CNU Jazz Ensembles with special guest Kurt Elling

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Music & Theatre Hall
$20

“…one of the most technically dazzling vocalists in jazz today.”
-Guardian, U.K.

Jazz vocalist and six-time Grammy® Award nominee Kurt Elling is a master at combining vocalese with the spoken word and improvised scatting; re-energizing the art of singing for a new generation. He has released six recordings to date, and has toured internationally for the past decade. Elling is vice-chair of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences, the 17,000 member service organization that produces the annual Grammy® Awards. Joining Mr. Elling for the festival opening are the award-winning CNU Jazz Ensembles.

Kurt Elling Website

Ticket Information

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Eddie Palmieri and La Perfecta II
& Tiempo Libre

Thursday, April 6, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Concert Hall
$20 / $30 / $40

Seven-time Grammy® Award-winning Eddie Palmieri is one of the foremost Latin pianists of the last half-century. His ability to fuse the rhythms of his Hispanic, Puerto Rican heritage with the jazz influences of Thelonious Monk and other giants made him an immediate hit during the 1950s and ‘60s. He has continued to develop stylistic innovations mixing salsa, R&B, pop, rock, Spanish vocals and jazz improvisation. Palmieri revolutionized the sound of Latin music, an accomplishment that ensures his place in the music pantheon.

Grammy® -nominated Tiempo Libre is the hottest young Latin band performing today. The Miami-based band is known for their joyful performances of timba - a musical mix of Latin jazz and the seductive rhythms of the music of their native Cuba.

Tiempo Libre Website
Eddie Palmieri Website

For Ella: Patti Austin and
The Count Basie Orchestra

Friday, April 7, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Concert Hall
$20 / $30 / $40

“And swing they did, playing arrangements with precision and punch, fast and slow, roaring and shifting.” – All About Jazz Magazine

As a powerhouse performer and vocalist, Patti Austin’s interpretation of the Ella Fitzgerald songbook has been lauded the world over. The Count Basie Orchestra is one of the most thriving big bands in history, boasting seventeen Grammy® awards. With nineteen performers, seventeen sidemen, a vocalist and bandleader, they’ve become the one of the nation’s premier jazz ensemble. The Orchestra celebrates the quintessential big band experience through their masterful interpretation. This very special performance honors Ella’s legend and music.

Patti Austin Website
Count Basie Orchestra Website

Ticket Information

An Evening with Branford Marsalis

Saturday, April 8, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Concert Hall
$20 / $30 / $40

"Marsalis' horn emanates fire, eloquence and dexterity."
- DownBeat Magazine

The most eclectic of the Marsalises, Grammy® award-winning saxophonist Branford Marsalis has collaborated with the legendary Jazz Messengers, the Wynton Marsalis quintet, icons Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock; Sting, The Grateful Dead, as well as numerous classical orchestras and chamber ensembles. Throughout these diverse activities, Branford has maintained his quartet since 1984, which continues to perform to worldwide acclaim.

Branford Marsalis Website

Jazz Club Closing Night with Jae Sinnett Trio

History of The Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival

Ella Fitzgerald was born in Newport News on April 25, 1917. Recognized as ‘The First Lady of Song,’ she was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than half a century. Winning 13 Grammy® awards and selling more than 40 million albums, she remains a glowing icon of American jazz culture, modern entertainment and irresistible musicality. Christopher Newport University and the City of Newport News celebrate her life and the music she loved with the Ella Fitzgerald Music Festival. The festival brings the finest jazz performers to Hampton Roads in her honor, and fosters her legacy by presenting community outreach and enrichment programs, including performances, workshops and master classes.