On January 14, 2022 at 8:00 PM, one of the leading ensembles in jazz, the GRAMMY Award-nominated Bill Charlap Trio, will perform at Flushing Town Hall.

Featuring GRAMMY-winning pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Peter Washington, and drummer Kenny Washington, the Bill Charlap Trio was formed nearly 25 years ago in 1997 and earned GRAMMY nominations for Uptown Downtown (Impulse!/Verve), Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and The Bill Charlap Trio: Live at the Village Vanguard (both on the Blue Note label).

Their 2016 album, Notes from New York (Impulse!/Verve), earned a five-star review in Downbeat, which hailed it as “a master class in class.” More recently, the trio recorded with Tony Bennett and Diana Krall on the chart-topping, GRAMMY-nominated Love is Here to Stay. The Bill Charlap Trio tours all over the world, and its New York engagements include regular appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Village Vanguard.

In November 2021, the Bill Charlap Trio released their latest album Street of Dreams. Jazz Times says ”Street of Dreams is simply a reminder of how terrific an album of straight-ahead piano-trio standards can be.” At their performance on January 14, the trio will play some of their new songs on Flushing Town Hall’s stage.

Founder Bill Charlap is a leading force in jazz. Born in New York City, he began playing the piano at age three. His father was Broadway composer Moose Charlap, whose credits include Peter Pan, and his mother is singer Sandy Stewart, who toured with Benny Goodman, appeared on the Ed Sullivan and Perry Como shows, and earned a GRAMMY nomination for her recording of “My Coloring Book."

Bill Charlap has performed with many of the leading artists of our time, ranging from Phil Woods, Gerry Mulligan, Wynton Marsalis, Freddy Cole and Houston Person to singers Tony Bennett and Barbra Streisand. He is known for his interpretations of American popular songs and has recorded albums featuring the music of Hoagy Carmichael, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin.

In 2016, Tony Bennett & Bill Charlap: The Silver Lining, The Songs of Jerome Kern was awarded the GRAMMY for Best Traditional Pop Album. It features Bill Charlap and Tony Bennett together and in collaboration with The Bill Charlap Trio and in duo piano performances with Charlap’s wife, renowned jazz pianist and composer Renee Rosnes.

2021 marks the 17th year of Charlap’s artistic directorship of New York City’s Jazz in July Festival at the Kaufmann Concert Hall at 92Y. He has produced several concerts for Jazz at Lincoln Center, an evening of George Gershwin’s music at the Hollywood Bowl, and is the Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey.

The New York Times, describes Bill Charlap as “Modest and low-key off the bandstand, at the piano he is voluble and intense…the pianist moved through an erudite selection of jazz and American Songbook standards…with masterful technique and a stylistic range that encompassed rollicking stride piano, bebop virtuosity and harmonically opulent modernism.”

Peter Washington is one of the most in demand and recorded bassists in modern jazz, with a discography of over 400 recordings. Born in Los Angeles, Washington played classical bass as a teen and majored in English Literature at U.C. Berkeley, where he became interested in jazz. He was invited by Art Blakey to join the Jazz Messengers in New York. From there, Washington became part of two of jazz’s most celebrated trios: the Tommy Flanagan Trio, and for the past thirteen years, the Bill Charlap Trio. Washington’s freelance work roster is a “who’s who” of jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Johnny Griffin, Bobby Hutcherson and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band. In 2008, Washington became part of The Blue Note 7, a septet formed in honor of the 70th anniversary of Blue Note Records. The group recorded the album Mosaic and toured the U.S. in 2009.

Kenny Washington was born in Brooklyn. In 1977, while still in his teens, he worked with Lee Konitz and his nonet. He has been a member of the Bill Charlap Trio for the past thirteen years and has performed and recorded with dozens of major artists, giving him a discography of hundreds of titles. Artists include Benny Carter, Johnny Griffin, Ron Carter, Clark Terry, Milt Jackson, Tommy Flanagan, Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval and Benny Goodman. Washington is a noted jazz historian and radio personality; he has written liner notes and helped prepare re-releases by Art Blakey, Count Basie and others, and has also been a disc jockey on WBGO and Sirius satellite jazz radio. He currently serves on the faculties of Purchase College, State University of New York and The Juilliard School, teaching drums and jazz history.

