Jazzmobile Kicks Off Summerfest 2010

Music

Oldest Continuous Summer Jazz Festival Starts on June 21, Part of Make Music New York Festival

Jazzmobile is swinging into New York and bringing the next generation of jazz innovators—like Tia Fuller, Wycliffe Gordon, Yosvany Terry and Jeremy Pelt—and jazz legends such as Jimmy Heath, Houston Person and Barry Harris to a neighborhood near you this summer. Summerfest, a free series of 46 concerts throughout the five boroughs and Mount Vernon , also boasts several Latin jazz artists, including Arturo O’Farrill, Bobby Sanabria, Ray Mantilla, Ray Vega and Yosvany Terry. Jazzmobile kicks off its 2010 season on Monday, June 21 with a New Orleans-style second line in three New York City neighborhoods as part of the Make Music New York Festival, an annual day-long musical celebration marking the first day of summer. Summerfest is made possible in part by lead corporate sponsor JPMorgan Chase, and is New York ’s oldest continuous summer jazz festival reaching approximately 100,000 annually.

On June 21, New Orleans “second lines”—revelers jubilantly dancing as they follow a parade’s brass band—will wind through three Manhattan neighborhoods. WNYC, the Jazz Gallery and the Hudson Square Connection will start the ball rolling in Hudson Square (adjacent to Tribeca and SoHo) with a second line featuring John Ellis, Grandpa Musselman & His Syncopators, Russell Moore, and Matt Perine; beginning at 10 a.m. at The Greene Space at WNYC and WQXR, the line will end on Varick Street at City Winery. The musicians and the Jazzmobile float will then move to the Kaufman Center , which has partnered with the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID) to present a second line in Lincoln Square (Upper West Side) with the Hungry March Band and mArchestRa; the event starts at 12:30 p.m. at the Kaufman Center and finishes at Columbus Circle . The festivities will end in Harlem with a second line led by trombonist Kiane Zawadi, event music director, featuring some of New York ’s finest jazz musicians; the group will assemble at 5:00 p.m. at Morningside Park at 121^st Street and proceed to Marcus Garvey Park . Each event will feature a concert aboard the Jazzmobile float.

“This year’s Summerfest line up is a particularly exciting mix of some of the hottest new talent together with many of our most treasured legends,” said Jazzmobile President Robin Bell-Stevens. “And thanks to our underwriters, we’re in city parks and neighborhoods in all five boroughs.”

From July 6 through 10, Jazzmobile will present the Harlem International Jazz Festival, which brings musicians with roots abroad and world-renown artists to Harlem landmarks and venues. Artists include trumpeter Michael Varekamp (The Netherlands) at St. Nicholas Park on July 6, pianist Arturo O’Farrill ( Mexico ) at Grant’s Tomb on July 7, Buyu Ambroise ( Haiti ) at Morningside Park on July 8 and Yosvany Terry ( Cuba ) at Jackie Robinson Park on July 9. Jazzmobile partners with the Central Park Conservancy for the festival’s culminating event in Central Park on Saturday, July 10, the popular “Great Jazz on the Great Hill;” the concert features Jimmy Heath, Bobby Sanabria and Dion Parson’s 21st Century Band with special guest Michael Varekamp. Brianna Thomas, 2009 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition winner, will also perform.

Grant’s Tomb concerts return each Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. with Winard Harper, Eunice Newkirk, Houston Person, Tia Fuller, Wycliffe Gordon (photo above), Akiko Tsuruga and Jimmy Heath. Due to construction at Marcus Garvey Park , Jazzmobile’s Friday concerts will move to Jackie Robinson Park; artists will include Gregory Generet, Ray   Mantilla, Lynette Washington, Benny Powell, Patience Higgins, Jazzberry Jam and Antoinette Montague performing at 7:00 p.m. Throughout the week Jazzmobile presents concerts in neighborhoods across the city.

