September 18, 1998
East Room of the White House – Washington, DC
President Clinton treated a White House audience and television viewers around the country to what he called the “soundtrack” of the American century: jazz music performed by greats like Wynton Marsalis, Marian McPortland and Billy Taylor.
The “Millennium Evening at White House” program entitled: “Jazz: An Expression of Democracy”, combined live performances by jazz musicians with a discussion of the music form and its history. Paying tribute to such legends as Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller and Duke Ellington, the event highlighted the close ties between America’s history and its music.
Personnel
- Marian McPartland – piano
- Dianne Reeves – vocals
- Billy Taylor – piano
- Eric Lewis – piano
- Reginald Veal – bass
- Shannon Powell – drums, tambourine
- Jon Faddis – trumpet
- Nicholas Payton – trumpet
- Riley Mullins – trumpet
- Wayne Goodman – trombone
- Ron Westray – trombone
- Lucien Barbarin – trombone
- Al Grey – trombone
- Dr. Michael White – clarinet
- Victor Goines – tenor sax, soprano sax, clarinet, bass clarinet
- Ted Nash – alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet, flute, piccolo
- Sherman Irby – alto sax, soprano sax, clarinet, flute
- Loren Schoenberg – tenor sax
- Joe Temperley – baritone sax, bass clarinet