In-person tickets are $25/$20 Members. Those unable to attend in person can join the livestream and tune in virtually for free at https://www.youtube.com/flushingtownhall/live, but donations are greatly appreciated. For tickets and more information, visit www.FlushingTownHall.org or call (718) 463-7700 x222.

COVID Policy: In adherence with Mayor De Blasio’s Covid policy for performance venues, Flushing Town Hall will require all visitors ages 12 and up, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination. Masks will be required at all times for everyone. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.

Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot – located a short distance from the 7 train - at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.

Bill Charlap Trio

Friday, January, 14, 8 PM

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/bill-charlap-trio

In-Person Tickets: $25/$20 Members

Virtual Tickets: Free. Donations are appreciated.

Flushing Town Hall presents the GRAMMY award-nominated Bill Charlap Trio, with GRAMMY award-winning pianist Bill Charlap, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Praised by The Guardian as“one of the best piano trios ever,”the Bill Charap Trio which celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2022, is considered one of the leading jazz groups. The trio’s most recent recording features them with Tony Bennett & Diana Krall on the chart-topping, GRAMMY-nominated Love is Here to Stay. The Bill Charlap Trio tours all over the world, and their New York engagements include regular appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center and the Village Vanguard.

Support Global Arts With A Gift Today!

All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization that receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Major Bill de Blasio; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson; Council Members Costa Constantanides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

On Saturday, February 19, Flushing Town Hall audiences can enjoy the music of Sade, Tracy Chapman, Kate Bush, Linda Creed, Angela Bofill, and Brenda Russell—all performed and interpreted by the incredible Alicia Olatuja.

Praised by DownBeat for her “full-bodied tone, precise pitch, and personal engagement at the lowest whisper or highest wail,” Olatuja’s show, Intuition: From the Minds of Women, will celebrate the achievements of a long list of esteemed, female composers and draws from her 2019 sophomore album of the same name.

Olatuja first came into the national spotlight in 2013, whilst performing as the featured soloist with the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir at President Barack Obama’s Second Inauguration. Shortly thereafter, she assembled her own jazz-based ensemble and recorded her first solo album, Timeless (2014).

Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Olatuja grew up immersed in a wide range of musical styles, including gospel, soul, jazz and classical, all of which have informed her artistic journey. She holds a Masters in Classical Voice/Opera from the Manhattan School of Music. After appearing in numerous operatic and musical theater productions, she started to perform more regularly in gospel and jazz concerts and has worked along such icons as Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans and Christian McBride.

On Intuition: From the Minds of Women (Resilience Music Alliance label), she is joined by Kamau Kenyatta and Ulysses Owens Jr. as producers.

Olatuja’s band features Toru Dodo (piano) David Rosenthal (guitar), Daniel Winshall (bass), and TJ Reddick (drums). The ensemble has been steadily and increasingly in demand. They have performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center,  the Jazz Standard, Vermont Jazz Center, SFJAZZ Center, Rockport Jazz Festival, Markham Jazz Festival, Monty Alexander Jazz Fest, Montreal Jazz Festival and the Harlem Stage Gatehouse, to name a few.

“We are overjoyed to welcome Alicia Olatuja to Flushing Town Hall and excited to hear her lush vocals,” says Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “Audiences are in for a real treat, be they fans of jazz, folk, rock, or pop. Olatuja crosses genres seamlessly and is known for her regal presence and stunning voice.”

You can catch a glimpse of Olatuja's dynamic vocals here.

This in-person performance will take place on Saturday, February 19 at 8 PM. Tickets can be purchased here ($15/$12 members).

