Centennial Concert Series

When

Where

Description

The Route 66 Visitor Center is turning up the volume in celebration of 100 years of the Mother Road with the Centennial Concert Series, presented by the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame.

Join the celebration every Saturday from April 11 through May 30, noon to 4 pm, for live performances by some of New Mexico’s most celebrated musicians. Enjoy the sounds of local talent, grab a bite from local food trucks, and sip on a drink from Tractor Brewing Company.

While visiting, explore Centennial Roots, a striking photographic exhibit that captures the landscapes, cultures, and traditions shaped alongside Route 66 in New Mexico.

Entertainment Schedule

Saturday, April 18 – Jazz

• 12 p.m. – Chris Cordova Latin Jazz Trio
• 1 p.m. – Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra
• 2:15 p.m. – Doug Lawrence & Friends

Food Trucks – Cavitas Green Taco Machine, Ace's Fry Guy

Food and Drink Options

Come hungry and enjoy a variety of local flavors available for purchase. Visit the Cavitas Green Taco Machine for tacos, quesadillas, and more, or grab chicken bites and some loaded fries from Aces Fry Guy. Refresh with a cold beer from Tractor Brewing Company.

Performers

Chris Cordova Latin Jazz Trio

Chris Cordova Latin Jazz delivers a dynamic fusion of Jazz and Latin Jazz across a wide range of musical styles. The group performs timeless songs spanning from the 1930s to today, offering interpretations that are both personal and distinctive. Their performances draw audiences in and keep them captivated with an irresistible blend of exceptional Jazz and vibrant Latin rhythms.

Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra

The Albuquerque Jazz Orchestra, founded in 1982 by Pancho Romero, has been delighting audiences throughout the Southwest for more than thirty years. This 18‑member ensemble spent many years under the leadership of trombonist John Sanks and has performed with an impressive list of guest artists, including Toshiko Akiyoshi, Pete Christlieb, Jim Pugh, Scott Wendholt, Dick Oatts, John Fedchock, Wayne Bergeron, Bob McChesney, Jeff Coffin, Butch Miles, and Albuquerque native and jazz trumpet legend Bobby Shew, who served as AJO’s musical director from 2007 to 2010.

Bobby Shew was inducted into the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame in 2009. Current musical director Glenn Kostur received the same honor in 2025, and current AJO guitarist Michael Anthony was inducted in 2023.

Doug Lawrence & Friends

Born in Louisiana and raised in New Mexico, Doug Lawrence spent more than 25 years building his career in New York City. He has performed and recorded with an extraordinary list of iconic artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Celia Cruz, Benny Goodman, Stevie Wonder, Buck Clayton, Wild Bill Davis, Jimmy Cobb, Clyde Stubblefield, Donna Summer, Rodney Dangerfield, Joey DeFrancesco, and many others.

Mr. Lawrence has appeared in virtually every major concert hall and performance venue around the world, and has performed for six U.S. Presidents, the Queen of England, the King of Thailand, the King and Queen of Sweden, and numerous other Heads of State. For more than 25 years, he has served as the featured tenor saxophone soloist with the twenty‑time Grammy®‑winning Legendary Count Basie Orchestra.

Doug Lawrence was inducted into the New Mexico Music Hall of Fame in 2023.

For more information on New Mexico Music Hall of Fame visit: New Mexico Music Hall of Fame

For the full Centennial Concert Series schedule visit: Route 66 Visitor Center — City of Albuquerque

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