Top European Jazz Violinist Visits SCFA
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 6, 2009) - It has been a long, fascinating odyssey for Jean-Luc Ponty, who started out as a straight jazz violinist only to become a pioneer of the electric violin in jazz-rock. Jean-Luc Ponty and His Band bring their sound to the Bluegrass at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the University of Kentucky Singletary Center for the Arts (SCFA) Concert Hall.
After studying classical violin at the Paris Conservatory in the early 1960s, Ponty turned to jazz. Thanks to his revolutionary style on the violin he collaborated with some of the best European and American jazz musicians, such as Quincy Jones, John Lewis, Tony Williams and George Duke. Ponty became the first bebop violinist, spurring jazz magazine DownBeat to create a violin category for him in its critics’ poll; until then violinists were voted on in the "miscellaneous instruments" category.
In the early '70s, Ponty's pioneering work on the electric violin attracted the attention of pop and rock musicians. He recorded with Elton John and collaborated on several tours and recordings with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention and John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra. In 1975, Ponty founded his own rock band and became one of the most prominent figures of the jazz-rock movement in the U.S., selling millions of albums and reaching the top of the U.S. charts.
Ponty kept touring and recording with his band through the '80s and '90s while also collaborating with Chick Corea, George Benson, Allan Holdsworth, Bela Fleck and Miroslav Vitous. He also formed the Rite of Strings with Stanley Clarke and Al Di Meola in the '90s. Critics have acclaimed his most recent band album, "The Atacama Experience," as one of his best since "Enigmatic Ocean." To hear music from this CD, visit Ponty's Web site at www.ponty.com.
Tickets for this event are based on seating location and range from $32 to $25. A processing fee will be added upon completion of transaction. To purchase tickets contact the Singletary Center Ticket Office at (859) 257-4929, or visit online at www.singletarytickets.com or in person at the ticket office.