CHARLIE PARKER JAZZ FESTIVAL NIGHT 1: Ron Carter’s Great Big Band / April May Webb

The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival celebrates the spirit of the late great saxophonist with shows uptown and downtown that highlight the past, present, and future of jazz music in New York City. Opening night kicks off with the legendary bassist Ron Carter’s Great Big Band, a 17-piece ensemble he put together in 2011 to record his first ever big band record. Carter’s steady, warm-toned pulse serves as a rhythmic rudder through a set of tunes that exude a refined elegance and sonic power. They’re joined by April May Webb, a rising star who recently won the 13th annual Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition; her latest LP with trumpeter Randall Haywood, Questions Left Unanswered, features soulful, jazzy covers of hits like “Jolene” and “Killing Me Softly.” This show is presented in partnership with Jazzmobile as they celebrate their 60th anniversary of presenting, preserving America’s classical music, jazz, to Harlem and New York City.