Jazz, Wynton Marsalis, kick off Lied Center's 20th anniversary

With masterful virtuosity and an unparalleled reputation as one of the greatest jazz ensembles in the world, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis will kick off the Lied Center for Performing Art's 20th Anniversary Season. Marsalis and the orchestra will perform at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Lied Center for Performing Arts 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7.

Lauded as the most outstanding jazz musician and trumpeter of his generation, Wynton Marsalis entertains as a big band leader in the tradition of Duke Ellington. The sound of Marsalis' band is an intelligent, hard swinging interplay inspired by the basic principals of democracy. His lyrical voicing and tonal coloring assert new possibilities for the jazz ensemble and extend the vocabulary of jazz. For the performance at the Lied, the orchestra will announce its program from the stage.

In addition to winning the Pulitzer Prize for his work "Blood on the Fields," Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards. In 1983, he earned the distinction of being the only artist ever to win Grammy Awards for both jazz and classical records.

The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra features 15 of today's finest jazz soloists and ensemble players. To date, 11 recordings featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra have been released and internationally distributed.

Tickets for this performance are $55, $50 and $45. UNL students with a valid I.D., as well as youths age 18 or younger, may purchase tickets for half price. Call the Lied Ticket Office at (402) 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 for ticket availability. Regular ticket office hours are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.liedcenter.org. Buyers can also save up to 20 percent by purchasing the event as part of a season ticket package.

New this year, Lied patrons will be able to reserve parking spaces at the Que Place Garage on 11th and Q streets through the city parking Web site at www.lincoln.ne.gov. Reserved spots will cost $4 if ordered online. In addition, patrons can request valet parking online for $7, or $8 on the day of the event. A link to reserve your parking can be found on the Lied Center Web site.

As part of the Lied Center's education programming, a pre-performance talk will be held in the Lied Center's Steinhart Room 30 minutes prior to curtain. The pre-talk speaker will be Darryl White, associate professor of trumpet at the UNL School of Music. Seating is limited in the Steinhart, and the pre-talk will begin a half-hour before curtain or when the room is full.

This performance is made possible in part by generous support from the Ruth Amen Endowment and the Friends of Lied Foundation.

The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported the programs of this organization through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature; the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

The Lied Center's 20th season is supported by Friends of Lied and grants from Association of Performing Arts Presenters; National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency; Mid-America Arts Alliance; Nebraska Arts Council; New England Foundation for the Arts; and Lincoln Arts Council. All events in the Lied Center are made possible entirely or in part by the Lied Performance Fund, which has been established in memory of Ernst F. Lied and his parents, Ernst M. and Ida K. Lied.

For more information about Wynton Marsalis, visit www.wyntonmarsalis.org.