Over the past decade, bassist, composer, arranger and bandleader Marcus Shelby has established himself as one of the most ambitious and precociously talented artists keeping contemporary jazz alive in San Francisco.
After exploring various African-American themes in previous works, his attention turns to Martin Luther King. Jr. with his latest, a jazz "oratorio" featuring a big band, choir and individual singers.
Expect it to be big, swinging and intellectually intense when Shelby premieres "MLK' on Saturday as the opening concert of this year's Yerba Buena Gardens Festival series of free concerts. The music starts at 1 p.m. Featured singers include the scintillating Faye Carol and the dynamic Kenny Washington.
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