Saturday Evening, January 23, 2016, at 8:30

Rita MorenoRuss Kassoff, Music Director and PianoJay Anderson, BassTed Sommer, Drums

This evening’s program is approximately 75 minutes long and will be performed without intermission.

Major support for Lincoln Center’s American Songbook is provided by Amy & Joseph Perella.

Endowment support provided by Bank of America

This performance is made possible in part by the Josie Robertson Fund for Lincoln Center.

The

Prog

ram

Please make certain all your electronic devices are switched off.

Steinway PianoThe Appel RoomJazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall

American Songbook

We would like to remind you that the sound of coughing and rustling paper mightdistract the performers and your fellow audience members.

In consideration of the performing artists and members of the audience, those who must leave before the end of the performance are asked to do so between pieces. Flash photography and the use of recording equipment are not allowed in the building.

Additional support for Lincoln Center’s American Songbook is provided by The DuBose andDorothy Heyward Memorial Fund, The Shubert Foundation, Jill and Irwin B. Cohen, The G & A Foundation, Inc., Great Performers Circle, Chairman’s Council, and Friends ofLincoln Center.

Public support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.

Artist catering provided by Zabar’s and zabars.com

MetLife is the National Sponsor of Lincoln Center

UPCOMING AMERICAN SONGBOOK EVENTSIN THE APPEL ROOM:

Wednesday Evening, February 3, at 8:30Craig Finn

Thursday Evening, February 4, at 8:30The Songs of Todd Almondwith special guests Courtney Love, Sherie Rene Scott, and Brandon Victor Dixon

Friday Evening, February 5, at 8:30Janis Ian

Saturday Evening, February 6, at 8:30Jerry Dixon & Mario Cantone

Wednesday Evening, February 17, at 8:30Foreigner: The Hits Unplugged

Thursday Evening, February 18, at 8:30A Coffin in Egypt: An Opera-in-Concert featuring Frederica von Stade

Friday Evening, February 19, at 8:30Laura Jane Grace of Against Me!

Saturday Evening, February 20, at 8:30Andy Karl & Orfeh

The Appel Room is located in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall.

For tickets, call (212) 721-6500 or visit AmericanSongbook.org. Call the Lincoln Center InfoRequest Line at (212) 875-5766 or visit AmericanSongbook.org for complete program infor-mation.

Join the conversation: #LCSongbook

American Songbook I Meet the Artists

One of the few performers to win entertainment’s grand slam of an Oscar,Grammy, Tony, and Emmy, Rita Moreno remains one of the busiest starsin show business and was recognized for her achievements in the 2015Kennedy Center Honors. Ms. Moreno has been cast to co-star in theLatino remake of Norman Lear’s classic sitcom One Day at a Time forNetflix, and most recently released her first all-Spanish-language album,Una Vez Más, produced by Emilio Estefan. She provides the voice ofAbuelita in the animated series Nina’s World, and her first book, RitaMoreno: A Memoir, became a New York Times bestseller. In 2011 shepremiered her one-woman biographical show, Life Without Makeup.

Such creative diversity has been the hallmark of Ms. Moreno’s nearly 70-year career. She won the 1962 Oscar for her role as Anita in the film ver-sion of West Side Story. The Tony was for her 1975 comedic triumph asGoogie Gomez in Broadway’s The Ritz, and she won a Grammy for her1972 performance on the original cast album of The Electric Company.Ms. Moreno won not one, but two Emmys—the first for a 1977 varietyappearance on The Muppet Show and the second for a dramatic turn thefollowing year on The Rockford Files.

Ms. Moreno was born Rosa Dolores Alverio in Humacao, Puerto Rico, andmoved with her mother to New York at the age of five. She made herBroadway debut at just 13 in Skydrift, starring Eli Wallach. Then, in trueHollywood tradition, a talent scout spotted her and arranged for her to meetMGM mogul Louis B. Mayer, who signed her to a film contract. Her numer-ous film appearances include Singin’ in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, and asTuptim in the classic The King and I with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr.Although early roles sometimes found her typecast as a Mexican spitfire orIndian maiden, Ms. Moreno broke the Latina mold playing an Irish teacher,an Italian widow, a proper Englishwoman, and a Southern belle.

Mee

t the

Art

ists

Rita MorenoAUSTIN H

ARGRAVE

American Songbook I Meet the Artists

Ms. Moreno’s long stage career has included starring roles in Hal Prince’s 1962production of She Loves Me and the 1997 West End run of Sunset Boulevard,among others. In New York, she has starred in Lorraine Hansberry’s The Sign inSidney Brustein’s Window, opposite Robert Shaw in Gantry, with James Cocoin Last of the Red Hot Lovers, and more.