Can't make it in person? This concert will be streamed live for FREE on Flushing Town Hall's YouTube Channel. (RSVP HERE to receive the streaming link and reminder email).

For the venue’s full schedule of 2022 Winter events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

COVID Policy:

In adherence with New York City’s Covid policy for performance venues, Flushing Town Hall will require all visitors, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with matching identification. Additionally, masks will be required at all times. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.

Support Global Arts With A Gift Today!

All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.

Alicia Olatuja’s performance is made possible by the support of the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation's Jazz Touring Network.

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization and receives major support in its 2021-2022 Fiscal Year from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio (2021) and Mayor Eric Adams (2022); New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson; Council Members Costa Constantinides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Land Acknowledgement:

Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.

This March, Flushing Town Hall will present a Women's History Month series featuring four, unique performances celebrating iconic women of music history — women whose talent, boldness, and originality overcame barriers in the male-dominated spaces of their time.

“The month will be jam-packed with extraordinary women, past and present! There will be some truly powerhouse vocals on our stage, interpreting some of the most beloved songs of the last few decades,” says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall’s Executive & Artistic Director.

“We are overjoyed to be welcoming artists like Akua Allrich, whose original performance date in March 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic lockdown. This month’s celebration of women artists will inspire and delight our audiences!”

FRIDAY, March 4 at 7PM

Broadway veteran and vocalist Rosena Hill Jackson performs Songs of Sarah Vaughan, a tribute to the Queen of Bebop, with exciting new arrangements by Grammy-winning trombonist and music arranger Jason Jackson. Her band will feature Jason Jackson (trombone), Don Braden (saxophone), Cyrus Chestnut (piano), John Lee (bass), and Neil Smith (drums).

Rosena Hill Jackson’s Broadway credits include The Color Purple, Ragtime, Riverdance, After Midnight, Dreamgirls, Mandela, Ain't Misbehavin’, and more. She has performed extensively as a vocal soloist, including with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, with The New York Philharmonic for PBS, and with the Long Island Philharmonic, The Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, The Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and Teatro di Massimo Symphony Orchestra in Palermo, Italy.

THURSDAY, March 10 at 7PM

Vocalist Barbara Rosene performs You Give Me Fever - The Peggy Lee Songbook, a tribute to the jazz and popular music singer whose career spanned seven decades and helped redefine what it meant to be a female singer. Rosene’s band will feature Conal Fowkes (piano and acoustic bass), John Merrill (guitar), Mike Hashim (saxophone), and Kevin Dorn (drums).

Rosene has graced stages internationally, including with Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, the late Les Paul at NY’s Iridium Jazz Club, Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, the Montreal Jazz Festival and Lake Como, Italy.

She has built an unequalled reputation for interpreting the great music of the 1920s and 30s. Rosene is a passionate vocalist whose interpretations uncover the richness of jazz classics through the skilled delivery of one truly in love with the genre she sings.

SATURDAY, March 19 at 8PM

Jazz vocalist Akua Allrich will present a soul-stirring Tribute to Nina Simone & Miriam Makeba that she curated and will be joined on stage by her bandmates Sam Prather (keys), Kris Funn (upright bass), Tyler Leak (drums), and Gabrielle Murphy (saxophone and flute).

A Washington D.C. native and Howard University graduate, Allrich is quickly making a name for herself with a musical style that draws from blues, soul, jazz, and panAfrican music. Allrich. Her albums have included her independently produced A Peace of Mind (2010), Uniquely Standard, Akua Allrich Live! (2012), and her latest release, Soul Singer.

This engagement of Akua Allrich and the Tribe is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

THURSDAY, March 31 at 7PM

Flushing Town Hall’s Women’s History Month celebration culminates with Oye Como Va - A Tribute to the Great Women of Latin Music, featuring singer/songwriter Deborah Resto in a performance spanning more than 50 years of  music by legendary Latinas like Celia Cruz, La Lupe, and Olga Tanon. Her band will feature Oreste Abrantes (percussion), Franco Pinna (drums), Eddie Venegas (trombone and violin), Alex Apolo (bass), and Pablo Mayor (piano and music direction).

