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| NYO Jazz's 'Live in Johannesburg' (w/ Sean Jones & Alicia Olatuja) is out June 20, 2025 via Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall is thrilled to announce the June 20, 2025 release of NYO Jazz's first live album and second full-length album, Live in Johannesburg. Recorded at South Africa's historic Market Theatre, the album features artistic director and bandleader/trumpeter Sean Jones and vocalist Alicia Olatuja and includes special appearances by South African artists Romy Brauteseth (bass) and Linda Sikhakhane (saxophone). Live in Johannesburg will be released by Platoon and available on all streaming platforms in standard and Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio formats. One of Carnegie Hall's three critically-acclaimed national youth ensembles, NYO Jazz—comprising 22 outstanding young musicians ages 16–19 from across the United States—showcases the legacy and bright future of American jazz. Created in 2018 by the Hall's Weill Music Institute, NYO Jazz annually brings together some of the nation's finest teen jazz musicians to train, perform, and tour with world-class jazz masters while also serving as music ambassadors for their country, sharing America's greatest artform with audiences around the globe. "Carnegie Hall has created an incubator for some of the most inventive musical and artistic minds from across the US, " said Sean Jones. "These young people are sonic poets and will tell the story of humanity both now and into the future and that is reflected in this live recording by NYO Jazz." Live in Johannesburg celebrates the powerful impact of cultural exchange and ambassadorship with this album, as the band plays timeless and innovative American and South African jazz repertoire. It features big band favorites and new arrangements that are hallmarks of its live concerts, showcasing jazz as a living and limitless art form. The 2024 Carnegie Hall-commissioned work featured on the album is "ISIGQI SUITE, " by South African composer Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane, which he noted "showcases the essence of South African jazz and the profound emotional connection to our collective musical heritage." Album highlights include the beautiful ballad "A Time for Love" by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster, arranged by Todd Bashore, and featuring Sean Jones; "Rejoice" by Billy Childs, which showcases the band's astonishing virtuosity; the Afro-beat inspired "Kadara" by Alicia Olatuja and Michael Olatuja, arranged by Etienne Charles, and featuring Alicia Olatuja; "Under the Moon and Over the Sky" by Angela Bofill, arranged by Michael Olatuja, adapted by Jim Pugh, and featuring Alicia Olatuja and Sean Jones; and a new arrangement of Lakecia Benjamin's "Trane" by Jhoely Garay. The album was recorded during the band's four-concert residency at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg which boasts a powerful history, including its role during the anti-apartheid movement, and stands as a cultural icon in South Africa. Kicking off the ensemble's debut tour of South Africa in summer 2024, Live in Johannesburg showcases the best of what NYO Jazz offers in a live setting, celebrating the power of audience transformation prompted by America's orchestral format—the big band. "Live in Johannesburg reflects the synergy between the US and South Africa: struggles of identity and longing for freedom that uniquely tie our countries together, " said Jones, NYO Jazz's artistic director and bandleader. "The soul of Johannesburg infused the young musicians with a hope and understanding of struggle that brought something out of them that they perhaps didn't know was there. They became more alive through human exchange and understanding, creating performances that exude magic that is the byproduct of such exchange. The spirit of unity and togetherness we experienced in South Africa is the only way to depict what I believe will be an album for the ages—an album that uplifts the human spirit in the name of jazz, the greatest sonic depiction of democracy we have." During its residency in Johannesburg, NYO Jazz performed on the John Kani Theatre stage at The Market Theatre. The venue is named after the Tony Award-winning actor, director, and playwright, John Kani, a national treasure in South Africa renowned for his role in the anti-apartheid movement, using theater as a form of resistance. The musicians had the exciting opportunity and honor to meet John Kani, whose soul and work embody the history and art of South Africa and its future. The significance of music and art in Kani's life, coupled with the honor of NYO Jazz performing at the theatre bearing his name, is particularly poignant as Live in Johannesburg will be released ahead of The Market Theatre's 50th anniversary celebration in 2026. After hearing NYO Jazz perform at The Market Theatre, John Kani said "The young people have spoken and we have heard the truth tonight across the Atlantic, across different cultures. I truly believe your voices are needed now more than ever before. We need to hear your story, your ideas, your aspirations, and your sense of what the future must be. I am excited to join you in this wonderful celebration of art, life, humanity, and the celebration of freedom." "The Market Theatre has long been a home for artists who challenge, inspire, and transform. Hosting NYO Jazz on our iconic stage was a moving