Photos courtesy of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts has already welcomed some jazz greats to its stage this season, and there’s still more to come this spring, including a celebration of Preservation Hall’s 60th anniversary on Tues, March 7.
“We are elated to present a wide range of jazz this spring, in hopes that folks will find something they know and love but are also persuaded to explore something fresh and new,” says Abbey Messmer, programming director for Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. “Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Glenn Miller Orchestra are legacy groups grounding the series while multitalented innovator Christian McBride and his New Jawn band experiment with a cordless concept.”
Starting off the spring jazz performances, Christian McBride’s New Jawn invites audiences on Fri., Feb. 3, to enjoy a show full of jazz, R&B, pop-rock, hip-hop, neo-soul, and classical. McBride is an eight-time Grammy-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader, as well as educator and advocate as the artistic director of Jazz House KiDS and the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Summer Sessions.
On Fri., March 3, Grammy-nominated artists Pedrito Martinez and Alfredo Rodriguez will take listeners on a unique and exciting journey through a variety of moods and influences.
“Two of Cuba’s most exciting artists, classical piano prodigy Alfredo Rodriquez and percussionist Pedrito Martinez, return to Scottsdale for a third time since performing La Gran Fiesta in 2016, then Discover Cuba Series in 2018,” Messmer says. “In 2023, they’ll bring Cuban classics and original compositions to our stage.”
Preservation Hall Jazz Band makes a stop in Scottsdale on Tues., March 7, during its nationwide tour to celebrate the band’s 60th anniversary. Preservation Hall is a humble, much-loved room dedicated to keeping the past and future of jazz alive, giving audiences the ineffable experience of channeling their ancestors through the music and culture they’ve inherited from them.
“Touring is a part of our ritual,” says Ben Jaffe, creative director of Preservation Hall. “It’s our tradition. People come to Preservation Hall and have transformative experiences, and that’s part of our mission: to go out in the world and make that experience available to people.”
The Glenn Miller Orchestra — one of the most sought-after big bands in the world — presents seven decades of hits in its signature sound on Sun., March 12. Founded by the legendary Glenn Miller, the group has toured around the world, had several NBC sustaining broadcasts and is featured in the feature film “The Glenn Miller Story.”
The 2022–23 season ends with Joshua Redman 3×3 on Thurs., May 4. Joshua Redman is a Grammy-nominated American jazz saxophonist and composer, who has performed alongside musical icons such as The Dave Matthews Band, Yo Ma, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Quincey Jones. His latest project is a celebration of the power of three — the music of three iconic jazz composers interpreted in the classic trio format of saxophone, bass, and drums.
“Later this spring, we come back to iconic jazz with Joshua Redman’s 3×3 program, featuring Ellington, Monk, and Shorter,” Messmer says. “It’s a nice arc of options, and our theater is a great room to hear music, so we look forward to celebrating the many forms of jazz with all the music lovers out there.”
All concerts take place in the Virginia G. Piper Theater at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. 2nd St. Ticket prices vary by show. Visit scottsdaleperformingarts.org/events or call Scottsdale Arts Guest Services at 480-499-TKTS (8587) for more information.
