Ali Jackson will propel the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis in a virtuosic display of big band drums and rhythm. Jackson will arrange the music of Buddy Rich, an innovative big band genius who would have turned 100 this year. Rich was a renowned musical powerhouse for most of the 20th century, influencing generations and offering a visceral excitement that few drummers could capture. For the program’s second half, audiences will witness the Boston premiere of Jackson’s Rhythm Concerto, an extended piece written in the innovative spirit of drum greats like Rich.

“We don’t just play jazz –we teach it, we write it, we dance it, we sing it, we present it, we photograph it, we film it, we produce it, we archive it, we record it, we broadcast it, we commission it, we celebrate it, we love it, we share it.” —WYNTON MARSALIS