Resto is a New York-born, Hispanic recording artist and musician. In addition to her own CD, entitled Let Him Hear My Heart, she has recorded as a background vocalist for such major artists as Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias, Paul Simon, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Olga Tanon, Tito Nieves, Tito Puente, Jimmy Sabater, Ruben Blades, Larry Harlow, and others.

In-person tickets for each performance are $15/$12 Members. Those unable to attend in person can view each event by livestream for FREE, with a suggested donation.

To purchase tickets to any event in this series or to register for the livestreams: Visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/women-history-month or call (718) 463-7700 x222.

For the venue’s full schedule of 2022 Spring events, visit:

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

One of Flushing Town Hall’s most popular series, Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups, returns on Sunday, March 13 at 1PM EST with a live presentation of India Meets Egypt. Devoted global music fans can enjoy two solo musicians of different practices and cultural identities performing together in a unique pairing.

The March concert will blend the music of Indian singer-songwriter Falu with the Arabic tunes of violinist, vocalist, and rababa player Sami Abu Shumays. They will be accompanied by Gaurav Shah on harmonium.

Acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, who has himself performed in Flushing Town Hall’s original, large-scale Global Mashups series, is the curator for the 2022 season of mini mashups.

Falu is a two-time GRAMMY nominated artist for her children’s albums Falu’s Bazaar and A Colorful World. She is internationally recognized for her rare ability to seamlessly blend a modern, inventive style with a formidable vocal talent shaped by Indian classical tradition. Born in Mumbai and now a New York resident, her career in the United States has included a series of brilliant and high profile collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma, Wyclef Jean, Philip Glass, Ricky Martin, Blues Traveler and A. R. Rahman, among others.

Gaurav Shah has a passion for Indian classical music and has toured extensively with his

wife Falu including performances at Carnegie Hall and on National Geographic TV,

and was a featured songwriter in the Smithsonian. When not performing on stage, the Harvard graduate serves as CEO and President of Rocket Pharma, a biotechnology company focused on developing first-in-class gene therapy options for rare, devastating diseases. Gaurav and Falu are the proud parents of an eight year old son, who had his debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of five.

Sami Abu Shumays is an Arabic violinist, vocalist, and rababa player, co-founder and musical director of the Arab music and dance ensemble Zikrayat (the name means “memories” in Arabic). Inspired by the “Golden Age” of Egyptian Cinema (the 1940’s-60’s), the group presents exciting dance numbers alongside classical Tarab repertory. Shumays is also a teacher and scholar of Arabic music and maqam, the system of melodic modes used in traditional Arabic music, which is mainly melodic. His field of expertise is in the Egyptian and Syrian music traditions, and he co-authored the book Inside Arabic Music: Arabic Maqam Performance and Theory in the 20th Century, which is a landmark piece of literature for students of Arabic music and essential for anyone who wants to learn more about Arabic music. Born in Pittsburgh, PA, Sami is a second-generation Palestinian-American immigrant, who studied Western classical music, piano, violin and composition as a boy, and as an undergraduate at Harvard University. Shumays also happens to serve as Deputy Director of Flushing Town Hall.

“In ancient times, India and Egypt were connected along the Maritime Silk Road, learning from and influencing each other’s cultures. Today, India and Egypt are strongly represented in Queens,” says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “We’re excited to mash up and explore these two rich and vibrant cultures through music, and also showcase the incredible talents of our very own Deputy Director Sami Abu Shumays.”

“I am overjoyed to be sharing a stage with the talented Falu,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Deputy Director Sami Abu Shumays who will be playing the second set of the Global Mashup on the same stage that afternoon. “She and I have been friends for years, and she occasionally invites me to perform with her even though I play a totally different kind of music. Falu is an incredibly generous collaborator, and every time I get the chance to work with her we both learn something new.”

