The
fifth annual International Jazz Day will be celebrated around the world on
April 30, with U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosting the main event – an All-Star Global Concert – at the White House on
April 29, a day ahead of time.
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| The official 2016 Jazz Day poster. |
According to
the United Nations’ cultural agency UNESCO, which first designated the day in
2012, the concert will be broadcast as a one-hour prime-time television special
on April 30 evening, and streamed on the websites of the UN, UNESCO, U.S. State
Department and the White House.
The concert
will feature a range of artists from around the world, paying tribute to what
the organisers call the “truly American art form of jazz”.
Participating
performers include acclaimed musicians Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Chick
Corea, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sting, Terri Lyne Carrington, Al Jarreau, Marcus
Miller, Hugh Masekela and a host of other stars. Pianist, arranger and composer
John Beasley will serve as the evening’s musical director.
“We’ll
probably be reaching more people this year than ever,” Beasley said in an interview. He told SWAN that the concert will see some
interesting artistic link-ups that will bring musicians together “across
musical genres and geography”. For instance, R&B legend Franklin will be
performing with Hancock, and English singer and bassist Sting with vocalist
Jarreau and other artists.
In response
to a question about the main issue of directing such a concert, Beasley said
the key challenge was “dreaming up scenarios” for people to play collectively.
“I try to be
creative and think of people that haven’t normally played together – something
that takes them out of their comfort zone – and also adding the international
element, to put people from all over the world together,” he said. “That’s the
beauty of jazz; it’s a conversation. We can talk without words and find
commonality.”
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| John Beasley (photo by Eric Wolfinger) |
Last year’s
concert at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris – one of 80 events in the French
capital – saw Scottish singer Annie Lennox, more known for rock music, belting
out jazz standards from a recent album, accompanied by Hancock on piano. It
also placed the talented young bassist Ben Williams alongside veteran
saxophonist Wayne Shorter, for one of the high points of a concert that had
audience members dancing at the end.
According to
Beasley, the event can “exemplify global kinship without borders, regardless of
race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, or political affiliations.”
Since the
first Jazz Day, the international audience has grown to 2 billion people
participating in many varieties of jazz-themed events, Beasley told IDN.
Presented by
UNESCO in partnership with the US-based Thelonious Monk Institute,
International Jazz Day was conceived by Hancock and launched at UNESCO
headquarters in Paris as well as at venues in New Orleans and New York in 2012.
The aim was to highlight the power of jazz as a force for freedom and
creativity, and to use the music to promote intercultural dialogue and respect.
Tom Carter,
president of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, told IDN that the 2016
edition was shaping up to be most successful one so far. “Our country is the
birthplace of jazz, from its origins in New Orleans … and we’re proud that it
has been embraced in all corners of the globe,” he said.
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| Herbie Hancock |
The first
International Jazz Day comprised events in 80 countries and has now grown to
195 countries – “all the UN and UNESCO member states”, Carter added.
As part of
the celebration, the Thelonious Monk Institute launched “Math, Science &
Music” on April 26, an education platform with free curricula, games, apps and
other online elements “that use music as a tool to teach maths and science to
students”.
The platform
will address the growing need for students to gain skills and knowledge in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and learn to
think creatively, the Institute said
In a
statement, Hancock – who also serves as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador – said: “We
are thrilled that President Obama and Michelle Obama are hosting the
International Jazz Day All-Star Global Concert at the White House, and are
truly grateful for their commitment to jazz and its role in building bridges
and uniting people around the world.”
The Day will
also see musicians and educators participating in a series of free jazz
performances, master classes, improvisational workshops, and other events, he
said. Additional key activities will include community outreach initiatives at
schools, embassies, arts centres, hospitals, and other venues. These will be
taking place all over the world, but with a focus on Washington, D.C. Meanwhile in Paris, where the Day started, singers including Denise King will be giving concerts and participating in various arts activities.
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Follow SWAN on Twitter: @mckenzie_ale
