Jazz musician Marsalis cancels Venezuela show amid tensions [View all]

[Zorro]

American jazz legend Wynton Marsalis has canceled a concert in Venezuela at a time of rising tensions between the two nations.

The New York-based trumpeter and composer was scheduled to perform Friday the first of two concerts in Caracas alongside the Simon Bolivar Orchestra conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. He was also was supposed to lead a series of workshops with Venezuela's world-famous El Sistema network of youth ensembles. Both organizations are supported by Venezuela's socialist government.

Greg Scholl, executive director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, said that he regretted the last-minute scratch of Caracas from its 12-city South American tour and that its visit would be rescheduled at a later date to avoid becoming a distraction amid the recent political turmoil.

Jazz is a powerful tool to bring people across cultures and geographies together, he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/jazz-musician-marsalis-cancels-venezuela-show-amid-tensions-194208679.html