Ron Carter, one of the most influential bassists in jazz history, will be featured when the MSU College of Music’s Jazz Studies program presents its 38th annual Jazz Spectacular.
Four entertaining events will run from April 18 through April 21 on MSU’s campus.
The series kicks off with a swing dance with MSU Jazz Orchestras conducted by Rodney Whitaker, Etienne Charles and Michael Dease. The event features a special guest, jazz drummer Carl Allen, and a chance for attendees to take the dance floor to repertoire from some of the great jazz masters.
The next night, MSU Jazz Octets take the stage. Conducted by Diego Rivera, Randy Napoleon and Walter Cano, the musicians will blend the sounds of big band with small group performances. The concert features special guest percussionist Carlos Valdez.
Two days later, the spectacular week concludes with a full day of performances by the bands participating in the Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington Regional High School Jazz Band Festival where bands perform the music of Duke Ellington and other big band composers before Jazz at Lincoln Center clinicians and other jazz professionals.
The grand finale is an evening concert featuring Carter along with the MSU Professors of Jazz and MSU Jazz Orchestra I, and the Outstanding High School Band of the Day.
Carter, who just made the cover of Jazz Times Magazine, holds a Guinness World Record for his prolific output with more than 2,200 albums to his credit. In the 1960s he was a member of the Miles Davis Quintet and he has recorded with an incredible number of artists including Tommy Flanagan, Lena Horne, Bill Evans, B.B. King, Wes Montgomery, Cannonball Adderly and more.
The Detroit News once named him “Outstanding Bassist of the Decade” and he has won two Grammy awards. He is an author and teaches master classes around the world. His residency at MSU will include interactions with undergraduate and graduate students.
“Ron Carter has been my mentor for many years,” said University Distinguished Professor Rodney Whitaker, MSU’s own renowned jazz bassist and teacher who is the director of MSU’s Jazz Studies Program. “I know first-hand how skilled he is as an instructor and performer, and he’s a great person to be around. He is going to bring his best in terms of sharing his knowledge and abilities with our students and our community.”
The full schedule for the 38th annual Jazz Spectacular includes:
April 18
Swing Dance with Jazz Orchestras
With special guest jazz drummer Carl Allen
7:30 p.m., MSU Demonstration Hall
General admission: $10 adults, $8 seniors, students free
April 19
Jazz Octets
With special guest percussionist Carlos Valdez
7:30 p.m., Fairchild Theatre, MSU Auditorium.
General admission: $10 adults, $8 seniors, students free
April 21
Jazz at Lincoln Center
Essentially Ellington Regional High School Jazz Band Festival
8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fairchild Theatre, MSU Auditorium.
Free
April 21
Jazz Spectacular Finale Concert featuring Ron Carter
8 p.m., Fairchild Theatre, MSU Auditorium
Reserved seating: $25 adults, $20 seniors, $15 students
The concert and Ron Carter residency are sponsored by Ken and Sandy Beall, Traveluxe Wired, Leonard and Sharon Tabaka and Jeff D. Williams.