FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACTS: Suzette Espinosa Fuentes Gino R. Campodónico 786-468-2221 786-468-2228 sespinosa@arshtcenter.org gcampodonico@arshtcenter.org

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County Announces the 2020-2021 season of

DIANNE REEVES: CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE

Five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves With Opening Act Brandon Goldberg Trio

December 18, 2020

LUCIANA SOUZA: STORYTELLERS Grammy-winning Brazilian Vocalist Luciana Souza, Shelly Berg and The Mancini

Institute Big Band With Opening Act Sammy Figueroa Latin Jazz Explosion

January 15, 2021

PAT METHENY SIDE-EYE Grammy-winning Guitarist and Composer Pat Metheny

With James Francies and Joe Dyson February 19, 2021

AN EVENING WITH CHRIS BOTTI Internationally Acclaimed Trumpeter Chris Botti

March 12, 2021

LEDISI: NINA & ME Vocal Powerhouse Ledisi Honors the Legendary Singer Nina Simone

April 9, 2021

MIAMI, FL June 25, 2020 - The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is proud to announce its 2020-2021 JAZZ ROOTS season – five extraordinary, curated evenings of live music in the Center’s Knight Concert Hall that celebrate jazz’s rich history of fusion and cross-pollination. EFG returns as the presenting sponsor for Jazz Roots 2020-2021. “We are looking forward to opening our doors and welcoming our community back to the Knight Concert Hall for our critically-acclaimed JAZZ ROOTS concerts,” said Liz Wallace, vice president of programming at the Arsht Center. “Our 13th season of Jazz Roots offers South Florida audiences the series’ signature blend of dazzlingly eclectic jazz styles, some of the finest musical artists from around the world, and diverse education initiatives that have so far touched more than 9,000 high school jazz students. It is our hope that these artists and performances will offer a much-needed life-affirming celebration of music, fellowship, and hope.”

Marcelo Coscarelli, Head of EFG’s Americas Region added: “We are delighted to partner with the Arsht Center for this season’s Jazz Roots, such a welcome addition to our international jazz portfolio. The last few months have really demonstrated the importance of the arts and music in all our lives and the power they have to bring us together.”

JAZZ ROOTS 2020-2021 presents five incomparably moving and diverse evenings of jazz, featuring top headliners and exciting new artists. The series kicks off on December 18, 2020, when Grammy winner Dianne Reeves rings in the end-of-year holidays with Miami pianist Brandon Goldberg as her opening act. Then Grammy winner Luciana Souza sings songs by some of Brazil’s most popular songwriters, accompanied by Shelly Berg and The Mancini Institute Big Band, on January 15, 2021. On February 19, 2021, the guitarist and composer Pat Metheny jams with an eclectic gathering of emerging young artists; while the brilliant trumpeter Chris Botti brings his wildly popular tour de force show to the Knight Concert Hall on March 12, 2021. The series culminates as the vocal powerhouse Ledisi honors the legendary singer and civil rights icon Nina Simone on April 9, 2021.

JAZZ ROOTS 2020-2021 is presented by the Arsht Center with generous support from presenting sponsor EFG. EFG is a global private banking group headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with regional headquarters in Miami, and the presenting sponsor of other global jazz events, including the EFG London Jazz Festival and EFG Lugano Estival Jazz. JAZZ ROOTS 2020-2021 is also presented with generous support from Baldwin Richardson Foods, Quint Family Foundation, Alan and Diane Lieberman and Steinway & Sons, the official piano of the Adrienne Arsht Center. WLRN 91.3 and JAZZIZ Magazine are media sponsors. “I have been an artist and educator for over four decades, and it is a true highlight to be working once again with the Arsht Center on this amazing series,” said Frost School of Music Dean Shelly Berg, JAZZ ROOTS artistic advisor. “Presenting world-class jazz to South Florida audiences and educating students about the struggles and triumphs of America’s greatest musical achievement, jazz, are goals to which I am fervently devoted.”

The star-studded line up for JAZZ ROOTS 2020-2021 is as follows: DIANNE REEVES: CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE Vocalist Dianne Reeves with opening act Brandon Goldberg Trio featuring Ben Wolfe, bass, and Donald Edwards, drums Friday, December 18, 2020 at 8 p.m. In addition to being a five-time Grammy Award recipient, DIANNE REEVES has received honorary doctorates from Juilliard and Berklee College of Music. The pre-eminent jazz vocalist in the world, DIANNE REEVES rings in the holiday season with music from her celebrated album, Christmas Time Is Here. Reeves melds her timeless grace, elegance, and charisma into unforgettable jazz renditions of holiday favorites such as “Little Drummer Boy,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Christmas Waltz,” “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” “Let It Snow,” and many more. Opening for Reeves on this joyous occasion is 14-year-old keyboard wunderkind and Miami native BRANDON GOLDERG, whose “jazz IQ is phenomenal,” according to DownBeat magazine.

