Award-winning jazz pianist and composer Jason Moran will lead a performance of “James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters: The Absence of Ruin” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 7 in Shannon Hall at Memorial Union as part of the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) Jazz Series.
The piece aims to explore the life and legacy of U.S. Army Lieutenant and Bandleader and composer James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters, a U.S. Army regiment of Black musicians in World War I who helped shape early jazz.
A MacArthur fellow and former Kennedy Center artistic director for jazz, Moran is recognized for work that brings together musical performance with historical inquiry. His projects frequently incorporate original compositions and reinterpretations of earlier works to highlight key figures and moments in American music history.
“Jason Moran’s approach connects jazz history and biographical storytelling with contemporary multimedia performance in ways that highlight jazz’s roots, the heroism and impact of James Reese Europe and the Harlem Hellfighters, and the ongoing relevance of these heroes and jazz today,” WUT Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said.
Tickets range from $8 to $74 and can be purchased online, in person at the Memorial Union Box Office or by phone at (608) 265-2787.
This performance is presented by WUT and the Wisconsin Union Directorate Performing Arts Committee. Other performances in the Jazz Series include Emmet Cohen: “Miles & Coltrane at 100” featuring Jeremy Pelt and Tivon Pennicott on Feb. 28 and Chucho Valdés & Paquito D’Rivera on Apr. 30.
Ticket purchasing and additional information about Wisconsin Union Theater programming are available at union.wisc.edu/theater.