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Saturday, May 8, 2027 • 7:30 PM

La Jolla Music Society

Jason Moran & The Harlem Hellfighters

James Reese Europe and the Absence of Ruin

The Baker-Baum Concert Hall

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“Inspiring tribute to this overlooked figure”

— London Jazz News

Composer, pianist, and this season’s Artist-in-Residence Jason Moran reflects on the legacy of a hero of Black music in a multidisciplinary program as part of our Jazz Mini Festival.

Jazz pianist Jason Moran will be joined by a 10-piece ensemble including a rhythm and horn section in a moving tribute to ragtime and jazz pioneer James Reese Europe. Europe commanded the African American WWI Harlem Hellfighters regiment who brought the vibrant new sound of jazz to a war‑torn France. Europe’s distinctly American story unfolds through his music, paired with visuals by Oscar‑nominated cinematographer Bradford Young, creating a poetic meditation on a remarkable hero. 

ARTISTS

JASON MORAN
piano

TARUS MATEEN
bass

NASHEET WAITS
drums

THE HARLEM HELLFIGHTERS
brass ensemble

The Jazz Mini-Festival is sponsored by

Vail Memorial Fund Logo White

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