 | | Bill Lucas and Wayne Shorter |
On the second day of the new millennium, Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) trumpeter Bill Lucas was invited to perform with Wayne Shorter, DSO guest artist and saxophone legend, during a Millennium Jazz Celebration at DetroitÕs Orchestra Hall. The concert was programmed in an effort to deliberately blur the line between orchestral music and jazz. Shorter is best known for his work with Miles Davis' quintet and pianist Joe Zawinul's Weather Report. At the DSO concert, Lucas played with Shorter's quartet on the Miles Davis classic All Blues. The original intent was for Lucas to play one tune, but he was invited back to play on Shorter's original composition Aung San Suu Kyi. The concert also featured the world premiere of Shorter's composition Syszygy, a newly commissioned work for orchestra and jazz quartet. Shorter's rhythm section included Jim Beard, piano; John Patitucci, bass; and Alex Acuna, drums.
Lucas, who has been a DSO member since 1988, is noted for his ability to perform convincingly as both an orchestral musician and jazz soloist. When asked if he was more nervous about this performance than others, he replied, "I had perceived all of this to be an opportunity to test my abilities as a musician. So, I was going to stand next to a man that stood next to Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard; who wouldn't be nervous about that? But to the extent that I'm trying to say my own thing, I looked at this as an opportunity to express myself." Lucas serves on the music faculties at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University
Source: Sean Twomey, Public Relations Coordinator, Detroit Symphony Orchestra |
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