The Mini-Global Mashup performance will be followed by a Q+A conversation between the artists and audience.

In-person tickets are $15/$12 Members. Those unable to attend in person can view the livestream for free at https://www.youtube.com/flushingtownhall/live. Donations are encouraged.

For the Mini-Global Mashup series’ full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashups or call (718) 463-7700 x222.

SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 1 PM EST

Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashup #7 - India Meets Egypt

GLOBAL MUSIC | IN-PERSON | VIRTUAL

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashup-7

Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups are curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, bringing together two amazing, global music artists for an afternoon of music, conversation and exploration. Post-show Q&A. This month’s mashup will feature Indian vocalist Falu and Arabic violinist, vocalist, and rababa player, Sami Abu Shumays. They will be accompanied by Gaurav Shah on harmonium.

$15/$12 Members; Virtual: Free

One of Flushing Town Hall’s most in-demand series, Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups, will continue through the summer of 2022 with a brand new lineup of musicians. The monthly concert series pairs two performers from different musical disciplines and cultural backgrounds together on stage for a collaboration that yields a wholly unique musical experience.

Acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, who has performed in Flushing Town Hall’s original, large-scale Global Mashups series, returns to curate the summer series.

“Audiences can look forward to enjoying phenomenal, world-class performers whose music is tied to their traditions but simultaneously modernized and fused with other musical elements that expand their borders,” says Frank London.

“We are thrilled to continue this beloved, world music series,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “This is what Flushing Town Hall does best—we bring diverse communities together on common ground, through the arts.”

Next up in the 2022 Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups series is Ireland Meets Morocco on Sunday, May 15 at 1 PM ET, featuring Cillian Vallely and Samir Langus, accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Matt Mancuso.

Cillian Vallely is the uilleann pipes and low whistle player with the renowned Irish band Lunasa, described as “the hottest Celtic band on the planet” by Irish Voice. In recent years, he has played and recorded with Bruce Springsteen, Natalie Merchant, Mary Chapin-Carpenter, Tim O’Brien, and Riverdance, in addition to recording as a guest on over 50 albums. With Lunasa, he has performed at The Hollywood Bowl, Glastonbury Festival, Womad Aledaide, and Edmonton Folk Festival in addition to multiple tours of Asia, Australia, the U.S., and Europe. 

Samir Langus is a Grammy-nominated Gnawa master, born and raised in the city of Agadir, Morocco. Langus learned Gnawa, the southern Moroccan trance music with roots in pre-Islamic animist traditions, from the old masters of Morocco. Langus uses traditional instrumentation such as the lute-like Sintir and the large castanet-type Krakebs to accompany its ancient chants, but his approach is resolutely innovative. It is a hypnotic take on this ecstatic, trance-inducing tradition that has enthralled and inspired generations of musicians worldwide.

The series then continues throughout the summer, with a new Mini-Global Mashup each month: The Sunday, June 12 concert, Tibet Meets Colombia, will feature Tibetan singer Yungchen Lhamo and Colombian artist Martín Vejarano, who also serves as a teaching artist at Flushing Town Hall, accompanied by guitarist Jorge Iván "Tito" Duarte. The Sunday, July 24 concert, Gospel Meets Côte d’Ivoire, will feature Jewish Gospel singer Joshua Nelson and Ivory Coast dancer, drummer, and Flushing Town Hall teaching artist Vado Diomande. The Sunday, August 21 concert, Ukraine Meets Cuba, will feature Ukrainian bandura (Ukrainian lute/harp) master Julian Kytasty and Cuban artists Danae Blanco and Juan Carlos Formal.

Each concert will be followed by a Q+A conversation between the artists and the audience hosted by Frank London or other special guest moderators.

