• Saturday, May 7, 2022 / 7:00pm (Artemis)

Join us in honoring the life and work of legendary jazz pianist and composer Mary Lou Williams (1910-1981), the “first lady of jazz” who overcame gender and racial discrimination with fearless devotion to musical innovation. This special 25th Silver Anniversary of the Kennedy Center’s "Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival" features exciting guest performers over two days. On May 6, drummer Allison Miller and bassist Derrick Hodge present Soul on Soul, their tribute to Williams which premiered at the Monterey Jazz Festival to critical acclaim. The evening also spotlights NEA Jazz Master and three-time Grammy-winning drummer Terri Lyne Carrington with her current project Social Science featuring violinist Chelsey Green, vocalist Mark Kibble (of Take 6), and D.C. native musician/producer Kokayi. An outspoken activist, teacher, and mentor, Carrington is also the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, a multidisciplinary program whose motto is “Jazz Without Patriarchy.” On May 7, all-star ensemble Artemis takes the stage with six of the top performers on the jazz scene today: pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, clarinetist Anat Cohen, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller. Named for the Olympian goddess of the hunt and the wild, this superlative sextet is an international affair with members hailing from the U.S., Canada, Israel, Chile, and Japan. Playing with passion, power, and sensitivity, Artemis brings its collective artistry with unforgettable performances of high-wire interplay and pure joy.