The virtual concert series features Terri Lyne Carrington, Danilo Pérez, Oscar D’León, a celebration of James Bond theme songs, and more.
By
Eugene Ahn
September 28, 2020
The Signature Series at Berklee will return as a free virtual concert series for the fall 2020 season. Berklee students, faculty, alumni, and industry professionals will come together to celebrate Berklee College of Music’s 75th anniversary. Running from October 29 through the remainder of the fall semester, these 30-minute concerts will be released on YouTube Live at 7:30 p.m. ET. The performances will celebrate Berklee’s musical legacy from the past 75 years, reflecting on its journey to the success of the institution today, all through musical collaboration and performance.
Jazz greats Terri Lyne Carrington, founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, and Danilo Pérez, founder and artistic director of the Berklee Global Jazz Institute, will perform a virtual concert with students from their respective institutes. Carrington and Pérez met at Berklee in 1980 and first performed together in the mid-1990s with Mike Stern and John Patitucci. They have each led successful careers, receiving Grammy Awards, DownBeat Critics Poll wins, and honorary degrees. Joined by students Veronica Leahy on saxophone and Wenjun Wu on bass, Carrington and Pérez will perform "Resolution" by John Coltrane, “Requiem” by Carrington, and “Gratitude” by Pérez.
Known as the "Pharaoh of Salsa,” D'León was named Best Salsa Artist at the Venezuela Music Awards in 2014, and has had a successful touring and recording career that has spanned 50 years. D'León will perform his song “El Frutero" with a large student ensemble, and then students will pay tribute to D'León and the music of Venezuela. The concert is produced by Oscar Stagnaro, professor in the Bass Department, directed by Matthew Nicholl, dean of the Professional Writing and Music Technology Division, with dance choreography by Mila Thigpen, chair of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee Dance Division.
After the success of The Show, held earlier this year, Rob Lewis ’94 and Ash Rodriguez B.M. ’10 are back with a new installment of the pop music spectacle. Featuring the inspired works of some of the most diverse and multifaceted student creators in the world, this virtual experience will represent the range of creativity at Berklee, from instrumentalists, arrangers, composers, singers, and rappers to DJs, songwriters, visual designers, dancers, and more. Lewis and Rodriguez will unveil these works live across Berklee's social media platforms. In recent years, Lewis (Christina Aguilera, Toni Braxton, Nickelodeon, MTV/VH1) and Rodriguez (Lana Del Rey, John Legend, Robin Thicke) have returned to Berklee to help cultivate the institution's next generation of artists and creators. Through a method that is purposefully collaborative and inclusive of all artistic visions and identities, Lewis and Rodriguez aim to create experiences that are enriching for students and entertaining for audiences.
In anticipation of the upcoming 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, Berklee’s most outstanding lead vocalists, instrumentalists, and arrangers will pay tribute to the franchise’s unmistakable protagonist, 007. Produced by Maureen McMullan, the virtual concert will feature a full rhythm section, horns, strings, background vocalists, dancers, and a special guest. Through musical arrangements served straight up and with a twist, the performers will interpret a stylistically diverse selection of Bond theme songs curated from across the 50 years of the franchise. Relive Monty Norman’s signature Bond theme and iconic hits made famous by legends Tina Turner, Paul McCartney, and Gladys Knight alongside more contemporary cuts by Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, and the late Chris Cornell. And don’t miss your chance to hear a world premiere of the winning song entry from our exclusive James Bond cocurricular competition. Hosted by Berklee Presents, in collaboration with Berklee’s Songwriting and Film Scoring departments, students received a mission briefing to compose the “next” James Bond theme song. Expect an evening filled with fun, elegance, and thrill befitting a spy.