DIANNE REEVES’ many talents are richly on display in every song of her limitless repertoire. As a result of her virtuosity, improvisational prowess, and unique jazz and R&B styles, Dianne has received five Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album, an honorary Doctor of Music from Juilliard, and was named a 2018 National Endowment of the Arts Jazz Master. Reeves’ magical, timeless voice, exceptional personality and the sheer force of her performance mark her as a captivating world-class artist. Wynton Marsalis has said “she has one of the most powerful, purposeful, and accurate voices of this or any time.”

Miami pianist BRANDON GOLDBERG returns to JAZZ ROOTS following the release of his debut album, Let’s Play!, which garnered rave reviews and four stars from Downbeat magazine. Already well known to hometown jazz fans from performances with the WDNA Miami Downtown Jazz Festival, the FAENA Summer Jazz Series and the Miami Symphony Orchestra, Goldberg also wowed audiences at the 2019 Newport Jazz Festival.

LUCIANA SOUZA: STORYTELLERS Luciana Souza, Shelly Berg, and The Mancini Institute Big Band with opening act Sammy Figueroa Latin Jazz Explosion Friday, January 15, 2021 at 8 p.m.

Melding the worlds of Brazilian pop and American jazz, Grammy Award-winning vocalist LUCIANA SOUZA, in collaboration with Miami’s own SHELLY BERG and THE MANCINI INSTITUTE BIG BAND, brings her deeply personal, colorful, and illuminated musicality to big band arrangements of songs by her fellow Brazilians Antonio Carlos Jobim, Edu Lobo, Chico Buarque, Guinga, Djavan, Ivan Lins, and Gilberto Gil. "Her voice traces a landscape of emotion that knows no boundaries,” says Entertainment Weekly.

LUCIANA SOUZA is one of jazz’s leading singers and interpreters. Her work transcends traditional musical boundaries, offering solid roots in jazz, a sophisticated lineage in world music, and an enlightened approach to the latest sounds. Souza has been releasing acclaimed recordings since 2002 and has performed and recorded with many greats including Herbie Hancock, Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Bobby McFerrin. Her complete discography contains

more than 50 records as a side singer. LUCIANA SOUZA will be joined by Steinway piano artist and multi-Grammy Award-nominated arranger and producer SHELLY BERG and The Frost School of Music’s HENRY MANCINI INSTITUTE BIG BAND. PAT METHENY SIDE-EYE Friday, February 19, 2021 at 8 p.m. PAT METHENY, the internationally renowned guitarist, brings his new project “Side-Eye” to JAZZ ROOTS, a touring collaboration with a rotating lineup of new and emerging musicians who have impressed and inspired Metheny throughout the world. This edition of Side-Eye will feature James Francies (keyboards, piano) and drummer Joe Dyson. “While touring, I regularly listen to new musicians who claim to be influenced by my records,” says Metheny, “and I often invite them to play with me. This inspires me to see the way they challenge music represented by the old melodies, and I’m curious what could happen if I write new music just for them.”

Since arriving on the jazz scene as an adolescent in the mid-'70s, guitarist, composer, and bandleader PAT METHENY has established himself as one of the most original jazz musicians in the world. He has won 20 Grammy Awards and is the only artist to do so in 10 different categories. Metheny melds a singular, euphoric sense of harmony with Latin and Brazilian sounds, rock, and global folk music into progressive and contemporary jazz.

AN EVENING WITH CHRIS BOTTI Friday, March 12, 2021 at 8 p.m.

There’s nothing like a CHRIS BOTTI concert. He is the complete package: a dazzling trumpeter at home in everything from jazz to pop to rock, a brilliant bandleader who lets his players shine, and a born showman whose joy at being onstage is infectious. Whether he’s performing with illustrious symphonies or at renowned venues around the globe, his unparalleled crystalline and poetic sound transcends musical boundaries.

For over two decades, Grammy Award-winning master trumpeter and composer CHRIS BOTTI has amassed a spectacular variety of honors, including multiple Gold and Platinum albums, to become the largest selling instrumental artist in the United States. His mesmerizing performances with a stunning array of legends such as Sting, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Yo-Yo Ma, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Andrea Bocelli have cemented his place as one of the most brilliant and inspiring forces of the contemporary music scene.

LEDISI: NINA & ME Vocalist Ledisi Opening act to be announced April 9, 2021 LEDISI: NINA & ME originally premiered with two sold-out performances at The Kennedy Center with the National Symphony Orchestra, followed by a sold-out show at the Apollo Theatre to a roaring standing ovation. Now presented for Miami audiences by the Arsht Center, “Nina and Me” is a beautifully orchestrated mixture of classical, jazz and rhythm & blues sounds with a riveting narrative of the musical bond between an artist from one era influenced

by a legend from the past. LEDISI returns to her roots in jazz while honoring one of her greatest inspirations, the brilliant NINA SIMONE, the celebrated American singer, songwriter, musician, arranger, and civil rights activist. Simone’s music spanned a broad range of musical styles including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel, and pop. Known as the “High Priestess of Soul,” Simone is regarded as one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

