NEA Jazz Master and Legendary Bassist Charlie Haden, who founded the Jazz Studies program at CalArts in 1982, conducts CalArts musicians in compositions from Haden’s groundbreaking Liberation Music Orchestra, a large jazz ensemble that he formed in 1969. With innovative and dynamic arrangements by Carla Bley, the orchestra features experimental harmonies and improvisation for a wide palette of brass instruments and piano, bass, guitar, percussion and drums. The ensemble’s body of work has reflected Haden’s political concerns, including juxtaposing music from the Spanish Civil War, African National Congress and other folk music while exploring the realms of free jazz.