BGJI 15th Anniversary Concert Dedicated to Wayne Shorter ft Brian Blade, Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Faculty, and Students

The Berklee Global Jazz Institute Summit 15th Anniversary Celebration Concert is dedicated to Wayne Shorter, with special guest Brian Blade, and featuring Danilo Pérez, John Patitucci, Berklee faculty, and BGJI students.

The Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI) is a creative music institute with a progressive vision to develop the artists of the new millennium, led by legendary pianist and composer Danilo Pérez. Pérez, the institute's founder, also serves as artistic director; Italian saxophonist Marco Pignataro serves as managing director.

During the last 15 years, BGJI has cultivated some of the finest globally-minded musicians, creating a community of creative artists focused on the power of music for human development and social activism. Pérez remarks, “One of the goals of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute is to offer students perspectives that transcend categorization and stereotypes while fostering a learning environment where fulfilling artistic, social, and intellectual experiences interconnect and shape the personality of twenty-first century artists.” Pignataro adds, “The BGJI has promoted a creative global outlook in jazz education, inspiring other programs to follow suit. During this process, we have reached over 10,000 students at our weekly events, mentoring around 168 students from six continents, many of whom are the current artists reshaping the identity of modern jazz.”

This year's summit will be dedicated to the visionary and genius Wayne Shorter. Shorter's artistry is defined by exploration, which is core to the BGJI’s values. This concert will reunite special guest drummer Brian Blade with pianist and BGJI artistic director Danilo Pérez and bassist and Berklee Visiting Scholar John Patitucci, who were three quarters of the celebrated Wayne Shorter Quartet for 20 years and recorded four groundbreaking albums. According to Pérez, Shorter's greatness as a composer and player and his infinite commitment to creativity, love for life, joy, and adventure have amplified our world perception. "He opened our eyes to the realization that your life and what you do is a process and that before you are an artist, you are a human first. He inspired and encouraged us to use the creative process in all aspects of our lives as well as to play and compose music that conveys how we want the world to be," said Pérez.

The concert will feature music by Shorter, and original compositions by acclaimed Berklee faculty, visiting artists, and BGJI students.

For more information about the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, visit Berklee Global Jazz Institute.