Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

Last updated
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra
Jazz orchestra
Short nameSJMO
Founded1990 (1990)
Location Washington, D.C,
Concert hall National Museum of American History Auditorium
Music directorCharlie Young

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO) is the national jazz orchestra of the United States. It is based at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., where it is the orchestra-in-residence. The SJMO was founded in 1990 with the dual mission of performing and preserving American jazz masterworks and raising public awareness and understanding of the genre. [1]

Contents

History

An Act of Congress established the orchestra in 1990 with an appropriation to the Smithsonian Institution of $242,000. In 1991 Gunther Schuller and David Baker became the original artistic and musical directors of the orchestra, which began performing in 1991. Five years later Baker became its sole artistic and musical director. [2] [3]

The inaugural season, jointly conducted by Schuller and Baker, consisted of six weekends of free concerts for which the conductors collected or commissioned transcriptions of the original arrangements of the works to be presented and provided the orchestra's members with tapes of the original performances. [4] [5] [6]

David Baker leading the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra during the NEA Jazz Masters awards ceremony and concert in 2008 David Baker (far left) leading the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.jpg
David Baker leading the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra during the NEA Jazz Masters awards ceremony and concert in 2008

Since 1991 the SJMO has performed in nine foreign countries and twenty-six U.S. states, in addition to numerous free concerts in Washington, D.C. Appearances outside their base at the National Museum of American History have included a performance at the White House in 1993 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Newport Jazz Festival; the Cultural Olympiad at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia; and a 1999 tour of the United States to present concerts in tribute to the 100th anniversary of Duke Ellington's birth that included a concert performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival featuring Ellington's Suite Thursday, which was commissioned for the festival. [1] [7] Among the orchestra's notable performances under Baker's leadership outside the United States was a concert in Egypt in 2008, when it played at the Cairo Opera House, the Alexandra Opera House, and at the Pyramids. [3]

In 2012, at the age of 80, Baker concluded his tenure as the SJMO's artistic director, and was named maestro emeritus in December 2012. The occasion was marked by a special concert consisting entirely of Baker's compositions. Charlie Young, a jazz saxophonist and educator at Howard University, became artistic director after Baker's retirement. [3] [7]

Members

As of 2015, the orchestra's principal members were: [8]

Artistic and Musical Director

Executive Producer

Reeds

Trumpets

Trombones

Piano

Bass

Drums

Discography

The orchestra's recordings include: [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke Ellington</span> American jazz pianist and composer (1899–1974)

Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claudio Abbado</span> Italian conductor (1933–2014)

Claudio Abbado was an Italian conductor who was one of the leading conductors of his generation. He served as music director of the La Scala opera house in Milan, principal conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Vienna State Opera, founder and director of Lucerne Festival Orchestra, founder and director of Mahler Chamber Orchestra, founding Artistic Director of Orchestra Mozart, music director of European Union Youth Orchestra, and principal conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lewis (pianist)</span> American jazz pianist, composer and arranger

John Aaron Lewis was an American jazz pianist, composer and arranger, best known as the founder and musical director of the Modern Jazz Quartet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts</span> US national cultural center in Washington, D.C.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. It was named in 1964 as a memorial to assassinated President John F. Kennedy. Opened on September 8, 1971, the center hosts many different genres of performance art, such as theater, dance, orchestras, jazz, pop, psychedelic, and folk music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Baker (composer)</span> American jazz musician

David Nathaniel Baker Jr. was an American jazz composer, conductor, and musician from Indianapolis, as well as a professor of jazz studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Baker is best known as an educator and founder of the jazz studies program. From 1991 to 2012, he was conductor and musical and artistic director for the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He has more than 65 recordings, 70 books, and 400 articles to his credit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunther Schuller</span> American musician (1925–2015)

Gunther Alexander Schuller was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kathleen Battle</span> American operatic soprano (born 1948)

Kathleen Deanna Battle is an American operatic soprano known for her distinctive vocal range and tone. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Battle initially became known for her work within the concert repertoire through performances with major orchestras during the early and mid-1970s. She made her opera debut in 1975. Battle expanded her repertoire into lyric soprano and coloratura soprano roles during the 1980s and early 1990s, until her eventual dismissal from the Metropolitan Opera in 1994. She later has focused on recording and the concert stage. After a 22-year absence from the Met, Battle performed a concert of spirituals at the Metropolitan Opera House in November 2016.

