Jazz Roots, Soul Branches: From Duke Ellington to Stevie Wonder

Repertoire

• David Schiff Ducal Suite (After Duke Ellington)
• Simon Bainbridge For Miles
• George Gershwin, arr. Carl Davis Selections from ????? ??? ???? for clarinet and strings
• Chaka Khan, arr. Amy Casey Ain't Nobody for four bassoons
• Stevie Wonder, arr. Amy Casey Superstition for four bassoons

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Be transported to Harlem’s legendary Cotton Club with David Schiff’s chamber arrangement of Duke Ellington’s most-loved tunes. Feel nostalgia sweep over you as you soak up ‘Summertime’ in 1920s Charleston through Carl Davis’s reimagining of George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess for clarinet and strings. Then, let Simon Bainbridge’s homage to Miles Davis whisk you away to a smoke-filled jam session in mid-century Birdland, where rhythmic beats and soulful melodies will leave you spellbound.

Our trip ends with a visit to R&B giant, Stevie Wonder, and the Queen of Funk, Chaka Khan. Their chart-topping hits are shaken up and experienced afresh, as the resonant tones of a bassoon quartet breathe new life into the familiar favourites ‘Ain’t Nobody’ and ‘Superstition’.

An ode to the lasting legacy and ever-changing nature of jazz, this concert showcases music’s power to transcend time and connect listeners across generations.