For the series’ full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashups

On Friday, June 17, 2022, Flushing Town Hall’s Queens Jazz Orchestra (QJO) returns live to the stage with "Bird Flight," a special tribute program honoring Phil Schaap and the genius of Charlie Parker. Antonio Hart, GRAMMY-nominated jazz artist and an original member of the QJO, will be making his debut as the orchestra’s new conductor, following the 2020 passing of its longtime leader, NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath.

The concert’s title pays homage to America’s beloved radio broadcaster, record producer, and jazz scholar, Phil Schaap (1951-2021), best known as the host of Bird Flight, a radio show on Columbia University’s WKCR devoted to Charlie Parker, which he launched in 1970 and continued for 52 years. Widely regarded for the breadth and detail of his jazz knowledge, Schaap received six GRAMMY Awards for his compilations of vintage jazz recordings and was awarded America’s highest honor in jazz when he was named an NEA Jazz Master in 2021. Schaap, who lived in Hollis, Queens, regularly promoted and supported jazz programs at Flushing Town Hall and attended several concerts at the venue. The June 17th event will include special commentary from his colleagues.

The QJO performance will feature the work of American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer Charlie Parker Jr. (1920-1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird." During his short life, Parker changed the course of jazz music. Like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane, Parker was a pioneering composer and improviser who ushered in a new era of jazz and influenced subsequent generations of musicians, writers, and artists. The GRAMMY-winning musician was inducted multiple times into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, an award that honors recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old, and he was recognized with the GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award in 1985. Parker was also inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame (1979) and Jazz at Lincoln Center: Nesuhi Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame (2009).

Antonio Hart, saxophonist and Director of Jazz Studios at the Queens College Aaron Copland School of Music, will make his debut on June 17 as the QJO’s new conductor. Hart was personally selected for the role by his mentor, the late NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath who was QJO’s original Music Director. To honor his memory, Hart will also lead the QJO in a performance of special music composed by Master Heath.

“We are thrilled to once again welcome Flushing Town Hall’s Queens Jazz Orchestra for the first time since the onset of the pandemic,” says Executive and Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “Antonio Hart is an amazing musician and conductor, who was personally selected by Dr. Jimmy Heath to be his successor for QJO.  We can’t wait to see him lead the full orchestra of amazingly talented artists at our beautiful venue! Jazz and Queens lovers, rejoice!”

The orchestra features the incredible lineup of Antonio Hart as Music Director & Conductor, Mark Gross (alto Sax), David DeJesus (alto Sax), Bobby LaVell (tenor sax), Sam Dillon (tenor sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax), on the trumpet: Jon Owens, Nathan Eklund, Michael Mossman, and Brandon Lee, on the trombones: John Mosca, Steve Davis, James Burton, and Douglas Purviance, Jeb Patton (piano), David Wong (bass), and Evan Sherman (drums).

Queens Jazz Orchestra was co-founded in 2008 by NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath and Flushing Town Hall’s jazz producer Clyde Bullard. This 17-piece orchestra is dedicated to preserving the heritage of jazz in Queens and nurturing the next generations of great jazz musicians.

Queens Jazz Orchestra will perform at Flushing Town Hall on Friday, June 17th at 8 PM ET. In-Person Tickets are $45/$35 Members/$20 Students. This performance will be streamed live for FREE on Flushing Town Hall's YouTube Channel. (RSVP HERE to receive the streaming link and reminder email!)

This engagement is made possible through the Jazz Touring Network program of Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

For the venue’s full schedule of events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

Flushing Town Hall’s most in-demand series, Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups, will continue its summer run with the Ukraine Meets Cuba concert on August 21st at 1 PM EST.

Attendees will experience a collaboration between musicians from different countries and musical backgrounds in performance together for the first time. August’s concert will feature master of the Ukrainian bandura (a Ukrainian lute/harp), Julian Kytasty, and Havana-based singer Danae Blanco. They will be accompanied by Grammy-nominated Cuban guitarist Juan Carlos Formell.

