‘Stolen Moments: The First 100 Years of Jazz’ at Chandler

Monday, April 14 and Tuesday, April 15 will bring an outstanding group of young jazz musicians to Chandler Music Hall in Randolph to perform their innovative program, "Stolen Moments: The First One Hundred Years of Jazz," for area schools and present afternoon master classes for area instrumental students.

Targeting teens, "Stolen Moments" is an engaging 80-minute performance-demonstration program that introduces young audiences to jazz music’s rich history and to the names, faces and music of some of its many masters, including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Charlie Parker.

On a broader level, the program also highlights the interplay between the jazz movement and the evolution of American culture throughout the 20th century; emphasizing the ways in which jazz has acted as a unifying force, bridging cultural, ethnic and economic differences, and influenced other genres of music, both in the U.S. and abroad.

The multi-media performance features a stellar jazz sextet, comprised of some of New York’s finest musicians, live narration, an original short film featuring interviews with prominent jazz artists and critics, and a stunning computer-generated visual component which features over 160 historical still and moving images.

From the work songs and spirituals that stemmed from the hardship of slavery, to the blues, ragtime, the swinging big bands of the 1930s, and the rebelliousness of post-war Be-Bop and beyond, "Stolen Moments" aims to illustrate how jazz rapidly evolved from the single expression of the African-American experience to an ever-flourishing world music that has transcended ethnic and cultural boundaries.

Limited time and funding for instruction prevents the inclusion of jazz in every student’s education. In recognition of these realities, the JazzReach Performing Arts and Education Association, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of jazz and its significant place in American history and world culture, is committed to providing communities with important cultural supplements that celebrate this music form.

JazzReach programs have served over 38,000 young people since 1997 and have been presented at some of the nation’s most distinguished cultural and educational institutions, including The Kennedy Center, The Music Center of Los Angeles and Johns Hopkins University. For more information about the program, please visit their web site at www.jazzreach.org.

This project is sponsored by the Chandler Center for the Arts and supported by the Randolph Union High School Music Boosters and profits from Chandler’s New World Festival. For more information about this program or to make reservations to attend a performance or master class, call the Chandler office at 728-9878.

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