JAZZ IN THE KEY OF ELLISON celebrates the musical world of Ralph Ellison. It is a new concert production inspired by the musical life of America’s iconic writer Ralph Ellison, presented in music, words, and images. Ralph Ellison, acclaimed author of the National Book Award-winning novel ­Invisible Man, was an accomplished trumpeter who was close to many of the great jazz innovators of his lifetime – from Armstrong and Ellington to Bird and Monk. The concert celebration premiered in November 2016 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

This star-led evening of music and narration includes R&B and jazz vocalist WILL DOWNING, iconic Labelle singer/­recording artist NONA HENDRYX, 2017 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winner QUIANA LYNELL, and Grammy-winning trumpeter NICHOLAS PAYTON, the ANDY FARBER JAZZ ORCHESTRA from the Broadway show “After Midnight,” and narration by best-selling author ROXANE GAY. plus additional special guest performers. Still images and video of Ellison, legendary ­performers including Louis Armstrong and Count Basie, and paintings by Ellison’s close friend Romare Beardon provide a visual backdrop. The tour will also offer educational ­opportunities featuring Columbia University’s Jazz and Ellison scholar Bob O’Meally joined by performers from the show.

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Produced by NJPAC and Danny Kapilian
Support for the NJPAC premiere was provided by Audible.com, the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and the Institute for Jazz Studies in Newark.