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Jazz at Lincoln Center is set to open its "Mother Africa" season with the premiere of "Afro!," a new composition by Wynton Marsalis, who serves as both managing and artistic director and is a prominent figure in jazz

The debut will take place on September 18–20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Rose Theater, located within Jazz at Lincoln Center's New York venue, Frederick P. Rose Hall. The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will perform "Afro!," featuring Marsalis alongside djembe specialist Weedie Braimah and vocalist Shenel Johns. This work launches the organization’s 2025-26 season, which includes concerts, educational initiatives, and events highlighting Africa’s impact on jazz. After the New York run, the orchestra, with Marsalis, drummer Herlin Riley, Braimah, and Johns, will embark on their first multi-city tour across Africa, presenting "Afro!" along with other acclaimed pieces from their repertoire. This project follows Marsalis’s earlier piece, "Congo Square," which premiered in 2006 and paid tribute to the historic New Orleans gathering place where enslaved Africans drummed and danced. "Afro!" further delves into the connections between jazz, the African continent, and its global diaspora, themes Marsalis has explored in past works like "Blood on the Fields" (1996), "Ochas" (2014), and the "South African Songbook" arrangements from 2019. Tickets for the performances, titled Wynton Marsalis’ Afro! with Weedie Braimah and Shenel Johns: The Ertegun Jazz Concert, include admission to a pre-concert discussion at 6:30 p.m. on September 18–20 in The Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman Studio. Free sets by the Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere Quartet will be offered in the Ertegun Atrium at 6:30 p.m. and during intermission on September 18 and 19. Tickets start at $30. The September 18 show will be streamed live on jazzlive.com. After the New York dates, the orchestra’s African tour will feature performances in convention centers and outdoor venues, collaborations with local artists, and educational activities in schools. Marsalis reflected on the season’s inspiration, noting, "Africa is home to some of the oldest and most essential human stories. From Venda to Igbo and many other traditions, there is deep wisdom that speaks to contemporary challenges." He continued, "Our forebears had a profound grasp of identity, community, and spiritual bonds. Through their powerful music and dance, we learn about living in harmony with nature, engaging with the sacred, and finding joy in reimagining timeless themes." Tour schedule for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis: - September 18–20, 2025: Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, New York, NY - September 26, 2025: Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Johannesburg, South Africa - September 28, 2025: Standard Bank Joy of Jazz, Johannesburg, South Africa - October 1, 2025: BC International Jazz Festival, Tamarind Tree Hotel: Misumi Garden, Nairobi, Kenya - October 2, 2025: BC International Jazz Festival, Tamarind Tree Hotel: Misumi Garden, Nairobi, Kenya - October 5, 2025: Landmark Centre, Lagos, Nigeria - October 10, 2025: +233 Jazz Bar and Grill / Ghana Jazz Foundation, Accra, Ghana - October 11, 2025: +233 Jazz Bar and Grill / Ghana Jazz Foundation, Accra, Ghana

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Category:SHOW BIZ NEWS

MSG team 2025-08-26