GIL EVANS Centennial Celebration. Highline Ballroom on May 21, 2012

Gil Evans in the studio with Miles Davis, circa 1970. Michael Ochs Archives

ON 21 May 2012 at 7 pm at the Highline Ballroom, The Gil Evans Orchestra will perform for the final event of a week of Gil Evans Centennial Celebrations, all honoring the legendary jazz arranger and composer (1912-1988).

A seminal figure in the development of modal and cool jazz, as well as jazz fusion, Evans collaborated extensively with Miles Davis, notably on the trumpeter’s albums Birth of the Cool (1957), Miles Ahead (1957), Porgy and Bess (1958), and Sketches of Spain (1960). Over the course of his storied career, he also worked with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra, Astrud Gilberto, Jaco Pastorius, Maria Schneider, and a host of other legendary musicians.

Gil Evans lived at Westbeth for many years and with his wife Anita raised their two sons here, Noah and Miles.

Read what DownBeat Magazine has written about Evans and his career here.
HERE

The fabulous Gil Evans Orchestra, led by Miles Evans, Gil’s son, includes several musicians who were long-term members of Gil’s groups:

Saxophones: Chris Hunter, Billy Harper & Alex Foster
Trumpet: Lew Soloff, Jon Faddis & Miles Evans
French Horn: John Clark
Tuba: Howard Johnson & Bob Stewart
Trombone: Tom “Bones” Malone, David Bargeron, Dave Taylor & Conrad Herwig
Guitar: Ryo Kawasaki, Paul Metzke, Gabby Abularach & Oz Noy
Piano & Keyboards: Gil Goldstein
Keyboards: Delmar Brown
Bass: Mark Egan
Drums: Kenwood Dennard

In addition, the show tonight will feature performances by special guests Jimmy Cobb, Airto Moreira, Lenny White, Will Lee, John Simon, Matthew Garrison, and others. Paul Shaffer will act as the master of ceremonies for a program that will includes surprise speakers, vocalists, and music ranging from Hendrix and Jaco to the classics. Come join us for a historic night!

The Highline Ballroom is located at 431 West 16th St, Manhattan
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