Step into a world of rhythm and soul as the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by the iconic trumpeter and cultural ambassador Wynton Marsalis, brings their unparalleled mastery to Hill Auditorium. The night after they perform Marsalis’s new Symphony No. 5 with the University Symphony Orchestra, the venerable ensemble takes the stage in a program that honors Duke Ellington.

Duke Ellington found deep inspiration in Africa, travelling with his orchestra to Dakar, Senegal in 1966 to perform at the first World Festival of Negro Arts. This trip led him to compose several of his most iconic works, including Afro-Bossa, Liberian Suite, and the Grammy Award-winning Togo Brava Suite. Co-music-directed by JLCO saxophonists Chris Lewis and Alexa Tarantino, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis celebrates these compositions and the spirit of Duke’s historic trip, nearly 60 years later.