Celebrated Jazz Vocalist, Al Jarreau, to Share his Craft with Young Artists
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Brianna Taylor / btaylor@devineandpartners.com
CELEBRATED JAZZ VOCALIST, AL JARREAU, TO SHARE HIS TIME & TALENT
WITH YOUNG PERFORMERS IN PHILADELPHIA
The Mann Presents Al Jarreau in a Three Day Artist-N-Residency Project
for Local High School Vocalists
PHILADELPHIA (Jan. 13, 2015) – If you were 17 and dreaming of making it in the music world, imagine the anticipation of knowing you will be singing for, learning from and hearing the personal stories of one of the industry’s legends. When the Mann brings seven-time Grammy® Award-winning jazz vocalist Al Jarreau to town next month, that’s exactly what 60 high schoolers, representing the best of their schools’ chorale ensembles, will experience. “It’s going to be a pinch-me moment for these students, for all of us,” says Rhoda Blount, vice president of education and community engagement at the Mann. “It’s exactly why creating these connections between young performers and internationally acclaimed artists is central to the work we do at the Mann,” she says.
Presented by the Mann, this 2015 Artist-N-Residency program will happen Feb. 17 to 19 at the Philadelphia Clef Club with Jarreau and three local teaching artists leading intensive master classes with selected vocal students from The Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy in Camden, the Girard Academic Music Program and Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School. “The goal is to create an experience that is infused with artistic excellence, mentorship and inspiration for these young people,” Blount says. “For aspiring young artists, having the opportunity to connect with a celebrated musician like Al Jarreau gives a voice and an image to their dreams and allows them to better understand the path to reach for them.”
This is an especially unique Artist-N-Residency experience since this will be the first time Jarreau has ever participated in a master class program. He will be working with approximately 20 vocal majors from each school. The Mann’s selected teaching artists, Marc Johnson, Michal Beckman and Sherry Butler, who are professional jazz singers in their own right, have been coaching and preparing the students for weeks to perform songs from Jarreau’s repertoire as part of the residency.
During the classes, students will work with Jarreau, acquiring technical skills, performing the songs they have learned and receiving individual critique and feedback. A portion of each day will be reserved for conversation with and learning from Jarreau, including advice about what it takes to live the life of a professional artist on the road. The residency will culminate on the third day with a collaborative student performance with Al Jarreau.
Schedule for the Artist-N-Residency Program:
Tuesday, February 17 – Wednesday, February 18
Venue: The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Residency Program
12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Residency Program
Thursday, February 19
Venue: The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Residency mini-performance with participating students and Al Jarreau
About the Mann
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts’ Education & Community Engagement Program is the region’s largest free education program, impacting more than 50,000 young people annually and more than 400,000 since 1997. The Mann’s Connecting Arts-N-Schools program offers city-wide schools a wide array of multicultural performances in music, theater and dance. This gives thousands of students the opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and rhythms of live performances—often for the very first time.
As one of the most important outdoor music centers in the country, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts presents top artists in a world-class, entertainment destination in association with AEG Live and Princeton Entertainment. Each summer season, renowned symphony orchestras, iconic rock stars and the latest touring artists in indie rock, hip hop, R&B and pop take the stage here, and today’s success is a nod to the venue’s storied history. The Mann has been the summer home of The Philadelphia Orchestra since the 1930s and presented critically acclaimed performers in every decade since then. Located in the heart of Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, the Mann hosts more than 170,000 visitors annually. Signature concert experiences are surrounded by Philadelphia’s stunning nighttime skyline and include seats beneath the Mann’s magnificent shed; picnics, blankets and music under the stars on its famous lawn; and dining in Crescendo, the venue’s spectacular tented restaurant.
For more information, visit www.manncenter.org.
About Al Jarreau
Al Jarreau’s unique vocal style is one of the world’s most precious treasures. His innovating musical expressions have made him one of the most exciting and critically acclaimed performers of our time with seven Grammy ® Awards, scores of international music awards and popular accolades worldwide.
Al’s career breakthrough came in 1977 when Warner Brothers Records released Look to the Rainbow, his live double album, which was culled from his first world tour from that same year, and earned the vocalist his first Grammy® for Best Jazz Vocal Performance.
Al continues to tour extensively worldwide, with his sextet and Symphony shows, and is currently in studio working on a new album.
For more information on Al Jarreau, visit www.aljarreau.com.
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