Monk, Keith Jarrett and more, DeJohnette has long been admired as one of the greatest drummers in jazz. Adding to his multiple Grammy awards and other accolades, DeJohnette was recently named a 2012 Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts. For this special celebration, DeJohnette’s trio, Gateway—with guitarist John Abercrombie and bassist Dave Holland—reunites more than 35 years after the release of their self-titled first album and more than 15 years since their last recording together, 1996’s In the Moment.

Symphony Center Presents Jazz spends a night in Cuba, headlined by the all-star Ninety Miles project on Friday, November 30. Named for the distance from Havana to the Florida Keys, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, trumpeter Nicholas Payton and saxophonist David Sánchez join forces for a session that blends traditional Cuban music with jazz. Inspired by Harris and Sánchez’s collaboration with bassist Christian Scott and a group of Cuban musicians that resulted in an album and documentary film of the same name, this project aims to break down the political and cultural boundaries that separate the U.S. and Cuba and celebrate the rich musical cross-pollination that can result. Opening the concert is a solo set from Grammy Award-winning Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba. His most recent album was 2011’s Fé, featuring his compositions for solo piano, and a new album from his trio is due out in 2012.

Symphony Center favorite and acclaimed jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, along with Angelique Kidjo and Lizz Wright, bring Sing the Truth!, a musical tribute to the women of jazz, folk, gospel, the blues and R&B, to Chicago on Friday, January 18. These three women perform music from three recently passed legends—Miriam Makeba, Abbey Lincoln and Odetta—along with songs from musicians as diverse as Billie Holiday to Lauryn Hill for an evening that celebrates the contributions and spirit of great female artists.

The Monterey Jazz Festival—now in its 55th year—is one of the longest-running jazz festivals in the world; throughout its vaunted history, this annual weekend of jazz has hosted nearly all of the most influential and important artists, from Dizzy Gillespie to Esperanza Spalding. Symphony Center Presents brings Monterey to Chicago on Friday, March 22 with the Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour, featuring an all-star line-up highlighted by vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, bassist Christian McBride, pianist Benny Green, drummer Lewis Nash, saxophonist Chris Potter and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusiré.

Saxophone colossus Sonny Rollins, who recently added a 2011 Kennedy Center Honor and a 2010 National Medal of Arts to his long list of accolades, returns to Symphony Center for his first appearance in three years on Friday, March 29. Rollins has worked with generations of jazz musicians, including pioneers Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk to today’s top artists such as Christian McBride and Russell Malone.

On Friday, April 19, jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, who is increasingly exploring cross-genre collaborations, teams up with noted mandolinist Chris Thile, acclaimed for his work with acoustic trio Nickel Creek as well as more recent partnerships including Punch Brothers and The Goat Rodeo Sessions with Edgar Meyer and Yo-Yo Ma. This eclectic pairing received rave reviews when they first performed together at London’s Wigmore Hall in September 2011, where they played everything from Bach to Bob Dylan with a folk and jazz-inflected improvisational flair. This performance marks Thile’s Symphony Center debut.

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Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic makes its Symphony Center debut on Friday, May 24 performing a specially commissioned work that celebrates the Chicago River and the impact it has had on making Chicago an American metropolis as part of the 2012/13 Rivers series. The performance will use photographs from Richard Cahan and Michael Williams’ new book, The Lost Panoramas: When Chicago Changed Its River and the Land Beyond. These previously unpublished pictures document how Chicago sacrificed the natural environment in order to survive and prosper by reversing the flow of the Chicago River.

In his first appearance at Symphony Center since 2008, acclaimed saxophonist, composer and leader Wayne Shorter brings his quartet—featuring pianist Danilo Pérez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade—back to Chicago on Friday, June 7. This concert, in celebration of Shorter’s 80th birthday, blends jazz standards with his own masterful compositions.

The 2012/13 Jazz series wraps up with perennial favorite Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, making its only appearance at Symphony Center this season on Friday, June 21 (moved from the previously announced date of Friday, February 1). Led by master trumpeter Marsalis, this ensemble keeps the big-band tradition alive, playing both unheralded works from jazz’s golden age and new compositions by its members and other top contemporary composers. The previously announced Jazz for Young People concert and the additional evening performance on Saturday, February 2 have been canceled due to scheduling conflicts.

The Symphony Center Presents Jazz series is sponsored by BMO Harris.

* * * *

Subscription Information Subscriptions for the 2012/13 Symphony Center Presents Jazz series are currently available, offering savings of up to 32% off regular single ticket prices. The complete 10-concert series ranges in price from $224 to $766; a five-concert series ranges from $125 to $428. Special perks for jazz subscribers include a free one-year subscription to DownBeat magazine (offer available to the first 500 households who subscribe).

Subscribers also receive reduced prices on additional single tickets when purchased by August 10, 2012, plus benefits including ticket exchange privileges, discounts on Symphony Center merchandise, and discounted prepaid parking.

Subscriptions may be purchased or renewed by any of five methods: online, by phone, by fax, by mail or in person at the box office. The CSO provides an easy payment plan option for subscribers: subscription purchases made by credit card by June 25, 2011, are eligible for the payment plan and will be automatically charged in two installments. Single tickets for Jazz series concerts go on sale Friday, August 10.

For more information, please call CSO ticketing services at 312-294-3000 or 800-223-7114, Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; or visit cso.org. Groups of 10 or more who are interested in subscribing to the 2012/13 season should call Symphony Center’s Group Sales Department at 312-294-3040.

Symphony Center, home of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, is located at 220 S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. Complete performance information follows:

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Symphony Center Presents Friday, October 12, 2012, 8 p.m. Jazz The Great Flood: A Film by Bill Morrison Rivers: Nature, Power, Culture Music composed and performed by Bill Frisell With Ron Miles, Tony Scherr, Kenny Wollesen Bill Frisell, guitar Ron Miles, trumpet Tony Scherr, bass Kenny Wollesen, drums

Symphony Center Presents Friday, November 2, 2012, 8 p.m. Jazz Jack DeJohnette 70th Birthday Celebration John Abercrombie, guitar Dave Holland, bass Jack DeJohnette, drums

Symphony Center Presents Friday, November 30, 2012, 8 p.m. Jazz Ninety Miles Stefon Harris, vibraphone Nicholas Payton, trumpet David Sánchez, saxophone

Gonzalo Rubalcaba, piano

Symphony Center Presents Friday, January 18, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Sing the Truth! Dianne Reeves, vocals Angelique Kidjo, vocals Lizz Wright, vocals

Symphony Center Presents Friday, March 22, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour—55th Anniversary Dee Dee Bridgewater, vocals Christian McBride, bass Benny Green, piano Lewis Nash, drums Chris Potter, saxophone Ambrose Akinmusiré, trumpet

Symphony Center Presents Friday, March 29, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Sonny Rollins, saxophone

Symphony Center Presents Friday, April 19, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Brad Mehldau, piano Chris Thile, mandolin

Symphony Center Presents Friday, May 24, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Rivers: Nature, Power, Culture Orbert Davis, artistic director

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Symphony Center Presents Friday, June 7, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Wayne Shorter Quartet Wayne Shorter, saxophone Danilo Pérez, piano John Patitucci, bass Brian Blade, drums

Symphony Center Presents Friday, June 21, 2013, 8 p.m. Jazz Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Wynton Marsalis, trumpet

TICKETS: 312-294-3000, cso.org

Artists, programs and ticket prices are subject to change.

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