Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with Levitt’s “Soulful Syncopation” Playlist!

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Artists pictured above (clockwise, from top left): Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, The Hot Sardines, Kenny Burrell, Hot Club of Detroit, Davina and the Vagabonds, Charles Walker and the Dynamites, Pete Escovedo, Kamasi Washington, Barbara Morrison)

“Forgive me if I don’t have the words. Maybe I can sing it and you’ll understand.”

These words were spoken by the late, great, singing soulstress, Ella Fitzgerald, who would have turned 98 on April 25th. This simple quote speaks to the depth, creativity and freedom of expression that we celebrate this month during Jazz Appreciation Month. Over the years this dynamic genre—born out of the African American spirituals and call-and-response work songs heard throughout the south during the late 19th century—has grown into one of the pillars of American music.

Jazz Appreciation Month celebrates jazz as a living and historic American art form. We honor the creative talents whose musical innovation shaped the art form—like Fitzgerald—as well as today’s jazz musicians, who continue to push the genre’s musical boundaries.

Last year, 34 concerts at Levitt venues across the country were devoted to emerging and established jazz artists—ranging from legendary jazz vocalist, Barbara Morrison, to emerging New York-based jazz sensation, The Hot Sardines.

In honor of Jazz Appreciation Month, we’ve put together our “Soulful Syncopation” playlist, with tracks by some of the many talented jazz artists who graced Levitt stages last year. More jazz will be coming to Levitt venues this summer, so stay tuned for concert updates!

“Soulful Syncopation” features tracks by the following artists: Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, Barbara Morrison, The Hot Sardines, Davina and the Vagabonds, Hot Club of Detroit, Kenny Burrell, Charles Walker & the Dynamites, Kamasi Washington and Pete Escovedo.

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