Ella Fitzgerald tribute coming to College of Lake County
Fans of her amazing vocal abilities will not want to miss the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra’s “A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.”
The show is set for 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, at the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at College of Lake County in Grayslake.
In the show, singer Kim Nazarian of New York applies her own elegant style and vocal expertise to pay tribute to Fitzgerald. It will feature original arrangements done for Fitzgerald in the 1940s to 50s from the Smithsonian and Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation archives — arrangements not heard by live audiences in at least 40 years.
Called “The First Lady of Song,” Fitzgerald (1917-96) was the most popular female jazz singer in the United States for more than 50 years. She won 13 Grammy awards and sold more than 40 million albums.
She worked with all the jazz greats from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Nat King Cole to Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and Benny Goodman.
The musical tribute features arrangers such as Billy May, Count Basie, Van Alexander, Billy Strayhorn and Benny Carter.
The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra has also commissioned new arrangements that keep the spirit of the body of work represented from Fitzgerald’s songbook, adding a contemporary flair.
The Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, coproduced by Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and MCG Jazz, first premiered at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh, Pa., in February 2010.
Nazarian is a founding member of the Grammy award-winning group New York Voices, formed in 1987. She has recorded numerous CDs and toured the world with this vocal quartet. Recently, the group was featured on Paquito D’Rivera’s latest release for the MCG Jazz label, “Brazilian Dreams.”
Regularly priced tickets will be $39, $36 and $31, with discounts for seniors, CLC staff and alumni.
CLC students and teen tickets cost $16 and children under 12 are $13. Prices include a $1 James Lumber Center facility fee.
Box office hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. It’ll also open 90 minutes before the performance.
Tickets also are available by calling (847) 543-2300 or visiting clcillinois.edu/tickets.