Photo by Kevin H.The fact that the H Street NE corridor has been dubbed with the name of the Atlas Performing Arts Center shows the growing importance of the venue within the local arts community. With all forms of high quality presentations, the Atlas is coming into its own as a destination point for audiences interested in everything from dance to film to live music.
So as part of this natural progression, Atlas will launch a jazz concert series as part of its 2011-2012 programming. The season will kickoff with an invite-only reception tomorrow, followed by a public concert by saxophonist Will Vinson, who will be making his area debut.
To curate this series, Atlas Executive Director Sam Sweet tapped saxophonist Brad Linde. Linde not only teaches and performs regularly throughout the area, but also co-directs the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, a gem of the local jazz scene.
“I performed several small concerts during the INTERSECTIONS 2011 Festival and really fell in love with the space,” Linde said in a recent interview with DCist. “Sam thought the Atlas could use the arts to create a bridge between the tradition and heritage of H Street NE and the new energy that is part of the revitalization of H Street NE.”
Linde selected this season’s artists through his own connections, discussions with colleagues in the local jazz community and also by reaching out to up-and-coming musicians who have a following elsewhere, but have yet to perform in D.C. The lineup is varied and presents artists who have a reputation that is not large enough to land them in a concert hall, but whose music has more depth than those who would normally perform in a small supper club or jazz bar. The series includes old-school veterans like vibraphonist Teddy Charles and Lee Konitz, contemporary innovators like Miguel Zenón and Matt Wilson, as well as local standouts like drummer Tony Martucci and saxophonist Brian Settles.
“The season is very close to the one I had envisioned from the beginning and Spring 2012 will reveal more of the motivation behind programming,” explained Linde. “There is something for everyone this season, from more obscure and challenging, to popular and mainstream, but the creative quality and artistic nature of each performance is of the highest order.”
While only the fall season has been announced, the Spring lineup will be released in coming weeks. Linde confirmed that it would include bassist Ben Allison, drummer Andrew Cyrille and saxophonist Steve Lehman.
According to Linde, Atlas is poised to become a center for local jazz activities and the team is already planning the ’12-’13 jazz season. The center’s jazz programming will go beyond performance by establishing educational content and commissioning new works.
“I learned that when working with a great venue with great leadership like the Atlas, there is no limit in possibilities,” Linde said. “Artists will find out about the Atlas and hopefully it will become a destination for traveling performers.”
For more information on the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s 2011-2012 season, visit the website.Tickets to tomorrow’s 8 p.m. performance by the Will Vinson Quartet are $25.
