Vail Jazz Presents Ella & Louis Together Again
Featuring Carmen Bradford and Byron Stripling
1917 was an important year for jazz! The genre, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonius Monk and Buddy Rich were all born that momentous year. This summer, the 23rd Annual Vail Jazz Festival celebrates these legends and others in some truly unique performances and presentations.
On July 26 & 27, 2017, Vail Jazz presents Ella & Louis Together Again – Featuring Carmen Bradford and Byron Stripling, a curated tribute to the timeless recordings the pair delivered on Verve Records in 1956 (featuring Buddy Rich on drums) and 1957. The repertoire of standards isn't what makes these recordings so memorable, but rather the seemingly impossible seamless blend of Ella's velvety vocals and Louis' signature rasp. Former Count Basie Orchestra vocalist Carmen Bradford and internationally renowned trumpeter/vocalist Byron Stripling offer contemporary evidence of the musical pairing.
Buddy Rich rewrote the book on drumming with his explosive style and unparalleled speed and timing. His collaborators include Ella and Louis, Frank Sinatra, and Tommy Dorsey as well as fellow 1917-ers Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk. His musical influence reaches far beyond his jazz roots — modern drummers Steve Gadd, John Bonham and Phil Collins cite him as an important influence. The Vail Jazz Party over Labor Day weekend includes a screening of the documentary film "Buddy Rich – Jazz Legend" as well as a curated multi-media tribute presented by Jeff Hamilton and Butch Miles along with the H2 Big Band.
Click here to purchase tickets, and visit www.vailjazz.org for more information about this performance.
Keep your ears keen for mid-set homages to these jazz legends throughout the summer and dig into the full festival schedule to find your favorites!
Check out the Vail Jazz performance calendar and make your way to Vail for some fabulous music this summer!
