Terence Blanchard’s Champion: An Opera in Jazz

New Orleans trumpeter and film scorer Terence Blanchard has had a busy 2015 with an acclaimed album 'Breathless' for Blue Note Records and on the festival trail throughout the year including his return to Jazz FM's Love Supreme Festival in July. Next year is shaping up the same way.

He recently listed 5 of his favourite albums this year for sfjazz.com and he’s keeping it close to home. New Orleans based drummer and vocalist Jamison Ross’s self titled debut makes his list along with fellow trumpeter Theo Croker’s ‘DVRK FUNK’ project, rapper Kendrick Lamar’s ‘To Pimp a Butterfly' and Australian band Hiatus Kaiyote’s ‘Choose Your Weapon’. Also two time Grammy-nominated New Orleans vocalist Luke James’ self titled album gets the Blanchard thumbs up.

In 2016 he is presenting a groundbreaking work combining opera and jazz. ‘Terence Blanchard’s Champion: An Opera in Jazz’ tells the real-life story of world champion boxer Emile Griffith, haunted by his past and struggling with his sexuality in the macho world of boxing. Griffith was Tormented by the death of a welterweight opponent following their 1962 bout and spent his life questioning himself and a world that accepted his accidental killing of a fellow boxer, but not his sexuality. The new production features a jazz trio, orchestra and chorus and debuts February 19th in San Francisco.