meeting of musical legacies, where young artists from the US found common ground with our audience in the language of jazz, " said Greg Homann, Artistic Director of the Market Theatre Foundation. Live in Johannesburg joins the legacy of live albums recorded at the storied site, including those by South African jazz trumpeter and composer Hugh Masekela, singer and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba, and vocalists Sibongile Khumalo, Jabu Khanyile, and Busi Mhlongo. "We're thrilled for NYO Jazz to release its second recording this spring—a living testament to the extraordinary talent of these young musicians. This album showcases a bright future for the next generation of jazz artists and underscores the power of cross-cultural exchange and diplomacy, " said Sarah Johnson, Chief Education Officer and Director of Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. "The music on Live in Johannesburg highlights the rich cultural dialogue during these captivating live performances, which we are excited to share with the world through this album." This summer, NYO Jazz embarks on its first-ever Latin American tour after performing at Carnegie Hall on Saturday, July 26, with special guest vocalist Luciana Souza. It follows successful international tours by NYO Jazz including a 2018 inaugural European tour with Dianne Reeves as special guest; the ensemble's debut tour to Asia in 2019 with Kurt Elling as special guest; a debut US tour in 2022 with Jazzmeia Horn as special guest; a 2023 European tour with Dee Dee Bridgewater as special guest; and a 2024 debut tour to South Africa with Alicia Olatuja as special guest. ABOUT NYO JAZZ Each July, Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute brings together the finest young players from across the United States (ages 16–19) to form NYO Jazz. Led by artistic director Sean Jones, NYO Jazz shines a spotlight on the depth of talent found among teen jazz players across the United States. The program offers talented young musicians the opportunity to perform as cultural ambassadors for their country, sharing a uniquely American musical genre with people around the world. The members of NYO Jazz have been recognized by Carnegie Hall as among the finest jazz musicians in the country following a rigorous and highly competitive audition process. Since its debut in 2018, NYO Jazz has performed at Carnegie Hall and embarked on acclaimed tours across Europe and Asia as well as the United States and South Africa. The ensemble has been invited to perform at prestigious concert halls and music festivals, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam; Konzerthaus in Berlin; National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing; The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C.; BBC Proms in London; Festival da Jazz in St. Moritz; the Edinburgh International Festival and Lucerne Festival; The Market Theatre in Johannesburg; and Artscape in Cape Town, among many others. Guest artists in past seasons have included vocalists Dianne Reeves, Kurt Elling, Jazzmeia Horn, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and Alicia Olatuja. As part of their travel schedule, NYO Jazz musicians have opportunities to meet and collaborate with young local musicians and experience the richness of different cultures and music. In June 2022, the band released its first full-length studio album, We’re Still Here, under the direction of Sean Jones with special guest saxophonist Melissa Aldana. It includes Carnegie Hall–commissioned works written for the ensemble from 2018 to 2021, exploring themes that include social justice, resilience, and the power of music to spark joy. NYO Jazz’s second full-length album, and first live recording, Live in Johannesburg will be released in June 2025. NYO Jazz builds on the success of the acclaimed National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) and its sister ensemble for younger musicians, NYO2—programs created by Carnegie Hall in 2013 and 2016, respectively—to bring together the finest young classical musicians from across the country each year for training, performances, and international touring. Each of these prestigious national programs—free to all participants—is dedicated to the proposition that talented young musicians thrive when given the opportunity to expand their musical, social, and cultural horizons and share their artistry with audiences around the globe. ***** NYO Jazz Live in Johannesburg Sean Jones, Artistic Director, Bandleader, and Trumpet Featuring Alicia Olatuja, Vocals With Special Guests Romy Brauteseth, Bass and Linda Sikhakhane, Tenor Saxophone Theme from The Asphalt Jungle by Duke Ellington Evidence by Thelonious Monk, arr. John Clayton ISIGQI SUITE by Sibusiso Mash Mashiloane (2024 NYO Jazz commission) Trane by Lakecia Benjamin, arr. Jhoely Garay) A Time for Love by Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster, arr. Todd Bashore Rejoice by Billy Childs New Musical Express by Mary Lou Williams Shiny Stockings by Frank Foster The Confession by Laura Nyro, arr. Billy Childs, orch. Jim McNeely Kadara by Alicia Olatuja and Michael Olatuja, arr. Etienne Charles Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg, arr. Christian Sands, adapt. Kyle Athayde Under the Moon and Over the Sky by Angela Bofill, arr. Michael Olatuja, adapt. Jim Pugh We’re Still Here / He’s Alright by Wycliffe Gordon write your comments about the article :: © 2025 Jazz News :: home page |