Julian Kytasty is one of the world’s premier players of the bandura (Ukrainian lute/harp) and the instrument’s leading North American exponent. A singer, multi-instrumentalist, and third-generation bandurist, Kytasty has concertized and taught instrumental and choral music throughout the Americas and Europe. Born in Detroit, Kytasty has a BFA in Theory and Composition from Concordia University in Montreal. Kytasty has been recognized for his expertise in epic songs and early bandura repertoire. From 1989 to 1990, Kytasty was one of the first North American-born bandurists to tour Ukraine, performing in over one hundred concerts. He has often returned to tour in Ukraine. In the summer of 2014, he was invited by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine’s Shevchenko Bicentennial Project to visit sites associated with Taras Shevchenko’s life and poetry. Both his formal and impromptu concert performances were filmed for an upcoming documentary, Slidamy Shevchenka (In Shevchenko’s Footsteps).

Danae Blanco provides a welcomed counterpoint to Cuba’s typically male-dominated timba music with her feisty delivery and enchanting lyrics. She has been credited with bringing salsa romantica into the 21st century. When she was younger, Blanco participated in regional choirs in the Cuban province of Sancti Spiritus. She later moved to Havana in 1985 to study music at Ignacio Cervantes College, where she became a member of the Alfredo Rodriguez Group. In 1993, Blanco joined the famous Cuban underground group 5U4, also known as “The Beatles of the Americas,” as a vocalist. She released her debut single, Pido, in 2003 and has been a mainstay in Cuban music since.

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Juan Carlos Formell is at the forefront of a new generation of musicians from Cuba who are redefining the parameters of Cuban music. A talented multi-instrumentalist, Formell has been hailed as a successor to iconic Cuban artists such as Caetano Veloso, Joao Gilberto, Jackson Browne, and Nick Drake. As a member of the Formell family, one of the most prominent musical families in Cuba, music is in his blood.  Juan Carlos’ father, Juan Formell, is a bassist and the founder of the trailblazing group Los Van Van. Juan Carlos continues to carry on his family’s musical tradition masterfully.

The Mini-Global Mashups series has been curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, who has himself performed in Flushing Town Hall’s original, large-scale Global Mashups series.

“Audiences can look forward to enjoying amazing performers whose music is tied to their traditions but simultaneously modernized and fused with other musical elements that expand their borders,” says Frank London.

“We are so lucky to be able to put on these Mini-Global Mashups each month and give the fans a great show,” says Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “I am looking forward to our audience being able to experience the phenomenal musical talents of Julian Kytasty, Danae Blanco, and Juan Carlos Formell.”

The August 21st performance will be followed by a Q+A conversation between the artists and the audience.

In-person tickets are $12 for Flushing Town Hall members and $15 for non-members. Those who are unable to attend in person can view the livestream for free at https://www.youtube.com/flushingtownhall/live. Donations are encouraged.

For the Mini-Global Mashup series’ full schedule and to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/mini-global-mashups or call (718) 463-7700 x222.

For the venue’s full schedule of 2022 Summer and Fall  events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

FOR CALENDAR LISTINGS:

SUN, AUG., 21, 2022, 1 PM
Mini-Global Mashup: Ukraine Meets Cuba
In-Person Tickets: $15/$12 Members; Virtual: Free

Common Ground: Mini-Global Mashups are curated by acclaimed trumpeter and composer Frank London of The Klezmatics, bringing together two amazing, global music artists for an afternoon of music, conversation, and exploration. Post-show Q&A. This month’s mashup will feature Ukrainian bandura (Ukrainian lute/harp) master Julian Kytasty and Havana-based singer Danae Blanco, accompanied by Grammy-nominated Cuban guitarist Juan Carlos Formell.

The Mini-Global Mashup concert series is made possible thanks to funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.

On Friday, September 16 at 8:00 PM, The Honey Dewdrops will take the stage at Flushing Town Hall to share their vibrant and forward-thinking style of folk music.

