JAZZ ROOTS: A LARRY ROSEN JAZZ SERIES — GEORGIA ON MY MIND, CELEBRATING RAY CHARLES COMING TO THE DR. PHILLIPS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents, the 2014-2015 JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series, kicks off with a spectacular concert celebrating the musical genius of RAY CHARLES. An Orlando-based Gospel choir will perform in the one night only show, and 91 students and their teachers from West Orange High School will be involved in a pre-show educational experience.

Georgia On My Mind, Celebrating Ray Charles features an all-star cast of award-winning performers including a capella group TAKE 6, whose collaborations included one with the late great Charles; Emmy Award winner CLINT HOLMES, whose soulful stylings have been selling out concert halls around the world; six-time Grammy Award nominee and Downbeat vocalist of the year NNENNA FREELON; award-winning saxophonist JAVON JACKSON; and SHELLY BERG, three-time Grammy nominated music director and Dean of the UM/ Frost School of Music. Joining in the celebration are the University of Miami’s FROST SCHOOL OF MUSIC BIG BAND and an ORLANDO-BASED GOSPEL CHOIR.

JAZZ ROOTS EDUCATION provides area music students and their teachers an in-depth look at the “behind-the-scenes” workings of a live sound check and the technical aspects necessary to produce a successful concert. Students will observe a live sound check, have a pre-show lecture with Chuck Archard about the music, the artistic process and the practical skills needed for a career in the arts. Additionally, the students will also receive an evening at the theater enjoying dinner and tickets to see Georgia On My Mind.

“This is going to be a great opportunity for students from the community to experience the inner workings of the performing arts and to dialogue with internationally acclaimed jazz musicians,” said Dana Brazil, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts School of Arts director of education.

The gospel choir is made up of 40 local singers from 12 churches who have rehearsed for two months for their part in the performance.  The churches represented are New Covenant Baptist Church of Orlando, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Eatonville, Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church, St. Mark AME, The Impact Church, Agape Perfecting Praise Worship Center, The Hope Church, Washington Shores Church of Christ, Mt. Olive AME, The Well of Hope, Christ Dominion Church, and Florida Hospital Seven Day Adventist Church.

Georgia On My Mind, Celebrating Ray Charles

8 p.m.

Thursday, November 20, 2014

The Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts 

To purchase tickets, visit DrPhillipsCenter.org, call 844-513-2014 or visit 445 South Magnolia Avenue in downtown Orlando. Ticket prices start at $25.

JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series is a concert and educational program created for performing arts centers across America. The JAZZ ROOTS series was first launched in 2008 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County. Subsequently, the series has been presented in Dallas at the AT&T Performing Arts Center; the Palladium Theater in Carmel, Indiana; The Smith Center in Las Vegas; the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta; NJPAC in Newark, New Jersey; and now debuting at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando. Rosen is the producer of the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and the SASSY AWARDS and is currently working with BAM in Brooklyn developing a music-based educational curriculum for the New York City school system. Artists presented on JAZZ ROOTS concerts include: Dave Brubeck, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Chris Botti, Sergio Mendes, Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Michael Feinstein, Paquito D’Rivera, John McLaughlin, Patti Austin, Aaron Neville, Count Basie Orchestra, Ramsey Lewis, Esperanza Spalding, Take 6, Arturo Sandoval, Eliane Elias, Ivan Lins, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Manhattan Transfer, Al Jarreau, Dave Sanborn, Jon Hendricks, Dave Grusin, and many more. The JAZZ ROOTS series includes educational and outreach programs that organically connect to local community groups, art centers, universities and local boards of education. See www.jazzroots.net

Mr. Rosen is a musician, producer, executive producer and co-founder of GRP Records, one of the industries premier record labels. Through his record productions, he has produced more than 350 albums, with more than 80 nominated for Grammy awards, winning 33 Grammys. Mr. Rosen is also the producer and director of many award-winning TV specials including, JAZZ and the PHILHARMONIC, An Evening with Dave Grusin, The GRP ALL-STAR BIG BAND LIVE, and more. He is currently producing a seven-part, multi-media project with hosts Quincy Jones and Phil Ramone titled RECORDING: The History of Recorded Music. http://www.larryrosen.com/

Mr. Rosen received Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year Award” in New Media and Entertainment, and has been elected to the GRAMMY Governor Honor Roll. He serves on the boards of the Dave Brubeck Institute, The Music for Youth Foundation, The Frost School of Music Steering Committee and with Dave Grusin is the founder of the National Foundation for Jazz Education. Mr. Rosen received an honorary doctorate from Manhattan School of Music in 2013.

About the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to developing and operating a new state-of-the-art performing arts center in downtown Orlando, Fla. Opening in November 2014, the performing arts center will begin to fulfill its vision of Arts For Every Life®; to be a gathering place for creativity and discovery; a vibrant urban destination where artists, audiences and students will come to experience, explore and learn. The two-block community-gather place features the 2,700-seat Walt Disney Theater, 300-seat Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater, Seneff Arts Plaza, School of Arts, the DeVos Family Room, and other event rental spaces. Future expansion plans includes a 1,700-seat acoustic theater, rehearsal room and commercial development spaces. The Dr. Phillips Center is a public-private collaboration with the City of Orlando, Orange County, the State of Florida and generous donors. For more information or to see live footage from the construction webcam, please visit www.drphillipscenter.org