Continuing its commitment to bringing ballet and live jazz together in a fully staged setting, the San Diego Ballet and Charles McPherson presents A Night of Jazz and Dance at the Lyceum Theatre. This mixed bill performance features music composed and performed by San Diego-based jazz legend Charles McPherson, and two-time Grammy Award winning artist Kamau Kenyatta. Internationally-renowned musician Charles McPherson has made San Diego his home since 1970. His work Reflections and Hope, originally commissioned by Artistic Director Javier Velasco in May 2017, will feature a new middle movement “that reflects some of the chaos of our time.”

This must-see event features a meet-and-greet opportunity with McPherson during the Champagne Reception on Saturday night. Guests at this reception will be the first to hear the announcement of San Diego Ballet’s next season. Also on the bill, Kamau Kenyatta presents Cityscapes – A Tour in Sound and Motion, an all-new work written for San Diego Ballet. Kenyatta, an American musician, record producer, arranger, film composer and jazz educator, received his Grammy Awards for his work as producer and arranger of two albums by Gregory Porter.

The performances will also include three Gershwin works arranged and performed live by Charles McPherson alongside Grammy nominated pianist Randy Porter and San Diego-based bassist, Rob Thorsen. Former company dancer and currently a first soloist at the National Ballet of Canada, Chelsy Meiss, will share the stage with McPherson and the SDB dancers at the Saturday show, for one performance only.