“Who knew that 2017 was going to be the year of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’?” writes Howard Reich in Monday’s (5/1) Chicago Tribune. “On May 12 and 15, the eminent jazz pianist Marcus Roberts will lead his trio and collaborate with the Chicago Sinfonietta in his improvised version of the ‘Rhapsody.’ … On Aug. 13, Kevin Cole—a leading Gershwin pianist—will perform the piece with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival … In 1995 [Roberts] played the world premiere of his improvised ‘Rhapsody,’ accompanied by the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra…. Never before had I heard a jazz trio improvise on Gershwin’s score while the orchestra played it as written (using the symphonic orchestration by Ferde Grofe)…. He has come to understand ‘why so much of Gershwin’s music is played’ today, says Roberts. ‘Because it’s really flexible. Jelly Roll Morton’s music is like that. (Thelonious) Monk’s music is like that.… “Rhapsody in Blue” is one of the few pieces that’s still in the American psyche enough (so that) when you make stuff up, they still know it’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” ’ … says Roberts. ‘So there’s a unique connection we can build on.’ ”
Posted May 5, 2017
