As Black consciousness ignited the flames of the 1960s Black Power Movement, jazz musicians began making their way to the motherland of Africa through the auspices of the U.S. State Department. Randy Weston was one of the first jazz musicians to make the sojourn in 1961, a trip that essentially transformed his life. The master pianist and composer Duke Ellington, who significantly influenced Weston, made his maiden voyage to Africa (Dakar, Senegal) in 1966 to perform at the First World Festival of Negro Arts at the height of African independence.
Nearly 60 years after Ellington’s historic performance in Senegal, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, led by co-music directors Chris Lewis and Alexa Tarantino, revisits the African diaspora that shaped the composer’s work. “Duke in Africa” is a powerful tribute to Ellington’s ties to the African continent (7:30 p.m).
The program on January 15-17 in Rose Theater will feature selections from Afro-Bossa (1963), a vibrant fusion of Afro-Cuban and Brazilian rhythms; the Liberian Suite (1947), written in honor of Liberia’s centennial; and the Grammy Award–winning Togo Brava Suite (1971). For more information and tickets, visit jazz.org.
Trombonist, composer, and music warrior Craig Harris concludes his Jazz Boxx music series with a big birthday tribute honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on January 15. Harris will play and lead the Harlem Night Songs (12-piece) big band under their banner “Rhythms of Resistance.” A smaller all-star configuration will play the following night, January 16. Both evenings honor Dr. King’s legacy, at Mt. Morris Ascension Presbyterian Church (16 Mt. Morris Park West), at 7 p.m.
During a brief phone conversation, the trombonist vividly recalled meeting Dr. King in his Hempstead, Long Island community. “I was only nine years old when he came to Hofstra University in 1963 to deliver the commencement address, but after it was over, he came to the hood,” said Harris. “I remember he stood on the hood of a car to address the large crowd, and he later shook my hand while he was in the car. More importantly, we must always remember and focus on his commitment to justice.” (And for some mandatory reading, try “Where Do We go From Here: Chaos or Community?.”) For tickets, visit harlemjazzboxx.com.
The Jazz Power Initiative, responsible for fostering creative self-expression among young people, will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on January 19 (2-6 p.m.), at the Harlem School of the Arts (645 St. Nicholas Avenue). This free event honors Dr. King’s advocacy of sharing, instigating peace, and community.
This family affair offers children hands-on art making and engaging activities from 2-3 p.m., with the Sofia Tosello Quartet and Crudo Creates. From 3-6 p.m., there will be live performances by The Antoinette Montague Experience, The Maki Nientao Trio, and Zah! Ensemble with advanced Jazz Power Youth showcasing inspiring voices, intergenerational talent, in the spirit of joy, justice, and unity through music. The event is free; to RSVP, visit jazzpower.org.
From the moment Dave Glew, then Epic Records Chairman, stepped into Dan Beck’s office, giving him the casual directive, “Dan, you got Michael,” his life instantaneously jumped aboard the Michael Jackson bullet train. A non-stop exhilarating experience that took Beck on a five-year journey, regularly interacting with one of the most talented entertainers to walk this earth or the halls of Epic/Sony Music. Beck’s appropriately titled book “You’ve Got Michael: Living Through HIStory” (Trouser Press Books 2025) is a vivid recollection of his excursion working with Jackson on his album “HIStory,” from concept to its 1995 worldwide release.
Beck is a master storyteller, a recorder of precise facts with moving memories reflecting a thrilling experience with the King of Pop that will last him and readers a lifetime. Beck introduces readers to Michael Jackson: the genius, persevering perfectionist and the man still residing inside that young, talented, inquisitive kid from Gary, IN. “I loved Michael the person; he was fun to be around, cared a lot about people, and was a great collaborator,” said Beck.
We share Beck’s angst of working with Jackson, the late 1 a.m. phone calls, and the jubilation when deadlines and major situations were solved. The experienced project manager explains many of his team members’ positions, their project contributions, along with the inner workings of the record business, and his complicated obligations to the company, and his client Jackson.
No gossip, no innuendos, just the hard truth mixed with compassion and excitement about the music business, a superstar, and HIStory. “It’s important for people to understand how challenging Michael’s life was, the many struggles he faced daily, outside of his sphere as a music innovator,” said Beck.
As we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday, it is important to acknowledge his jazz connection. King’s essay at the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival highlighted the connection between jazz, and the struggle for civil rights, stating that “much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music.”