Smoke Jazz Club Kicks-Off 2023 with 10th Annual Coltrane Festival + More

 

 

 

Image courtesy Smoke Jazz Club

New York’s Smoke Jazz Club kick-starts 2023 with a stellar line-up of some of jazz’s greatest artists during the month of January. SMOKE honors two octogenarians with special birthday celebrations: saxophonist Billy Harper and drummer Al Foster. Master trumpeter and pianist Nicholas Payton is joined by two of the greatest: bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White for a four-night album release series. SMOKE’s 10th Annual Coltrane Festival, an homage to the great saxophonist and composer John Coltrane, continues for one week with some of today’s leading artists. Wrapping up January is one of the most beloved pianists, Bill Charlap, returning with his Trio: bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Scroll down for complete schedule or visit SMOKEjazz.com, including ‘Countdown 2023’ on New Year’s Eve!

Continue reading “Smoke Jazz Club Kicks-Off 2023 with 10th Annual Coltrane Festival + More”

NJPAC Presents An Evening with Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding, Celebrating the Release of ‘Alive at the Village Vanguard’ in January, 2023

 

 

 

 

We are excited to hear about a 2023 album release by two of our favorite musical artists, the iconic pianist/composer Fred Hersch and visionary jazz vocalist esperanza spalding ~ with a release celebration at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on January 29th, 2023.

Continue reading “NJPAC Presents An Evening with Fred Hersch and esperanza spalding, Celebrating the Release of ‘Alive at the Village Vanguard’ in January, 2023”

The John Coltrane Festival ~ a Day Filled With Fun on Jazz Appreciation Day at The Richard Rodgers Amphitheatre in Marcus Garvey Park September 24th

 

 

 

Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem

On Saturday, September 24, 2022, 1:00pm – 7:00 pm at Marcus Garvey Park | Richard Rodgers Amphitheatre, in Harlem, iconic saxophone players Bill Saxton, Alvin Flythe, Todd Herbert, Sweet Lee Odom, Patience Higgins, TK Blue and John S. Mannan join three rhythm sections to play the music of John Coltrane from the Miles Davis/Monk Era thru the Impulse Record years of Trane’s performances. Doors Open at 1:00 pm performances begin with The Reggie Workman Group at 1:30pm. Enter at 5th Ave @ W. 124th Street.

Continue reading “The John Coltrane Festival ~ a Day Filled With Fun on Jazz Appreciation Day at The Richard Rodgers Amphitheatre in Marcus Garvey Park September 24th”

Flushing Town Hall Kicks-Off Jazz Appreciation Month with the Bill Charlap Trio

 

 

Bill Charlap Trio, Photo Credit: Philippe LEVY-STAB

This April, Flushing Town Hall celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month with an incredible line-up of jazz events, both in person and available to stream for free online for those unable to make it to the historic venue, a Smithsonian affiliate in Queens.

Continue reading “Flushing Town Hall Kicks-Off Jazz Appreciation Month with the Bill Charlap Trio”

Kicking-Off the New Year at NAMA ~ The New Amsterdam Musical Association in Harlem

 

 

 

Founded in 1904, the New Amsterdam Musical Association (NAMA) is the oldest African-American musical organization in the country. It was founded at a time when the musicians union didn’t admit minority musicians, and the law stated that one had to be in the union in order to perform in New York City!

Continue reading “Kicking-Off the New Year at NAMA ~ The New Amsterdam Musical Association in Harlem”

Jazz at Lincoln Center announces Lineup for Dizzy’s Club 2022

 

 

 

Emmet Cohen Trio. Photo credit: Gabriela Gabrielaa, Images courtesy Jazz at Lincoln Center

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club continues its season of in-person performances in January and February 2022, presenting a diverse lineup that pays tribute to jazz greats, showcases rising stars on the scene, and welcomes award-winning artists whose work runs the gamut of jazz styles and traditions.

The year begins with the return of Dizzy’s Club mainstays like pianistsEmmet Cohen and Cyrus Chestnut, as well as celebrations honoring the legacy of late jazz luminaries Ralph PetersonFrank Wess, and Chick Corea. Powerhouse vocalists Vuyo Sotashe, Brianna Thomas, and Shenel Johns join forces for an evening of iconic early jazz and blues songs under the music direction of Riley Mulherkar, and Charles Turner invites audiences to put their dancing shoes on with his band Uptown Swing. In a feature double-billed program, genre-bending songwriter and keyboard player BIGYUKIperforms back-to-back with hard-swinging bassist Yasushi Nakamura. January at Dizzy’s also features a diverse range of artists performing works from recent albums that have won critical acclaim from The New York Times, DownBeat, Jazziz, NPR, and others, including a breakout debut album by young virtuoso Micah Thomas, a collection of favorite tunes by pianist and vocalist Diane Schuur, and the debut collaboration between up-and-coming vocalists Vanisha Gould and Lucy Yeghiazaryan.

Continue reading “Jazz at Lincoln Center announces Lineup for Dizzy’s Club 2022”

Matthew Whitaker Celebrates Release of New Album ‘Connection’ at Harlem Stage on September 25th

 

 

 

Jazz prodigy Matthew Whitaker will be celebrating the release of his new album, Connection, with a live concert at Harlem Stage on Saturday, September 25th at 7:30pm!

