Performers newly added to the lineup include soprano Ren_e Fleming, pianist Herbie Hancock, actor and comedian Robin Williams, and novelist Toni Morrison.
Also scheduled to appear are Wynton Marsalis, Harry Belafonte, Terence Blanchard, Ken Burns, Shirley Caesar, Cyrus Chestnut, Peter Cincotti, Bill Cosby, Elvis Costello, Danny Glover, Aaron Neville, Robert De Niro, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Abbey Lincoln, Bette Midler, Toni Morrison, Arturo O'Farrill, Dianne Reeves, Paul Simon, Meryl Streep, James Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Cassandra Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, and Buckwheat Zydeco.
Actor Laurence Fishburne will serve as host; opera legend Beverly Sills will host Live From Lincoln Center's PBS broadcast, and talk show host Tavis Smiley will anchor the broadcast.
During the broadcast, contributions will be solicited for Jazz at Lincoln Center's Higher Ground Relief Fund, which assists musicians and others in the New Orleans area, as well as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
In addition, Jazz at Lincoln Center is auctioning a guitar signed by Eric Clapton and John Mayer, artwork by LeRoy Neiman and Peter Max, first-edition copies of Marsalis's Jazz ABZ: An A To Z Collection of Jazz Portraits, and other items to benefit the relief effort. The auction will run from September 17 at 7 p.m. ET through September 26 at 7 p.m. Visit www.ebay.com/higherground to bid.
As of yesterday afternoon, tickets for the concert were still available at the $1,000, $5,000, and $10,000 levels at the Jazz at Lincoln Center box office, www.jalc.org, or by calling CenterCharge at 212-721-6500.
