Ravinia Festival Celebrates Jazz and Blues With Lewis, McFerrin, The Moody Blues & More

Ravinia Festival celebrates the 75th birthday of Chicago jazz great Ramsey Lewis with a night of jazz stars at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 18, including a double bill of songstress Nancy Wilson with the Ramsey Lewis Trio and the Dave Brubeck Quartet. The All-Steans Jazz Band Quintet which feature alumni of the program for jazz at Ravinia's Steans Institute for Young Artists, joins them. Lewis recently released his new album Songs from the Heart: Ramsey Lewis Plays Ramsey, a collection of many songs that had their premiere at Ravinia or were commissioned by Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman for the festival. Lewis's Abraham Lincoln-inspired Ravinia-commissioned work, Proclamation of Hope, which premiered at Ravinia last summer, will receive its Kennedy Center premiere later this year. A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and recent Kennedy Center honoree in 2009, Brubeck is most famous for his classic hit "Take Five." Prior to the concert, Lewis, along with his wife Jan, who has created a special commemorative tie and scarf in honor of Ramsey's birthday, will sign CDs in front of Ravinia Gifts in the dining pavilion at 5 p.m.

Showcasing the music of Cuba and continuing the work of Buena Vista Social Club with original members such as trumpeter Guajiro Mirabal and laúd virtuoso Barbarito Torres, Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club appears at Ravinia at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 26. This performance also features Omara Portuondo, singer and original member of the Cuban female singing group Cuarteto d'Aida, in her festival debut. Also on June 26 and back by popular demand, a tented dance floor on the north lawn will be set up, and guests can enter the festival's fourth annual dance contest hosted by the Women's Board of Ravinia Festival. Winners of the dance contest will receive gift certificates to Ravinia Gifts. The evening also features two great dining and ticket packages including the "World's Largest Lawn Party," which includes a lawn ticket and a full-service picnic for $40. Guests can also purchase a pavilion ticket and Cuban-themed chef's table dinner at the Mirabelle restaurant for a single price of $65.

With an incredible four-octave range, singer Bobby McFerrin brings his voice and compositions to the festival at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 27, along with the Chicago Children's Choir to perform works from his latest album VOCAbuLarieS. An ambitious album project several years in the making, the album draws from the array of influences that have long contributed to McFerrin's innovative style-classical to world music, R&B to gospel and beyond-and recasts the singer in a new framework defined by dense compositional detail, rich textures and complex arrangements.

Ravinia acknowledges the bicentennial of one of the all-time greatest piano composers, Frédéric Chopin, by presenting renowned interpreters this season beginning with pianist Garrick Ohlsson at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 24, in the Martin Theatre. This all-Chopin recital features nocturnes and the complete preludes. Ohlsson is the first American ever to win the coveted gold medal at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. This night also features a dining and ticket package that includes a Martin Theatre ticket and dinner at the Park View restaurant, for $70.

Classic ‘60s rock icons, The Moody Blues makes its Ravinia debut at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 25. The band has sold over 50 million albums worldwide and have been awarded 14 platinum and gold discs. The pavilion is sold out, but lawn tickets are still available.

Chicago blues guitar legend Buddy Guy returns at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, in the pavilion. He is joined by soul/funk group JJ Grey & Mofro in their festival debut. Prior to this concert, Ravinia Jazz Scholars and Mentors present a preview concert at 6 p.m. in the Martin Theatre, free to those holding tickets to the main-stage performance. The Ravinia Jazz Scholars are a group of 25 Chicago public high school students, chosen through auditions, who have studied throughout the year with some of Chicago's great jazz artists through the festival's REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs.

One of the most successful live performing acts on the world stage with over 30 albums to their credit, and sales of more than 50 million records, Jethro Tull returns to Ravinia at 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 20. The band is joined by progressive rock band Procol Harum making its festival debut. Pavilion tickets are sold out, but lawn tickets are still available.

Backstreet's back, all right; selling more than 100 million albums worldwide with such hits as "Quit Playing Games (with My Heart)," "As Long As You Love Me" and "Unbreakable," the Backstreet Boys return to Ravinia at 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 17. R&B group Mindless Behavior makes its Ravinia debut opening for the Backstreet Boys. Earlier that day, Musicians from Ravinia's Steans Institute for Young Artists present a "Jazz in June Showcase" at 6 p.m. in Bennett • Gordon Hall.

The Kraft Kids Concert series continues with Synergy Brass Quintet at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 19, in the Martin Theatre. Known for their energetic showmanship and flawless technique, Synergy Brass Quintet has performed in Chicago-area schools through Ravinia's REACH*TEACH*PLAY education programs. After the performance Ravinia's "instrument petting zoo," where kids can explore music and play instruments, will offer free entertainment for families in front of the Martin Theatre.