In addition to her film, stage, television, and concert commitments, Ms. Morenolectures on such varied topics as diversity, the power of language, and gettingolder. She has served on the National Council on the Arts and as a member ofthe President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities. In 2013 she received aScreen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

Russ Kassoff

Russ Kassoff (music director, piano) is an accomplished jazz pianist, conductor,composer, orchestrator, and arranger. He toured as pianist to Frank Sinatra from1980–91, including on The Rat Pack—The Ultimate Event Tour featuring Sinatra,Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Liza Minnelli, with whom he toured for 18years. On Broadway he was music director and conductor for Twyla Tharp’sCome Fly Away (2010) and was conductor/pianist for Charles Aznavour in con-cert (1998). He has served as music director to Rita Moreno since 2003.

In 2007 Mr. Kassoff appeared as a featured guest on Marian McPartland’s PianoJazz on NPR as a result of his critically acclaimed CD Somewhere. In addition toMoreno, Sinatra, and Minnelli, Mr. Kassoff has accompanied Perry Como, VicDamone, Carly Simon, Debbie Gravitte, and Luciano Pavarotti in a wonderfullyeclectic career. In the jazz world he has enjoyed a 30-year-plus association withBucky Pizzarelli, and has recorded with the likes of Red Norvo, Chris Connor,Mimi Hines, Rod Stewart, and Sylvia Syms. The Russ Kassoff Big Band is in con-cert annually at the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium in New York’s Baha’i Center,and as part of Midtown Jazz at Midday at Saint Peter’s Church in the CiticorpCenter. In 2010 Mr. Kassoff released his CD Bird Fly By.

Jay Anderson

Jay Anderson (bass) is among the most versatile and respected jazz artists per-forming today. A bassist and composer, he has performed and recorded with awide range of jazz artists, including Woody Herman, Carmen McRae, MichaelBrecker, Paul Bley, Bob Mintzer, John Abercrombie, Dave Liebman, Joe Sample,Maria Schneider, Stanley Cowell, John Scofield, Lee Konitz, Vic Juris, RedRodney, Ira Sullivan, Mike Stern, Anat Cohen, Toots Thielemans, KennyWheeler, and Jay Clayton. Collaborations with non-jazz artists include OsvaldoGolijov, Dawn Upshaw, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Robert Spano(Atlanta Symphony Orchestra), Michael Franks, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, TomWaits, Chaka Khan, Michel Legrand, Allen Ginsberg, and Celine Dion. Mr.

Anderson has been featured on more than 300 recordings, five of whichreceived Grammy Awards. He has conducted clinics around the world and isa professor of jazz bass studies at the Manhattan School of Music. He cur-rently co-leads the critically acclaimed group Bann, featuring Seamus Blake,Oz Noy, and Adam Nussbaum.

Ted Sommer

Ted Sommer (drums), a much-in-demand percussionist, has performed onhundreds of albums, including the Grammy-nominated Percussive Mariachi(Solid State Records), Drum Suite (RCA), and Puente Goes Jazz (RCA). He hasperformed and recorded with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett,Barbra Streisand, Sammy Davis Jr., Lena Horne, Sara Vaughan, Tito Puente,Zoot Sims, Bobby Hackett, Lionel Hampton, Phil Woods, and Ron Carter.Broadway credits include 42nd Street, Music Man, and Over Here! He hasalso performed on television and radio shows, including the Tonight Showstarring Johnny Carson, the Perry Como Show, and hundreds of commercials.Mr. Sommer has also been on the staff orchestras at NBC and ABC.

American Songbook

In 1998, Lincoln Center launched American Songbook, dedicated to the cel-ebration of popular American song. Designed to highlight and affirm the cre-ative mastery of America’s songwriters from their emergence at the turn ofthe 19th century up through the present, American Songbook spans allstyles and genres, from the form’s early roots in Tin Pan Alley and Broadwayto the eclecticism of today’s singer-songwriters. American Songbook alsoshowcases the outstanding interpreters of popular song, including estab-lished and emerging concert, cabaret, theater, and songwriter performers.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Inc.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (LCPA) serves three primary roles:presenter of artistic programming, national leader in arts and education andcommunity relations, and manager of the Lincoln Center campus. A presen-ter of more than 3,000 free and ticketed events, performances, tours, andeducational activities annually, LCPA offers 15 programs, series, and festivalsincluding American Songbook, Great Performers, Lincoln Center Festival,Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Midsummer Night Swing, the Mostly MozartFestival, and the White Light Festival, as well as the Emmy Award–winningLive From Lincoln Center, which airs nationally on PBS. As manager of theLincoln Center campus, LCPA provides support and services for the LincolnCenter complex and the 11 resident organizations. In addition, LCPA led a$1.2 billion campus renovation, completed in October 2012.

