The concert’s capstone is a remarkable story of rediscovery and artistic revival. PASSAGES was composed byWhite 23 years ago and believed to be lost to time. Shortly after being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, then retiring from performing with Earth, Wind & Fire, White poured his considerable talents into writing and producing music. SJO music directors George Duke and Mitch Glickman commissioned White and his writing partner, Bill Meyers, to create a 10-minute work in 2003, which was filmed in a series of behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. Unfortunately, the project was never completed, and the original score, sketches and tracks were shelved. With renewed interest from an upcoming Earth, Wind & Fire documentary, a search for the archival video was successfully conducted, and the work was discovered in video footage shot during the creation of the piece. Meyers, who co-composed the work, painstakingly rebuilt the piece from the footage.
This concert series marks the first opportunity for audiences to experience White’s powerful and expansive orchestral score that bridges eras and genres—capturing his creative spirit of its original moment while resonating freshly in the present day.
“My father’s essence was always jazz at his core,” says KB White, son of Maurice White. “This resurrected piece is incredibly exciting because it brings him back to his foundation. What he created was a presentation of his spirit, and he wanted people to take their time with it, to truly explore it. For him, it was always about discovery.”
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About Symphonic Jazz Orchestra
Debuting in 2002, the 68-member Symphonic Jazz Orchestra (SJO) is a unique hybrid ensemble dedicated to blending the worlds of jazz and classical music. The ensemble has performed throughout Southern California at such venues as the Richard & Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Royce Hall (UCLA), Walt Disney Theater (CalArts) and Marsee Auditorium.
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Soloists joining the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra have included Grammy Award-winning performers such as George Duke, Dave Grusin, Keyon Harrold, Christian McBride, Raul Midon, Jane Monheit, Lee Ritenour, Chris Brubeck, Luciana Souza, Ernie Watts, Terri Lynne Carrington, The Yellowjackets and Miguel Zénon. The SJO’s acclaimed recording Looking Forward, Looking Back includes two commissioned works by George Duke and Lee Ritenour, along with George Gershwin’s classic “Rhapsody in Blue.” Hosted by SJO music director Mitch Glickman, the SJO’s radio series “Beyond Symphonic Jazz” on America’s #1 jazz station KJAZZ 88.1 FM, reaches an international audience each week. The orchestra’s commissioning program has resulted in over 40 newly commissioned works and premieres from both established and emerging composers from across the country.
About Maurice White
Maurice White (1941-2016) was less a frontman than a sonic architect. A quiet visionary who built entire worlds out of rhythm and light. As the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, he fused cosmic spirituality, tight horn arrangements, layered harmonies, and African diasporic percussion into a sound that felt both ancient and futuristic. A former session drummer at Chess Records, White understood groove from the inside out, but his true gift was imagination: pyramids onstage, kalimbas in pop radio, falsettos floating over funk basslines. He didn’t just make hits, he engineered experiences, turning concerts into ceremonies and songs into affirmations. In doing so, he helped define the emotional and visual language of Black excellence in popular music.
About Chanté Moore
With her crystal clear 5 octave range, her smooth, rich tone, and her ability to convey a wide swath of emotions with remarkable phrasing, Chanté Moore is likely a favorite singer of your favorite singer. In 1992, Moore released her classic debut album Precious. Propelled by the singles “Love’s Taken Over” and “It’s Alright” in addition to album cuts and fan favorites like “As If We Never Met”, the album was RIAA certified Gold. About Precious, Rolling Stone Magazine wrote, “Moore explores the sweet entanglements of contemporary love with a supple soprano that floats over and into songs. Moore's superb singing and writing will unquestionably win her a satisfied audience.” In 1999, Chanté released her highest-ranking Billboard charting album This Moment Is Minewhich features her signature song “Chanté’s Got A Man At Home” which became a Billboard Top 10 Pop hit.
In 2024, Chanté was selected to be the first American ever to participate in one of China’s most popular TV singing competition shows, Singer 2024. Competing with China’s most accomplished and beloved singers, Chanté tied for having the most 1st place finishes over the show’s 13 week stretch and in doing so, endeared herself and her talents to the 220 million viewers that the show reached weekly. 2026 brings new music as Chanté will release her latest project EVOLve featuring production by Laney Stewart, Tricky Stewart, Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (the team that produced “Chanté’s Got A Man At Home” with Moore). Of course, throughout her career, Chante Moore has been on stage dazzling audiences with her unique combination of humor, testimony…and pristine singing. She will continue to share her unique voice with the world.
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Program Concert Details:
SYMPHONIC JAZZ ORCHESTRA SALUTES MAURICE WHITE featuring Special Guest Chanté Moore
Saturday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 10 at 7:00 p.m. PT
Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton Street, Long Beach, CA
Tickets: Tix go on sale soon at SJOmusic.org.
Performers
Symphonic Jazz Orchestra
Mitch Glickman, conductor
Chanté Moore, vocalist
Program
WHITE/MEYERS PASSAGES (2003) world premiere
WHITE et al /arr. Mitch Glickman In the Stone
WHITE et al/arr. Derrick Hodge Be Ever Wonderful
WHITE et al/arr. Vince Mendoza That’s The Way of the World
WHITE et al/arr. Mitch Glickman Fantasy
WHITE et al/arr. Marshall Gilkes Reasons
WHITE et al/arr. John Clayton September
GEORGE DUKE Festival
These special "Salute to Maurice White" concerts are produced by the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra, in conjunction with the Estate of Maurice White and Broken Halo Productions. |
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