The Jazzmobile Vocal Competition will be another highlight, with singers from across the United States vying for the top spot and bragging rights at Uptown Grand (formerly Gospel Uptown) in Harlem on Monday, July 26 at 6 p.m. The competition is the only event with a fee. (A cover charge and table minimum apply.)

Concerts are weather permitting and subject to change. For more information on Summerfest, log onto www.jazzmobile.org.

THE JAZZMOBILE SUMMERFEST 2010 SCHEDULE FOLLOWS

JAZZMOBiLE VOCAL COMPETITION

MANHATTAN FINALS, WINNER CHOSEN

Mon., July 26                 Uptown Grand

6 PM                                2110 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.

HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc with Uptown Grand

Admission/Table Fees Apply, RSVP Required

866-628-5052

Harlem INternational Jazz Festival 2010

MANHATTAN MICHAEL VAREKAMP (THE NETHERLAND)

Tue  Jul  6                      St. Nicholas Park – 135th St

7 pm                               HOST:  Jazzmobile, Inc.

MANHATTAN ARTURO O’FARRILL ( MEXICO )

Wed   Jul 7                     Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST:  Jazzmobile, Inc.

MANHATTAN BUYU AMBROISE (HAITI/CONGO)

Thu   Jul 8                      Morningside Park  - 114th St Entrance

7 PM                                HOST:  Friends of Morningside Park

The performance will be followed by a screening  of Youssou N’Dour’s “I Bring What I Love” presented by the Maysles Cinema and Reel Harlem

MANHATTAN YOSVANY TERRY ( CUBA )

Fri   Jul 9                        Jackie Robinson Park – 148th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST:  Jazzmobile, Inc.

MANHATTAN GREAT JAZZ ON THE GREAT HILL

Sat   Jul 10                     Jimmy Heath, Bobby Sanabria ( Puerto Rico ),

2 PM                                Dion Parson /21st Century Band w/ Michael

Varekamp (Caribbean/The Netherlands ),

Brianna Thomas (2009 Vocal Competition Winner)

Central Park

HOST:  Jazzmobile, Inc. in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy

SUMMERFEST 2010

Brooklyn Boncella Lewis

Sat   Jul 10                     McDonough St between Ralph & Patchen

3 PM                                HOST: McDonough Block Assoc.

Bronx Jose Obando

Mon   Jul 12                   Co-op City-Greenway @Section V

7 PM                                HOST: Black Forum of Co-op City

Manhattan Houston Person (WITH A SPECIAL BILLY TAYLOR SET)

Tue   Jul 13                    47th St between 9th & 10th Aves

7 PM                                HOST: 47/48th St Block Assoc.

Manhattan Winard Harper (WITH A SPECIAL BILLY

TAYLOR SET)

Wed   Jul 14                   Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Staten Island Akiko TsurUga

Thu   Jul 15                    Bay St – Lighthouse

7 PM                                HOST: Downtown Staten Island Council

Manhattan Gregory Generet

Fri   Jul 16                      Jackie Robinson Park – 148th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Queens Eric Lemon

Mon   Jul 19                   143-22 109th Ave , Jamaica

7 PM                                HOST: Brooks Senior Center

Mt. Vernon Lynette Washington

Tue   Jul 20                    City Hall Plaza

7 PM                                HOST: PJS Society/Summer Breeze Concert

Series

Manhattan Eunice Newkirk

Wed   Jul 21                   Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Brooklyn Vanessa Rubin

Thu   Jul 22                    Clermont between Fulton & Greene

7 PM                                HOST: Clermont/Greene Block Assoc.

Manhattan Ray Mantilla

Fri   Jul 23                      Jackie Robinson Park – 148th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Manhattan Ghanniyya Greene

Mon   Jul 26                   Roosevelt Island – Good Shepherd Plaza

7 PM                                HOST: Urban America

Manhattan Harlem Renaissance Orchestra

Tue   Jul 27                    Stuyvesant Cove Park – 20th St & FDR Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Stuyvesant Cove Park

