After a year’s intermission, the Folly Theater is excited to present the 2021/2022 40th Annual Jazz Season taking place at the historic Folly Theater. Series subscriber tickets on sale now. Individual Tickets on sale August 1.
The Folly Jazz Series started in 1981 shortly after the Folly was refurbished and reopened to the public. Since that time the series has featured the likes of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, Chick Corea, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dr. John, Marilyn Maye, Esperanza Spalding Quartet, and Jon Batiste and Stay Human just to name a select few. As Kansas City’s longest-running jazz series, the Folly continues its tradition of showcasing both established and emerging talents.
This season’s lineup will feature:
- September 17, 2021 – John Pizzarelli Trio for Centennial Reasons: 100 Year Salute to Nat King Cole - World-renowned guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli has been hailed by the Boston Globe for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.”
- October 9, 2021 – Karrin Allyson - Vocalist, pianist, and songwriter Karrin is a five-time Grammy Award nominee, originally from Kansas, now living in New York City. Karrin has traveled the globe playing clubs, festivals, performing arts centers, and beyond.
- December 10, 2021 – David Benoit Christmas Tribute to Charlie Brown with special guests the Kansas City Boys Choir and Girls Choir - David has had multiple tracks at the top of Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Charts, received three Grammy nominations in Best Contemporary Jazz Performances, Best Large Ensemble Performance, and Best Instrumental Composition. He went on to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Smooth Jazz Awards and has scored many movies.
- January 15, 2022 – Jeff Lorber Trio - Grammy Award-winning keyboardist, composer, and producer Jeff Lorber has, over the course of 42 years and 24 albums, pioneered the post-fusion sound of contemporary jazz with his radio-friendly, groove-oriented instrumental music.
- February 12, 2022 – Anat Cohen Quartetinho featuring Vitor Gonçalves, Tal Mashiach, and James Shipp - The perennial winner of “Clarinetist of the Year” titles from DownBeat, JazzTimes, and the Jazz Journalists Association, Fresh Air’s Terry Gross credits Cohen with “bringing the clarinet to the world” and The New York Times hails her a “Master.”
- March 12, 2022 – Paquito D’Rivera Quintet - Paquito D’Rivera defies categorization. The winner of fourteen Grammy Awards, he is celebrated both for his artistry in Latin jazz and his achievements as a classical composer.
- April 16, 2022 – An Evening with Eliane Elias- Elias blends her Brazilian roots and alluring voice with her virtuosic instrumental jazz, classical and compositional skills, while she consistently displays her pianistic mastery and ability to integrate the many artistic roles she takes on.
All shows will feature a pre-show “JazzTalk,” an informal interview with the artist at 7:00 pm. Shows start at 8:00 pm.
Info and tickets here.