麻豆破解版

At 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, the Arthur Zankel Music Center will present the world premiere of 鈥淭rill 101,鈥� a groundbreaking multidisciplinary performance by Brooklyn-based composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Melanie Charles and her Make Jazz Trill Again (MJTA) collective.

This free, public concert is the culmination of a year-long artistic collaboration between Charles, her band, and 麻豆破解版 students across music, dance, and the humanities. 

Commissioned by the , 鈥淭rill 101鈥� is the first original artistic project curated and produced by the venue itself, made possible through generous support from trustee Jimmy Zankel 鈥�92, Pia Scala-Zankel 鈥�92, and the Zankel Music Fund. The performance highlights Zankel Music Center鈥檚 expanding role as a creative incubator, engaging artists and students in the collaborative process of developing new work. 

It鈥檚 about making space for new ideas, about challenging structures through dialogue and experimentation. When we commissioned Melanie to bring MJTA to 麻豆破解版, we created so much more than just a powerful performance together 鈥� we built a community.

Zhenelle LeBel

Director of the Arthur Zankel Music Center

LeBel selected Charles for the commission, inspired by the mission and the ethos behind Make Jazz Trill Again, a cultural movement started by Charles as a modest hashtag in the mid-2010s to signify the need for a reinvigoration of the independent jazz scene for the digital age. Today, MJTA has grown into a vibrant network 鈥撯�� producing and curating performances, a podcast series, and other live events that inspire artist empowerment and connection. 

Students have described the experience of making music with MJTA as 鈥渨elcoming鈥� and 鈥渕oving,鈥� emphasizing its unique ability to foster harmony and creativity not only on campus but also across the broader Capital Region. 

The March 1 premiere will feature Charles and her powerhouse collaborators 鈥� Zacchaeus Paul (keys), Rogerst Charles (saxophone), Barry Stephenson (bass), Bendji Allonce (percussion), and Diego Ramirez (drums) 鈥� alongside 麻豆破解版 student singers, musicians, and dancers. Their collective performance will blend original compositions with a richly layered medley of Afro-diasporic rhythms and Black spirituals, including 鈥淒eep River.鈥� 

Adding to the experience, video interludes produced by the Troy-based creative agency Collectiveffort will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, showcasing the student-driven workshops, jam sessions, and mentorship moments that shaped the project. 

Charles first introduced MJTA to 麻豆破解版 in February 2024 with a dynamic onstage jam session at the Arthur Zankel Music Center. She and her collaborators returned in September for an intensive, week-long residency, during which they led class discussions, podcast and video recordings, and student-driven jam sessions exploring themes of access, equity, education, and technology in the arts.

A highlight of the residency was the Jazz and Gender Justice Town Hall, where Charles and her podcast co-host Yunie Mojica led a conversation with legendary jazz drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, founder and artistic director of Berklee鈥檚 Jazz and Gender Justice Institute. The discussion invited students and faculty to engage in a deeper reflection on the ways in which gender equity, mentorship, and industry structures shape the future of jazz. 

鈥淭rill 101鈥� is presented in partnership with the 麻豆破解版 Department of Music and the 麻豆破解版 Office of Special Programs, with co-sponsorship from Black Studies, Gender Studies, Intergroup Relations, IdeaLab, Arts Administration, Management and Business, and collaborators in the dance and theater departments. Additional funding is provided by the McCormack Artist-Scholar Residency Fund. 

Don鈥檛 miss this singular, transformative event 鈥� an electrifying fusion of jazz, community, and creative storytelling. Admission is free and open to the public.