In fact, it is the concert programme that makes this evening really special, as the band will play new compositions written for this tour and will be heard together with three exceptional guests on this evening only.
No other major orchestra in the jazz world has had three leaders for decades. The 19-member band was led by bassist and composer John Clayton, drummer Jeff Hamilton and saxophonist Jeff Clayton until the latter's death in 2020. Hamilton has regularly worked with Oscar Peterson and Ray Brown, while John Clayton backed Count Basie's orchestra and is credited with the big band's varied arrangements that are full of surprises.
And why are there as many as three ladies among the guests? The playing of the Japanese organist Akiko Tsuruga herself is the answer to how this instrument, which is almost like a full orchestra, can enter into dialogue with a big band. René Marie has always been a controversial figure in her fight for the respect of women's rights, which she undertakes often in a ruthlessly outspoken manner. In her art, however, the voice of joy finds a place alongside the bitterness, just as much as the voice of contemplation does with that of mischief. The audience of Müpa Budapest will be particularly thrilled by the performance of Gigi Radics, the Hungarian pop and soul diva who is invited to the stage by CHJO especially for this evening. This is how masculine and feminine forces meet and intertwine, creating powerful yet soulful music.
Lexus is the the key sponsor of the Jazz Legends programme.