Manhattan Houston Person

Wed   Jul 28                   Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Brooklyn Lily White

Thu   Jul 29                    Macon St between Ralph & Patchen

7 PM                                HOST: Macon St Block Assoc.

Manhattan Lynette Washington

Fri   Jul 30                      129th St between 7th & 8th Aves

7 PM                                HOST: St. Nicholas Houses Residents Assoc.

Manhattan Barry Harris

Sat   Jul 31                     139th St between 8th & Edgecombe

3 PM                                HOST: The 300 Block Assoc. of West 139th             St .

Queens Ray Schinnery

Mon   Aug 2                   111-34 198th St – Hollis

7 PM                                HOST: The 198th St Block Association

Manhattan Antoinette Montague

Tue   Aug 3                     135th St between 7th & 8th Aves

7 PM                                HOST: 32nd Precinct

Manhattan Tia Fuller

Wed   Aug 4                   Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Brooklyn Ray Mantilla

Thu   Aug 5                     Gates Ave between Waverly & Washington

7 PM                                HOST: Brown Memorial Baptist Church

Manhattan Patience Higgins

Fri   Aug 6                       Jackie Robinson Park – 148th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Manhattan Bill Saxton

Mon   Aug 9                   118th St between 7th & Lenox Aves

7 PM                                HOST: 100 Block Assoc. of West 118th St

Manhattan Danny Mixon

Tue   Aug 10                   138th St between 7th & Lenox Aves

7 PM                                HOST: Abyssianian

Manhattan Wycliffe Gordon

Wed   Aug 11                 Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Queens Ray Vega

Thu   Aug 12                   34-56 107th St , Corona

7 PM                                HOST: Louis Armstrong House & Archives

Manhattan Benny Powell

Fri   Aug 13                     Jackie Robinson Park – 148th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Manhattan Steve Kroon

Sat   Aug 14                    Bennerson Park ( 64^th St & Amsterdam Ave )

3 PM                                HOST: Amsterdam Houses Residents

Assn

Bronx Ghanniyya Greene

Mon   Aug 16                 Co-op City-Greenway @ Section V

7 PM                                HOST: Black Forum of Co-op City

Brooklyn Charenee Wade

Tue   Aug 17                   So. Oxford St , Cumberland St, & Atlantic

Commons

7 PM                                HOST: Friends of South Oxford Park

Manhattan Akiko Tsuruga

Wed   Aug 18                 Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Bronx Barbara King

Thu   Aug 19                   Lyman Place between Freeman & 169th St

7 PM                                HOST: New York Kids Foundation

Manhattan Jazzberry Jam

Fri   Aug 20                     Jackie Robinson Park – 148th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Manhattan Melba Joyce

Sat   Aug 21                    153rd St between Convent & Amsterdam

3 PM                                HOST: 153/DEELY

Manhattan JAZZMOBILE All Stars w/ GREGORY Generet

Mon   Aug 23                 106th St between CPW & Manhattan Ave

7 PM                                HOST: Duke Ellington Blvd. Neighborhood

Assn

Manhattan Jeremy Pelt

Tue   Aug 24                   122nd St between 7th & Lenox Aves

7 PM                                HOST: Community Pride

Manhattan Jimmy Heath

Wed   Aug 25                 Grant’s Tomb – 122nd St & Riverside Dr

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Manhattan Cynthia Holiday

Thu   Aug 26                   132nd St between 7th & Lenox Aves

7 PM                                HOST: 132nd St Block Assoc.

Manhattan Antoinette Montague

Fri   Aug 27                     Jackie Robinson Park – 145th St & Bradhurst

7 PM                                HOST: Jazzmobile, Inc.

Manhattan TBD

Saturday  TBD               East Harlem – site TBD

3 PM                                HOST: TBC