The Spokane Symphony is a 70-piece professional orchestra based in Spokane, WA that performs more than 65 concerts per year for more than 150,000 listeners. It was originally incorporated in 1945 as the Spokane Philharmonic before being renamed the Spokane Symphony in 1962.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monterey Jazz Festival</span> Annual music festival in California

The Monterey Jazz Festival is an annual music festival that takes place in Monterey, California, United States. It debuted on October 3, 1958, championed by Dave Brubeck and co-founded by jazz and popular music critic Ralph J. Gleason and jazz disc jockey Jimmy Lyons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regina Carter</span> American jazz violinist

Regina Carter is an American jazz violinist. She is the cousin of jazz saxophonist James Carter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Brown (musician)</span> American jazz musician

Anthony Brown is an American jazz percussionist, composer, bandleader, ethnomusicologist, and educator. He is known for leading, performing, and recording with the Grammy-nominated Asian American Orchestra since its founding in 1998. His compositions blend jazz instruments and improvisation with traditional Asian instruments and sensibilities, and include musical scores for documentary films, for theatrical and dance premieres, and for spoken word and poetry presentations.

Chuck Redd is an American jazz drummer and vibraphonist.

Buselli–Wallarab Jazz Orchestra is a jazz orchestra consisting of seventeen pieces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Chirillo</span> American jazz musician

James Louis Chirillo is an American jazz guitarist, banjoist, composer, arranger, and band leader.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Williams (musician)</span> American jazz musician

James Williams was an American jazz pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Davis (saxophonist)</span> Musical artist

Charles Davis was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Davis played alto, tenor and baritone saxophone, and performed extensively with Archie Shepp and Sun Ra.

John Morris Russell, also known as JMR, is an American orchestral conductor best known for his association with the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife and two children.

JAZZ: The Smithsonian Anthology is a six-CD, box-set released by Smithsonian Folkways that covers the history of jazz. The set includes 111 tracks with representative works from many styles, including big band, dixieland, free jazz, fusion, Latin jazz, swing, and smooth jazz. An accompanying 200-page book includes essays, analysis, and photographs.

<i>Symphony in Black</i> 1935 American film

Symphony in Black: A Rhapsody of Negro Life is a 9+1⁄2-minute musical short produced in 1935 that features Duke Ellington’s early extended piece, "A Rhapsody of Negro Life". The film, Billie Holiday’s screen debut, was directed by Fred Waller and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

The New England Ragtime Ensemble was a Boston chamber orchestra dedicated to the music of Scott Joplin and other ragtime composers.

References

  1. 1 2 Herzig, Monika, and Nathan Davis (2011). David Baker: A Legacy in Music. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. p. 281. ISBN   9780253356574.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Fox, Margalit (March 29, 2016). "David Baker, Who Helped Bring Jazz Studies Into the Academy, Dies at 84". The New York Times . New York, New York. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 Mansky, Jackie (March 28, 2016). "Jazz Legend David Baker's Soaring Legacy". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  4. ↑ Martin, Henry, and Keith Waters (2013). Essential Jazz. Cengage Learning. p. 217. ISBN   978-1285415536.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Kirchner, Bill (2005). The Oxford Companion to Jazz. Oxford University Press. p. 518. ISBN   9780195183597.
  6. ↑ Broder, David (August 28, 1991). "Smithsonian Jazz Orchestra Keeps Music Of Masters Alive". Spokane Chronicle . Spokane, Washington: B7. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  7. 1 2 Stevens, Joann (December 2012). "Smithsonian's Very Own Maestro David Baker is All That's Jazz". Smithsonian Magazine . Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution . Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Meet the Orchestra". National Museum of American History. 10 March 2015. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra: Discography". AllMusic . Retrieved April 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.