SJO Presents: A Salute to Maurice White

The Symphonic Jazz Orchestra honors the legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White with the world premiere of newly discovered orchestral music he composed for SJO over 20 years ago, alongside new symphonic arrangements of classic EWF songs. Joining the SJO will be Grammy nominated and Soul Train Music Award winning singer, songwriter and author Chanté Moore.

Saturday, May 9, 2026 – 7:30 PM

Sunday, May 10, 2026 – 7:00 PM

Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach

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Performed by the 68-member Symphonic Jazz Orchestra under the direction of conductor Mitch Glickman, the program also includes new interpretations of Earth, Wind & Fire songs with vocalist Chanté Moore including September, Be Ever Wonderful, In the Stone, and That’s the Way of the World, created by John Clayton, Derrick Hodge, Vince Mendoza, Marshall Gilkes, and Mitch Glickman.

Over the course of her three-decade career, Chanté Moore has worked with such leading record producers as Maurice White, George Duke, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Last summer, she performed at the Hollywood Bowl’s Minnie Riperton tribute concert and sang on the Grammy’s MusiCares Salute to Mariah Carey earlier this year.

A limited number of VIP tickets are available, which include preferred seating, parking and a post-concert reception with the guest artists.

These performances are presented in partnership with the Estate of Maurice White and Broken Halo Productions.

OUR PROGRAMS

CONCERTS

Comprised of some of the top musicians in the country, our 68-member orchestra performs free concerts for the community and has played with renowned jazz soloists like George Duke, Dave Grusin, Christian McBride, Lee Ritenour and The Yellowjackets.

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MUSIC IN THE SCHOOLS

We bring much-needed music education to underserved communities across LA County. From counting out rhythms, to introducing instruments, to learning about the history of blues music, our year-long residencies inspire students to learn about the world around them and to question, create and express. We've served over 65,000 young people and their families across Los Angeles County.

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GEORGE DUKE PRIZE

Each year, we present the George Duke Commissioning Prize for individuals who compose symphonic jazz. Our Music Advisory Board determines the winner, who is then commissioned to write a new orchestral score. This newly commissioned work is premiered by the 68-piece SJO in concert and is entered into the organization’s catalog of symphonic jazz commissions.

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RADIO

SJO's Music Director Mitch Glickman hosts “Beyond Symphonic Jazz” on KJazz 88.1 FM Monday Nights at 9pm (PST). The radio show explores where the worlds of jazz and classical music meet with interviews with some very special composers and performers.

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WHAT IS SYMPHONIC JAZZ?

Have you ever heard Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue? If not, take a listen.

Rhapsody in BlueGeorge Gershwin

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If so, then you’ve heard Symphonic Jazz. Coined by the American band leader Paul Whiteman in the early 1920s, Symphonic Jazz is an innovative hybrid form of music blending the worlds of jazz and classical music.