Columbia Home & Lifestyle - January/February 2009 - (Page 38) leFT: Bob Brookmeyer This season’s multi-tiered centerpiece takes place during a two-day period Feb. 17 and18. That’s when the Jazz Series, as part of the University of Missouri-Columbia’s Arts & Science Week, which helped sponsor the event, presents one of the best big bands in the world— the 16-piece New York City-based Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.The all-star laced ensemble arrives, along with National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters, Bob Brookmeyer and Dan Morgenstern, for two days that begin with educational forums and conclude with what promises to be a special evening of music at the Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts. While the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra’s primary task is to perform a full-blown evening concert, it won’t simply offer the group’s always creative fare. This performance also incorporates a world premiere commission delivered by the esteemed Brookmeyer, the Kansas City native who returns to his home state to conduct his work. Meanwhile, the one-of-a-kind occasion is augmented by Morgenstern, historian extraordinaire and director of the Rutgers Jazz Institute, who will serve as guest emcee and host. The two 79-year-old men, whose NEA Jazz Master designation places them among the 107 recipients since the Lifetime Achievement Award introduced in 1982, will also participate in a pair of public forums slated to take place the previous afternoon in MU’s Whitmore Recital Hall. The Jazz Series, one of only 12 recipients in the country to land the highly prestigious NEA Jazz Masters Live matching grant, labeled the ambitious effort as “one of the organization’s seminal accomplishments” in its 14-year history. For tickets and information about the “We Always Swing” Jazz Series and its events please stop by its offices at 218 N. Eighth St. or call the box office at 573-449-3001, between Monday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Click on this We always swing jazz series www.wealwaysswing.org Charlie hunter www.charliehunter.com Terence blanchard www.terenceblanchard.com vanguard jazz orchestra www.vanguardjazzorchestra.com National endowment for the Arts jazz masters www.nea.gov/national/jazz/ bob brookmeyer www.bobbrookmeyer.com missouri Theatre Center for the Arts www.motheatre.org The blue Note www.thebluenote.com 38 January/February 2009 http://www.wealwaysswing.org http://www.nea.gov/national/jazz/ http://www.charliehunter.com http://www.bobbrookmeyer.com http://www.terenceblanchard.com http://www.motheatre.org http://www.vanguardjazzorchestra.com http://www.thebluenote.com
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