Founded over 31 years ago and recognized as the premier Chinese acrobatic touring company, Golden Dragon Acrobats from China make their Ravinia debut at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 23. This Kraft Kids Concert combines acrobatics, dance, costumes and traditional music.

As a one-man musical universe, the Grammy-nominated Ralph's World, starring popular Chicago rocker Ralph Covert, returns to Ravinia at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 26, for a Kraft Kids Concert. Covert currently teaches songwriting and children's music classes at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago and is a visiting musician for arts programs in the Chicago Public Schools and the Lookingglass Theatre.

Ravinia Festival is located at Lake Cook and Green Bay roads in Highland Park. For concert information or to purchase tickets please visit Ravinia.org or contact the box office at (847) 266-5100. All season long, Ravinia will accept donations of non-perishable food and toiletry items for local food depositories which can be dropped off near the information booth at the main entrance of the park. Follow, connect and interact online at backstage.ravinia.org, Ravinia.org/facebook and Ravinia.org/twitter. Ravinia Festival is a not-for-profit organization.

Thursday, June 17, 6 p.m. - Bennett • Gordon Hall
Jazz in June Showcase
Tickets: $10/No lawn sales/Park opens at 5 p.m.

Thursday, June 17, 8 p.m. - Pavilion
Backstreet Boys
with special guest Mindless Behavior +
Media Support: Chicago's Rewind 100.3
Tickets: $50/Lawn $27**/Park opens at 5 p.m.

Friday, June 18, 7 p.m. - Pavilion
Ramsey Lewis 75
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Nancy Wilson and the Ramsey Lewis Trio
All-Steans Jazz Band Quintet
Season Sponsor: Exelon
Program Sponsor: Grant Thornton LLP
Media Support: 93XRT
Tickets: $65/Lawn $22**/Park opens at 4 p.m.

Saturday, June 19, 11 a.m. - Martin Theatre
Kraft Kids Concert
Synergy Brass Quintet +
Featured Sponsor: Kraft Foods Inc.
Media Support: 101.9FM THE MIX
Tickets: $10/Lawn $5/Park opens at 10 a.m.
Instrument Petting Zoo, 12-1:30 p.m. - in front of Martin Theatre

Saturday, June 19, 6 p.m. - Martin Theatre
REACH*TEACH*PLAY
Preview Concert
Ravinia Jazz Mentors and Scholars
Tickets: FREE to those holding tickets to main stage performance/Park opens at 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 19, 7:30 p.m. - Pavilion
Buddy Guy
JJ Grey & Mofro +
Program Sponsors: KPMG LLP, Greenberg Traurig LLP
Media Support: 93XRT
Tickets: $65/Lawn $22**/Park opens at 5 p.m.

Sunday, June 20, 7 p.m. - Pavilion
Jethro Tull
with special guest Procol Harum +
Media Support: 97.1 FM The Drive
Tickets: SOLD OUT/Lawn $27**/Park opens at 4 p.m.
-5-
Wednesday, June 23, 7 p.m. - Pavilion
Kraft Kids Concert
Golden Dragon Acrobats from China +
Featured Sponsor: Kraft Foods, Inc.
Media Support: 101.9FM THE MIX
Tickets: $20/Lawn $5/Park opens at 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 24, 8 p.m. - Martin Theatre
Frédéric Chopin 200
Garrick Ohlsson, Piano
Chopin: Impromptu in F-sharp Major, Op. 36 *
Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major, Op. 47
Barcarolle in F-sharp Major, Op. 60
2 Nocturnes, Op. 27
Scherzo in C-sharp Minor, Op. 39
Complete Preludes
Featured Sponsor: Mrs. A. Watson Armour
Tickets: $50-$30/Lawn $10/Ticket & dining package $70/Park opens at 5 p.m.

Friday, June 25, 8 p.m. - Pavilion
The Moody Blues +
Season Sponsor: Bank of America
Media Support: 97.1 FM The Drive
Tickets: SOLD OUT/Lawn $27**/Park opens at 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 26, 11 a.m. - Pavilion
Kraft Kids Concert
Ralph's World
Featured Sponsor: Kraft Foods Inc.
Media Support: 101.9FM THE MIX
Tickets: $15/Lawn $5/Park opens at 10 a.m.

Saturday, June 26, 7:30 p.m. - Pavilion
Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club® featuring Omara Portuondo +
Program Sponsor: Sara Lee Foundation
Media Support: WBEZ 91.5 FM
Tickets: $55/Lawn $22**/Park opens at 5 p.m.
Ticket & dining package $65/World's Largest Lawn Party $40
Concert features dance floor on the lawn/4th Annual Women's Board Dance Contest

Repertoire being performed at Ravinia for the first time is marked with an asterisk (*). Artists making their Ravinia debut are marked with a plus sign (+). Lawn ticket prices are increased by $5 on the day of the show when marked by a double asterisk (**). All artists and programs are subject to change.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.