LEDISI is a 12-time Grammy-nominated vocal powerhouse who has wowed fans ever since she came onto the music scene more than 20 years ago, earning a place in the pantheon of the best soul singers of her generation. Ledisi has performed nine times at the White House, headlined two national sold-out tours, and shared the stage with Richie Sambora, Dave Matthews, and Kelly Clarkson, as well as jazz greats like Herbie Hancock. In 2015 she landed a role in the Oscar-nominated movie Selma portraying Mahalia Jackson. Ledisi is not only a singer and actress, she’s an author, playwright, film producer and now CEO of her record label Chinweya Entertainment. TICKET INFORMATION JAZZ ROOTS 2020-2021 series subscriptions, which include tickets to all five performances, are on sale to the public beginning June 25 with seating priority given to renewing subscribers. Packages range in price from $194-$514*. Subscriptions can be purchased by calling (305) 949-6722 or online at arshtcenter.org/jazz. Single tickets, if available after the subscription campaign ends, will go on sale later this year. ARSHT CENTER COMMITMENT TO SAFETY Before the curtain rises once again, we will implement a series of new measures for your safety and peace of mind. They include reinforced hygiene practices with Arsht Center staff, enhanced cleaning protocols and, likely, requiring guests to follow additional safety practices. Your safety and well-being continue to be our top priority. We will share additional details as we get closer to welcoming guests to the Arsht Center once again. Please visit here for updates and details. ABOUT JAZZ ROOTS JAZZ ROOTS is an institution in Miami music and has been credited with revitalizing America’s art form in the region. More than 100,000 people have attended the annual six-part concert and educational series, which has also benefited more than 9,000 high school jazz music students who have participated in the accompanying JAZZ ROOTS: Sound Check educational program. JAZZ ROOTS was co-created by the Adrienne Arsht Center in 2008 in collaboration with the late music industry entrepreneur Larry Rosen and since then has presented a rich variety of thematically based concerts exploring the spectrum of jazz. The series has featured more than 160 of the greatest living jazz artists/ensembles on the scene today and has introduced Miami audiences to rising stars and local talent. JAZZ ROOTS has showcased every unique style and incarnation of jazz – from Latin jazz and fusion to bossa nova and straight ahead, as well as presented tribute programs honoring American icons Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald and John Coltrane. Since its inception, the series has included jazz superstars such as Jon Batiste, George Benson, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Paquito D’Rivera, Michael Feinstein, Dave Grusin, Keith Jarrett, Eddie Palmieri, and Sonny Rollins, Chucho Valdés as well as world-class ensembles, including the Jazz at Lincoln

Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, the Count Basie Orchestra, and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. Quincy Jones has heralded JAZZ ROOTS as “the most important new jazz and educational series in America!” This history-making series has sold out dozens of concerts. JAZZ ROOTS also features JAZZ ROOTS: Sound Check, an in-depth educational partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools which has brought more than 9,000 high school music students to the Center for a complimentary and unique behind-the-scenes experience including: a pre-concert sound check; a Q&A session with featured artists followed by a workshop with a local jazz expert that will highlight the music, the artistic process and the practical skills needed for a career in the arts; and free entry to the evening’s performance. The JAZZ ROOTS education program is presented by Baldwin Richardson Foods, and made possible in part by EFG International, the Green Family Foundation, Quint Family Foundation, Citizens Interested in Arts and Alan and Diane Lieberman.

Image of Dianne Reeves – Photo by

Jerris Madison

Image of Brandon Goldberg – Photo

courtesy of artist management

Image of Luciana Souza – Photo by

Kim Fox

Image of Sammy Figueroa – Photo

courtesy artist management

Image of Pat Metheny – Photo

courtesy artist management

Image of Henry Mancini Institute Big

Band – Photo by Brian Lynch

To download high-resolutions versions of the photos above, click here.

@ArshtCenter #ArshtCenter #JazzRoots

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Visit arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

### About the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County Set in the heart of downtown Miami and designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is one of the world’s leading performing arts organizations and venues. Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has emerged as a leader in presenting innovative programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity as well as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area. Spotlighting legends and serving as a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage, the Center presents nearly 400 events each year across its flexible, state-of-the-art performance spaces. The Center programs several Signature Series, including the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival, and a robust program of new theatrical works as well as free programming for the community and an arts education program that serves nearly 60,000 children each year. As Miami’s new Town Square, the Arsht Center also houses BRAVA by Brad Kilgore, a fine dining restaurant, the Café at Books & Books in the historic Carnival Tower and a weekly Farmers Market. Visit arshtcenter.org for more information.

About EFG International EFG International is a global private banking group offering private banking and asset management services through its subsidiaries worldwide. In the United States, brokerage services are offered through EFG Capital International Corp., an SEC registered and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) member broker-dealer, while portfolio and asset management services are offered through EFG Asset Management (Americas) Corp., an SEC registered investment adviser. efgcapital.com

Image of Chris Botti – Photo courtesy

of artist management

Image of Ledisi – Photo courtesy of

artist management