American Songbook I Meet the Artists

American Songbook

Lincoln Center Programming DepartmentJane Moss, Ehrenkranz Artistic DirectorHanako Yamaguchi, Director, Music ProgrammingJon Nakagawa, Director, Contemporary ProgrammingJill Sternheimer, Director, Public ProgrammingLisa Takemoto, Production ManagerKate Monaghan, Associate Director, ProgrammingCharles Cermele, Producer, Contemporary ProgrammingMauricio Lomelin, Producer, Contemporary ProgrammingRegina Grande, Associate ProducerLuna Shyr, Programming Publications EditorNick Kleist, Company ManagerOlivia Fortunato, House Seat Coordinator

For American SongbookMatt Berman, Lighting DesignScott Stauffer, Sound DesignAmy Page, Wardrobe Assistant

Matt Berman

Matt Berman is the resident lighting designer for Lincoln Center’s AmericanSongbook. He continues his design work for Kristin Chenoweth, Liza Minnelli,Alan Cumming, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Lea Salonga, and Elaine Paige on theroad. Through his work with ASCAP and several U.S.-based charities, Mr.Berman has designed for a starry roster that includes Bernadette Peters,Barbra Streisand, Reba McEntire, Melissa Errico, Deborah Voigt, Michael Urie,Stevie Wonder, India Arie, Garth Brooks, Billy Joel, and Sting. His internationaltouring schedule has allowed him to design for iconic venues such as RoyalAlbert Hall, the Paris Opera, the Olympia theater in Paris, Royal Theatre Carréin Amsterdam, the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo, the Acropolis, the famedamphitheater in Taormina, Sicily, Luna Park in Buenos Aires, and the SydneyOpera House. Closer to home, he has done work for the Hollywood Bowl,Alice Tully Hall, and Carnegie Hall. Mr. Berman’s television work includesChenoweth’s recently released special, Coming Home, as well as seven LiveFrom Lincoln Center broadcasts, and the Tony Award–winning Liza’s at thePalace, which he also designed for Broadway. Other Broadway credits includeBea Arthur on Broadway, Nancy LaMott’s Just in Time for Christmas, andKathy Griffin Wants a Tony at the Belasco Theater.

Scott Stauffer

Scott Stauffer has been the sound designer for Lincoln Center’s AmericanSongbook since 1999; the Actors Fund concerts of Frank Loesser, Broadway101, Hair, and On the Twentieth Century; and Brian Stokes Mitchell at Carnegie

Hall. His Broadway credits include A Free Man of Color, The Rivals, Contact(also in London and Tokyo), Marie Christine, Twelfth Night, and Jekyll & Hyde. Off-Broadway Mr. Stauffer has worked on Promises, Hereafter, A Minister’sWife, Bernarda Alba, Third, Belle Epoque, Big Bill, Elegies, Hello Again, TheSpitfire Grill, Pageant, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch. His regional creditsinclude productions at the Capitol Repertory Theatre, University of Michigan,Hanger Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, andAlley Theatre. As a sound engineer, Mr. Stauffer has worked on The Lion King,Juan Darién, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, Carousel, Once on This Island, andLittle Shop of Horrors (Off-Broadway).

American Songbook

jazz at lincoln center

jazz.orgFrederick P. Rose Hall Broadway at 60th StreetBox O�ce: Ground Floor CenterCharge: 212-721-6500

fred hersch & friends: intimate momentsJAN 15–16 • 7PM & 9:30PM | THE APPEL ROOMPianist Fred Hersch joined by pianist Sullivan Fortner, clarinetist Anat Cohen, guitarist Julian Lage, and vibraphonist Stefon Harris

jazz in the key of lifeJAN 15–16 • 8PM | ROSE THEATERJazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and music director Vincent Gardner plays the music of Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway, and more

our love is here to stay: the george gershwin songbookJAN 28–30 • 8PM | ROSE THEATERJazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

charles lloyd & the marvels featuring bill frisellJAN 29–30 • 7PM & 9:30PM | THE APPEL ROOMNEA Jazz Master saxophonist Charles Lloyd with guitarist Bill Frisell, drummer Eric Harland, pedal steel guitarist Greg Leisz, and bassist Reuben Rogers

january