JASON MORAN

APOLLO THEATER / APRIL 11

Jason Moran is a brilliant and eclectic pianist, composer and educator whose playing draws upon multiple genres, from post-bop to avant-garde, stride and classical. Jason’s resume, accolades, and awards could fill a short book. Sullivan Fortner, a one-time student of his, says, “As a pianist, he is extremely inventive, not just drawing on the same four or five great pianists; he puts everything he does into a modern perspective.” Jason is coordinating a one-concert event at the Apollo Theater, commemorating the 125th Birthday of Duke Ellington. He's collaborating with a stellar group of young musicians and drawing on a sliver of the prodigious Duke’s songbook, including for this tribute, some of the more obscure ones, many of which are reimagined. “Working with young musicians is important for me to teach them the malleability of Ellington’s music,” says Jason. This concert presents timeless music in a historical venue and is not to be missed. JZ