Philly jazz vocalist Joanna Pascale teaming up with Curtis 20/21 Ensemble

Joanna Pascale

At first, it may seem like a mismatch: a jazz singing superstar with a classical musical cohort. But, if you know anything about Curtis Institute’s 20/21 Ensemble and LiveConnections, their upcoming concert at World Cafe Live is actually a perfect fit. Philly-bred jazz diva Joanna Pascale will be presenting a jam session with the group of classically-trained musicians this week.

The Friday evening show is quite typical when one looks at the offerings LiveConnections has presented through the years. The nonprofit organization prides itself on collaborative music making, and unlikely performer pairings during their six-concert seasons.

That, of course, aligns almost perfectly with the 20/21 Ensemble’s hallmark of performing classical work in unlikely contexts. Last season, I wrote about their very interesting take on Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, staged at the Kimmel Center’s SEI Studio, where huge digital screens were placed behind the performers. Audience members were asked to Tweet and Instagram using different hashtags throughout the evening, and the corresponding posts were projected behind the ensemble.

Although there won’t be any live Tweeting at the January 22 program with Pascale, music lovers will still find quite a bit of intrigue. The concert will focus on jazz-influenced classical music, including numbers from Michel Legrand, George Gershwin, and Darius Milhaud, and will finish with a special song written just for Pascale by Curtis’ ArtistYear Fellow Gabriella Smith. The evening will be streamed live via LiveStudio to adults who have disabilities and are unable to travel to the venue.

The day before, LiveConnections will orchestrate a special program for nearly 200 Philadelphia public school students called Bridge Sessions, where individuals will learn about jazz first-hand from Pascale and members of the 20/21 Ensemble.

Tickets to the January 22 concert at 8 p.m. are $15 and can be purchased here.