Jason Moran and the Harlem Hellfighters with Kenwood Academy Marching Band

James Reese Europe: From the Dancehall to the Battlefield

Jason Moran, “a startlingly gifted pianist with a relentless thirst for experimentation” (Los Angeles Times), shares his multimedia tribute to James Reese Europe. A bandleader, composer, organizer for Black musicians and World War I hero, Europe helped lay the groundwork for jazz in the early 20th century. Moran uses his distinct interpretational and compositional voice to connect Europe’s signature syncopated sound to the jazz legends who followed and the music of today. Assisting him in bringing this era to life will be the “Harlem Hellfighters” and Chicago’s own, Kenwood Academy Marching Band.