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Centrum is thrilled to welcome Wynton Marsalis as its featured artist for the 2025 Benefit Concert & Gala Dinner. Marsalis is an internationally acclaimed musician, composer, bandleader, and educator. A leading advocate of American culture, he is the first jazz artist to perform and compose across the full spectrum from of the artform--from its New Orleans roots to bebop and modern jazz. By creating and performing an expansive range of brilliant new music for quartets to big bands, chamber music ensembles to symphony orchestras, tap dance to ballet, Wynton has expanded the vocabulary for jazz and created a vital body of work that places him among the world’s finest musicians and composers.

At this special event, a 13-piece jazz orchestra led by Wynton Marsalis and featuring classical pianist, Cecile Licad, will perform to a silent film, LOUIS. A modern reimagining of early silent film, the movie is set in 1907 New Orleans where 6-year-old Louis navigates the colorful intricacies of life in the city and acquires his first cornet. Following the film, Marsalis will be joined on stage by jazz composer and bassist, John Clayton, who will curate a conversation with Wynton about his eminent career, lifelong dedication to arts education, and the multi-generational legacies their two families share. The post-concert dinner, catered by Planted, will feature a dessert auction and fund-a-dream paddle raise with auctioneer Matt Lorch.

Centrum's Benefit Concert marks Marsalis’ first public appearance in the Pacific Northwest in 23 years without the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

LOUIS is a silent film, written and directed by Dan Pritzker and shot by Oscar®-winning cinematographer, the late Vilmos Zsigmond.  The film pays homage to Louis Armstrong, Charlie Chaplin, and the birth of jazz. The grand alleys and cemeteries of 1907 New Orleans provide a backdrop of lust, blood and magic for 6-year-old Louis (portrayed by Anthony Coleman) as he navigates the colorful intricacies of life in the city.

Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond commented, “This was a very interesting project for me because I always wanted to do a silent film, and these days it’s highly unusual for one to be made.  I also love working in black-and-white.  Today’s black-and-white film isn’t as good as color when it comes to grain and texture,” he says.  “To do a real black-and-white film, it’s better to start in color and then take the color out.

With the score being such an integral part of silent film in providing many of the emotional cues, it was important for the actors to work with the music both in rehearsal and on the set.   Wynton Marsalis led recording sessions in New York with an array of stellar players including Wycliffe Gordon, Victor Goines, Marcus Printup, Ted Nash, Carlos Henriquez and Ali Jackson.

“The idea of writing music to a silent film telling the tale of a young Louis Armstrong really appealed to me,” says Marsalis. “Of course, calling it a silent film is a misnomer — there is plenty of music, and jazz is like a conversation between the players so there’s no shortage of dialogue.  The score moves between my music and the music of Louis Moreau Gottschalk.  The contrast between Gottschalk’s music and jazz can be a revelation to those unfamiliar with either, or both.”

Tickets go on sale February 19th for the Centrum Gala. The event includes a 5:00 p.m. benefit concert and film screening, followed by a 7:30 p.m. gala dinner for 250 guests. Seating is limited. Tickets range from $50 to $150 for the performance, and $150 for the gala dinner.  Sales will be available online at www.Centrum.org.

To reach the box office, patrons may call (360) 385-3102 x110

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