Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is an American big band and jazz orchestra led by trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. The orchestra is part of Jazz at Lincoln Center, a performing arts organization in New York City.
History
In 1988, the orchestra was formed as an outgrowth of its concert series, Classical Jazz, with David Berger conducting. When Wynton Marsalis became artistic director in 1991, he emphasized the history of jazz, particularly Duke Ellington. Their first album was Portraits by Ellington, and seven years later the Ellington centennial was honored with the album Live in Swing City: Swingin' with the Duke.Under the leadership of Marsalis, the band performs at its home in Lincoln Center, tours throughout the U.S. and abroad, visits schools, appears on television, and performs with symphony orchestras. The band backed Wynton Marsalis on his album Blood on the Fields, which won the Pulitzer Prize.Beginning in 1999, the Essentially Ellington competition has been hosted by the orchestra, recording the event's repertoire each year: Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, and Mary Lou Williams compositions. Members also frequent as clinicians and host Q&A sessions during the festival, which concludes with a performance by the band.
Since 2015, the orchestra's albums have been issued on its own label, Blue Engine Records.
Current band members
Saxophones- Sherman Irby – lead alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute, clarinet
- Alexa Tarantino – alto and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet
- Chris Lewis – tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet
- Abdias Armenteros – tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet; holds The ''Zou Family Chair in Saxophone
- Paul Nedzela – baritone and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet
- Ryan Kisor – lead trumpet
- Wynton Marsalis – musical director, trumpet
- Kenny Rampton – trumpet
- Marcus Printup – trumpet
- Vincent Gardner – lead trombone
- Christopher Crenshaw – trombone
- Elliot Mason – trombone
- Dan Nimmer – piano; holds The Zou Family Chair
- Carlos Henriquez – bass; holds The Mandel Family Chair in honor of Kathleen B. Mandel''
- Obed Calvaire – drums
Former members and resident artists
- Joe Temperley – baritone saxophone
- Walter Blanding – tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet
- Victor Goines – tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet
- Ted Nash – alto and soprano saxophones, flute, clarinet
- James Chirillo – guitar
- Camille Thurman – tenor saxophone
- Ali Jackson – drums
Discography
All albums are issued by the in-house label Blue Engine Records unless marked otherwise.Albums
Portraits by Ellington Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: The Fire of the Fundamentals They Came to Swing Blood on the Fields Live in Swing City: Swingin' with Duke Big Train All Rise Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis Plays the Music of Duke Ellington Cast of Cats A Love Supreme Don't Be Afraid: The Music of Charles Mingus Congo Square Portrait in Seven Shades Vitoria Suite Wynton Marsalis & Eric Clapton – Play the Blues: Live from Jazz at Lincoln Center Live in Cuba Big Band Holidays The Abyssinian Mass The Music of John Lewis All Jazz Is Modern: 30 Years of Jazz at Lincoln Center Vol. 1 Handful of Keys United We Swing: Best of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Galas Una Noche con Rubén Blades Swing Symphony Jazz and Art Jazz for Kids Big Band Holidays II Sherman Irby's Inferno The Music of Wayne Shorter Black, Brown & Beige Rock Chalk Suite Christopher Crenshaw's The Fifties: A Prism A Swingin' Sesame Street Celebration The Democracy! Suite The Jungle Wynton Marsalis plays Louis Armstrong's Hot Fives and Hot Sevens Big Band Holidays III Freedom, Justice, and Hope The Music of Max Roach The Shanghai Suite- ''Essentially Ellington: The JLCO Recordings, 1999-2025''