Posted by Bob Evans
Riff Generation Tickets on Sale Now
New ‘Riff Style’ Ensemble with Renowned Local Jazz Musicians
Tickets Available for Three Spring Concerts starting Feb. 1, 2022
KANSAS CITY, MO (Feb. 1, 2022) — Kansas City Jazz Orchestra Executive Director Lea Petrie and Artistic Director Clint Ashlock today announced tickets are on sale Feb. 1, 2022 for the inaugural concert series of Riff Generation, featuring a notable list of renowned local musicians. Tickets can be purchased here. This spring series allows the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra to engage more local musicians and develop new audience members.
Three concerts In this new series are scheduled for the spring of 2022 and will be in addition to the mainstage series at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Concerts are scheduled for Friday, April 1, 2022, Friday, May 20, 2022, Friday, June 24, 2022, at the Medallion Theater in the Plexpod Westport Commons (300 E. 39th Street, KCMO, 64111). For more Information, please visit Kansas City Jazz Orchestra – Riff Generation.
Ashlock stated, “This is a very exciting endeavor for KCJO – to bring new and creative voices into the fold, and to explore what it means to be a Kansas City jazz musician in the 21st century. With scene stalwarts Eddie Moore, Kelley Gant, Jim Pisano, Jason Goudeau, Brian Scarborough, Nate Nall, Lawrence Jackson, Sam Copeland and John Kizilarmut on board, the musicianship level is amazingly high”.
He continued, “If you know your KC jazz history, groups like the Basie band would spontaneously improvise new melodies – as an ensemble – while the rhythm section grooved all night long. Every night, they’d revisit these riffs and develop them into tunes we know like “One O’Clock Jump,” “Jumpin’ At The Woodside,” and more. Riff Generation, our exciting new ensemble, will create music together through rehearsal and performance in that manner, but firmly planted in the 21st century. It will be an amazing representation of what jazz music is all about, with deep love and respect, soul and swing.”
| The inaugural roster of artists for 2022 includes: | ||
| Saxophones
Jim Pisano Todd Wilkinson
Trumpets Nate Nall Lawrence Jackson
|
Trombones
Jason Goudeau Brian Scarborough
Vocals/Looping Kelley Gant
|
Piano/Keyboard
Eddie Moore
Bass Sam Copeland
Drums John Kizilarmut |
Bios and more can be found at www.kcjo.org/riff–generation. High – res photos, audio and video can be found at KCJO Media.
Ticket Information
Tickets will go on sale Feb. 1, 2022. For information about purchasing tickets, visit www.kcjo.org/riff–generation
Connecting to our Community
Even through these difficult and unprecedented times, KCJO is committed to the Kansas City community and its audiences the world over. To learn more about how to connect with KCJO, please visit KCJO Media which has links to content and resources that are sure to uplift, educate and inspire.
Visit KCJO online at www.kcjo.org for the latest information about virtual events, drive-in concerts, and more.
For the latest news and updates, be sure to follow us on all of our social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages, as well as our blog, Clef Notes.
About Kansas City Jazz Orchestra
MISSION: Through performances and education programs, The Kansas City Jazz
Orchestra preserves the rich heritage of jazz, nurtures its growth, and encourages its appreciation as an art form for all ages.
VISION: The Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is an internationally acclaimed, premier performing arts icon providing jazz entertainment and education.
Founded in 2003, the Kansas City Jazz Orchestra is one of the nation’s preeminent big bands, performing classic and original repertoire in a variety of settings. With the beautiful Kauffman
Center For The Performing Arts as a home base, KCJO’s concert season puts forth engaging themed shows ranging from Duke Ellington’s early works to brand-new reimaginations of pop music, “celebrating the past, and embracing the future.” In addition to the season, the orchestra plays a variety of concerts, dances, and festivals, engaging audiences from Kansas City, Missouri to Hannover, Germany, and beyond.
KCJO engages with the community through its educational programs which work to train the next generation of talented Kansas City musicians through Master classes with visiting guest artists, in-school programs, and outreach events for all ages such as Listening Parties and Jazz Chats.
