The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, New York City’s annual salute to the eponymous late saxophonist, will return in its 31st year for a three-day celebration of live jazz in the neighborhoods near where Parker worked and lived, including Harlem’s historic Marcus Garvey Park and Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. Each year, some of the finest jazz musicians in the world are assembled who reflect “the Bird’s” musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.
Running August 25 to August 27, this year’s lineup will bring together storied, veteran players and the next generation of jazz artists including Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band featuring Dianne Reeves and T.K Blue in association with Jazzmobile; groundbreaking jazz supergroup The Cookers and Endea Owens & The Cookout; legendary jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson and the celebrated Vincent Herring Septet performing Something Else! among others.
Let’s take a closer look at the events.
Friday, August 25 ~ Orrin Evans and The Captain Black Big Banks Featuring Dianne Reeves/T.K. Blue in Marcus Garvey Park from 7:00 to 9:00pm
Saturday, August 26 ~ The Cookers/Endea Owens and The Cookout/Nduduzo Makhathini Trio/Akua Allrich and The Tribe in Marcus Garvey Park from 3:00 to 7:00pm
Sunday, August 27 ~ Charles McPherson with Terell Stafford/Something Else! Vincent Herring Septet/ Hera Feat. Chelsea Baratz and Andromeda Turre/Michael Mayo in Tompkins Square Park from 3:00 to 7:00pm
On the Outside:
Sunday, August 20 at 3PM – Marcus Garvey Park Sankofa Pavillion – Endea Owens: The Community Cookout In Partnership with the Jazz Museum of Harlem and the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance (FREE)
Wednesday, August 23 at 5:30PM – El Sol Brillante – Jazz In the Garden: Andrea Brachfeld Quartet in association with The Jazz Foundation of America and Ariana’s List (FREE)
Wednesday, August 23 at 7PM – The National Jazz Museum in Harlem – Harlem Speaks: The Cookers Talk Bird with Keanna Faircloth (FREE)
Thursday, August 24: 6PM concert / 8PM screening – Hansborough Recreation Center Rooftop – Paris in Harlem band feat. Antoine Roney and Spaceman Patterson + Film Screening: “Paris is in Harlem” in association with NYC Parks and Jazz Foundation of America (FREE with RSVP)
Thursday, August 24 at 7PM – The New School | Jazz Performance Space – Communal Ancestral Listening Session with Michael Mwenso (FREE with RSVP)
Thursday, August 24 at 11PM – Jazz at Lincoln Center – Dizzy’s Club Late Night Jam Session: Bruce Williams 4 (FREE for participating musicians, $15 cover)
Friday, August 25 at 5:30PM – Harlem Rose Garden – Jazz In the Garden: Sylvia Cuenca Organ Quartet presented in association with the Jazz Foundation and Ariana’s List (FREE first-come, first-served)
The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is part of CapitalOne City Parks Foundation SummerStage.
The artwork for this season was created by New York-based artist and illustrator, Lauren Martin, whose work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Paper Magazine, The Los Angeles Times and more brands. Drawn in a unique, fanciful style, the art captures the vibrancy and energy of SummerStage.
At City Parks Foundation, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community building and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs — located in more than 300 parks, recreation centers and public schools across New York City — reach over 275,000 people each year. Our ethos is simple: thriving parks mean thriving communities.
Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage is one of New York’s most beloved, broadly accessible, free outdoor performing arts festivals. SummerStage annually presents nearly 80 free and benefit performances in Central Park and neighborhood parks throughout the five boroughs to 217,000 fans. With performances in genres that represent the cultural fabric of New York City ranging from jazz, hip-hop, Latin, global, indie and contemporary dance, SummerStage fills a vital niche in New York City’s summer arts festival landscape. Since its inception nearly 40 years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage.
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