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Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009

Jazz director to explore partnership with Lexington

Adrian Ellis, executive director of Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City, will visit Lexington on Monday and Tuesday to explore a possible partnership with the city to further jazz education.

Mayor Jim Newberry made the announcement at an Urban County Council work session Tuesday. Lincoln Center is looking for five cities where it might do a residency program and present concerts by jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, jazz conductor at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Newberry said.

Ellis will tour the Lyric Theatre, now being renovated, where jazz greats Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Cab Calloway and Dizzy Gillespie once performed. The Lyric is scheduled to re-open in September 2010.

Newberry will take Ellis to meet Stu Silberman, superintendent of the Fayette County public schools; University of Kentucky President Lee Todd Jr.; and Everett McCorvey, head of the UK Opera Theater.

Ellis will address the council at its work session on Tuesday.

Marsalis is a devoted advocate for the arts and a tireless educator. While nothing is guaranteed, Newberry said, Ellis would not be coming "if we didn't have a serious shot."