'KENNY BURRELL: JAZZ MASTER AND MENTOR' FROM UCLA LIVE DEBUTS EXCLUSIVELY ON KCET'S OPEN CALL SERIES

Airing March 8, live tribute concert for Kenny Burrell features appearances by music legends B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Lalo Schifrin and Dee Dee Bridgewater.

LOS ANGELES, March 6, 2012 - Celebrate the works of legendary jazz guitarist, Grammy® Award winner, and director of UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music's Jazz Studies program Kenny Burrell on Open Call, the new weekly arts and culture series from KCET, public media for Southern and Central California.

On March 8, 2012 at 9 p.m., host Suzanna Guzmàn along with guest Grammy® nominated artist Dr. Bobby Rodriguez, explore the legacy fostered by jazz luminary, Kenny Burrell, as a musician and educator. 

"Kenny Burrell: Jazz Master and Mentor" is a 90-minute concert documentary, produced by UCLA that weaves interviews and archival footage with performances and behind-the-scenes action at the legendary guitarist's 80th birthday celebration in UCLA's historic Royce Hall. The accomplished producer, composer and guitarist takes the reigns and creates an evening that reflects his musical spirit.  

Featuring performances by music superstars B.B. King, Stevie Wonder, Lalo Schifrin and Dee Dee Bridgewater, the concert was presented by UCLA Live, and photographed as an homage to jazz album covers from the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, the show features the premiere performance of the Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Unlimited (LAJOU) and a standout set from the Jazz Heritage All Stars. Interviews with Professor Burrell and his peers in Los Angeles and Detroit tell the story of his commitment to the future of jazz, as a performer, teacher and founder of Jazz Studies at UCLA.

An apostle of the late Duke Ellington, Burrell has embraced many of the ideas of the great American composer. Among those is the quest to elevate jazz to the same level as classical music in the minds of the American public. Through his work with UCLA students and the LAJOU, we see Professor Burrell's dedication to creating a flourishing Jazz culture where future musicians can be nurtured.

Executive producer for the Open Call series is Bohdan Zachary. Supervising producer for the "Kenny Burrell: Jazz Master and Mentor" production is Kevin Roderick. The show was produced by Matt Boatright-Simon and Sebastian Hernandez for UCLA Communications and Public Outreach.

Open Call is made possible by Carol and Warner Henry and The Lloyd Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation.

About Open Call

KCET's Open Call series showcases Los Angeles' vibrant arts community with a series of performances from leading Southern California arts institutions and schools.  Hosted by internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano opera singer Suzanna Guzmàn, the weekly series includes full-length performances recorded live in theaters; company and artist profiles; and other unique works being performed across the Southland. Ms. Guzmàn, a Los Angeles native who has performed all over the world, sets the stage for viewers in each episode, contributing her unique insights into the evening's performance.  She encourages directors, artists and other key players in the production to provide additional commentary that helps tell the story of the organization and what it is presenting, an advantage not usually available at live events.

About KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET currently produces the Emmy®, duPont-Columbia and Peabody Award-winning SoCal Connected, a hard-hitting prime-time weekly television news program that examines the issues and people of Southern California. Throughout its 48-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children's programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. For additional information about KCET productions, Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org.

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