Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World
Family Programming on Opening Day, Sunday March 20
Disney's animated film, The Princess and the Frog, is set in jazzy New Orleans, and the combination of a classic fairy tale with that city's rollicking sound track was a big success. Featuring hand-drawn animation, the studio's first African American princess, and a score by Randy Newman, it's a worthy introduction to a unique American art form -- Jazz. On Sunday, one of our favorite LA institutions, The Fowler Museum, opens a brand new show -- Jam Session: America's Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World. The show includes photographs and artifacts from a global concert tour organized by the US government that put jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman in touch with fans around the world. Given the state of the world today, this seems like a particularly cool type of diplomacy! The show, which will run through August, will feature intermittent jazz performances in the galleries and many wonderful family and adult programs to expand on this rich theme. Click here for a free educational guide for your kids that includes activity sheets, in-gallery activities, and photographic references.
Free Family Programming on Sunday, March 20: The Opening Day programming will be pitch perfect for kids of all ages. Kids in the Courtyard: Peanut, Peanut Butter ... and JAZZ is free, and runs from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM this Sunday, March 20. Come join UCLA jazz musicians and make PB&J sandwiches to kick off this wonderful show. Note: The LA Marathon takes place on Sunday; click here to check the route and plan a successful outing!
Panel on Jazz Diplomacy this Sunday: Adults and older kids might want to attend a panel discussion at 2:00 PM on Sunday (3/20) called Fowler Outspoken Conversationsfeaturing Kenny Burrell, John Edward Hasse, and Quincy Jones. The event will be moderated by Tom Schnabel and will likely be crowded, so please read the 'wristband' policy.
The Princess and the Frog: Set in 1920s New Orleans, the tale follows Tiana, a young waitress who dreams of opening her own restaurant. Tiana is convinced to kiss a charismatic frog who promises he is a prince, but she transforms into a frog, instead of the frog becoming a prince! Along their journey to love, the two frogs must travel deep into the bayou with a series of silly, colorful characters to meet a voodoo doctor who can restore them to their royal human selves. (2009, G, Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, who also made The Little Mermaid andAladdin). Click here for more details.
Extras: PBS produced a kids website about jazz in conjunction with Ken Burns' JAZZ documentary. Click here for the kids site, and here to learn more about JAZZ, A Film by Ken Burns.
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