Whitaker’s new album not only communicates his growth as a player, composer, and bandleader but also the importance of community and the connections it fosters. Having been musically trained in Harlem, it’s fitting for Whitaker to debut his new album at the Harlem Stage Gatehouse, celebrating his ties to the city that has shaped him as one of the leading artists of his generation.

Continue reading “Matthew Whitaker Celebrates Release of New Album ‘Connection’ at Harlem Stage on September 25th”

Celebrate Art Kane Harlem 1958 Place ~ a Co-Street Naming on August 12th

 

 

 

Art Kane: A Great Day in Harlem
  • Update ~ This event has been cancelled for August 12th due to safety precautions related to the heat index.

As we approach August, and the return of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Summerstage, and Jazzmobile’s Summerfest, ~ Uptown Grand Central and Jazzmobile announced the August 12th commemorative street co-naming of East 126th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues. Art Kane Harlem 1958 Place will be named on the 63rd anniversary of the gathering of the 57 jazz luminaries in the iconic East Harlem photograph taken by Art Kane ~ A Great Day in Harlem.

Continue reading “Celebrate Art Kane Harlem 1958 Place ~ a Co-Street Naming on August 12th”

Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s by Jeff Gold to be Released November 17th

 

 

 

‘Sittin In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s’to be released by Harper Collins on November 17th. Image courtesy of the Author

Sittin’ In tells the little-known story of America’s jazz clubs of the 1940s and 1950s. In exclusive interviews, iconic musicians Sonny Rollins and Quincy Jones and preeminent jazz historian Dan Morgenstern give first-person accounts of the clubs Rollins called “a paradisiacal place to be.”

In additional interviews, musician, MacArthur Fellow and Kennedy Center creative director Jason Moran, and Pulitzer Prize-winning fashion critic Robin Givhan explore the music, history, culture and abundant style of the era.

Separate sections survey the jazz histories and clubs of New York City, Atlantic City, Washington D.C., Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Continue reading “Sittin’ In: Jazz Clubs of the 1940s and 1950s by Jeff Gold to be Released November 17th”

~ In Smalls Jazz Club ~ Greenwich Village

 

 

 

inSmalls Jazz Club, The Spike Winner Trio

If you love Jazz, you’ve been to Smalls Jazz Club in Greenwich Village.  Below are a few photos taken at the Club over the years by Ben Lieberman, photographer and lover of jazz.

Continue reading “~ In Smalls Jazz Club ~ Greenwich Village”

St. Nick’s Pub Dedication Jazz Festival by Harlem Late Night Jazz

 

 

 

Harlem Late Night Jazz
Image courtesy of HarlemLateNightJazz.org

Harlem Late Night Jazz, Inc. presents St. Nick’s Pub Dedication Jazz Festival with 14 very special one-time performances, jam sessions, singers, tap dancers and more.  Join the celebration….

Continue reading “St. Nick’s Pub Dedication Jazz Festival by Harlem Late Night Jazz”

Keep the Music Playing ~ A Jazzmobile Community Fundraiser

 

 

 

jazzmobile
Robin Bell-Stevens, Director of Jazzmobile kicking-off ‘Keep the Music Playing’

Jazzmobile held its annual community fundraiser on Monday evening, April 30th at First Corinthian Baptist Church in Harlem, and it was smokin!  Didn’t make it?  We have you covered.  Here are a few pictures from the event and a way that you can participate in the Jazzmobile fundraiser even if you weren’t there.

Continue reading “Keep the Music Playing ~ A Jazzmobile Community Fundraiser”

Samuel Torres ~ Alegria, Urban Latin Jazz Portrait to perform at City College Center for the Arts in May for one night

 

 

Samuel Torres
Samuel Torres. Photo credit: Diego Almanza

Get ready for the Alegria, Urban Latin Jazz Portrait Concert  ~  new, original compositions by Samuel Torres from his forthcoming album, Alegria,  presented by City College Center for the Arts on Friday, May 18th.

Continue reading “Samuel Torres ~ Alegria, Urban Latin Jazz Portrait to perform at City College Center for the Arts in May for one night”

Who will be the Winners of the 2018 GANYC Apple Awards!

 

The 4th Annual GANYC Apple Awards (The Guides Association of New York City) will take place on March 12th, with an exciting list of nominees.

…….And the Winners are ~

Continue reading “Who will be the Winners of the 2018 GANYC Apple Awards!”

Herman Leonard: The Rhythm of Old New York at Robert Mann Gallery

 

 

Herman Leonard: The Rhythm of Old New York on view at Robert Mann Gallery in Chelsea to October 14

Continue reading “Herman Leonard: The Rhythm of Old New York at Robert Mann Gallery”

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival ~ August 23 – 27!

 

 

Anat Cohen Tentet in Marcus Garvey Park for 1st night of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, August 25, 2017

Continue reading “Charlie Parker Jazz Festival ~ August 23 – 27!”

Photos From the Archives

This Friday’s Photos From the Archives – Remembering St. Nick’s Jazz Pub. Images taken by Ben Lieberman

Continue reading “Photos From the Archives”

The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Acquires Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins’ Personal Archive

Jazz Legent, Sonny Rollins. Image courtesy of The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, with photo credit via Chuck Stewart

Continue reading “The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture Acquires Jazz Legend Sonny Rollins’ Personal Archive”

Photo From the Archives

 

 

 

This Friday’s Photo From the Archives is of the Spike Wilner Trio . Kicking off the Holiday weekend at Small’s Jazz Club on West 10th Street, Image via Ben Lieberman.