For over a decade this singer-songwriter duo has traveled around the country performing their experimental take on folk music.

Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish began touring as The Honey Dewdrops in 2009. This year they have released their seventh record, Light Behind Light, featuring their original sound, which combines traditional folk elements with a modern, acoustic style.

No Depression, the quarterly roots music journal, says the duo "prove that the magic of their artistry is in their ability to impart a sense of compassion in listeners while delivering meaningful messages with a purity that’s so rare to encounter." Baltimore Magazine describes their music as as “sweet to the ears, easy on the heart.”

Virginia-raised and Maryland-based, Wortman and Parrish have called the city of Baltimore home since 2014. With several albums and thirteen years of playing shows on the road, Laura and Kagey are excited to make Flushing, Queens their next stop.

“I can’t think of a better way to welcome the fall season than with this duo’s gorgeous, melodic music. Audiences will love the sounds of their acoustic guitars and the lilting harmonies of their voices in song,” says Ellen Kodadek, Executive & Artistic Director of Flushing Town Hall. “We showcase a lot of global artists from around the world at Flushing Town Hall. This concert is a unique opportunity to enjoy a slice of Americana.”

The performance begins on Friday, Sept. 16 at 8 PM. A Harmony Singing workshop (FREE with concert tickets) will take place at 7 PM. In-Person Tickets: $18/$12 Members, Seniors, Students  Tickets can be purchased here.

This concert is supported in part by Mid-Atlantic Tours of the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation.

On Friday, October 14th, Flushing Town Hall will present “The Swinging Sounds of Coleman Hawkins” featuring Lew Tabackin and his ensemble.

Saxophonist Lew Tabackin is one of New York City’s most notable jazz musicians, whose importance was acknowledged this summer when he was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Jazz Foundation of America.

On October 14th, Tabackin will pay tribute to the great Coleman Hawkins (1904 – 1969) live at the historic Flushing Town Hall theater, featuring an array of music that Hawkins himself played during his tenure with the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, recordings with Benny Goodman, Django Reinhardt, and many others.

Tabackin will be supported by pianist Jeb Patton, Gerald Cammon on bass, and Jason Tiemann on drums. In addition, a special guest trumpet player will perform some of the groundbreaking music that Coleman Hawkins made popular in the international jazz world.

Tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins was the first major saxophonist in jazz history. His inventive style of improvising influenced many leading jazz figures such as Ben Webster, Chu Berry, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane.  Hawkins was also one of the first saxophonists to bring attention to the saxophone as a solo instrument in 1939 when he played it on the song “Body and Soul.”

Tabackin’s interest in music began in his birthplace, Philadelphia, where he first studied flute and then tenor saxophone in high school. He majored in flute at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music (B.M. 1962) and studied privately with composer Vincent Persichetti.

Tabackin later moved to New York, where he shared the stage with numerous other jazz luminaries such as Cab Calloway, Maynard Ferguson, Joe Henderson, Chuck Israels, Clark Terry, and Duke Pearson. He also spent some time in Europe as a soloist with various ensembles, including the Danish Radio Orchestra and the Hamburg Jazz Workshop.

In 1968, he met NEA Jazz Master (2007) Toshiko Akiyoshi, who has performed at Flushing Town Hall, when the two played together in a quartet. They eventually married and moved to Los Angeles, where they formed the award-winning big band known as the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra. While in Los Angeles, Tabackin also played with Shelly Manne and various trios of his own—including with Billy Higgins, John Heard, and Charlie Haden. He also toured Japan frequently with Ms. Akiyoshi and her orchestra as well as with his own trio, which included drummer Joey Baron and bassist Michael Moore.

In 1982, Tabackin and his wife returned to New York, which brought him back to the Manhattan jazz scene. He solidified his position as a major tenor saxophone and flute artist, both in live concerts and on recordings, and began to get some long overdue recognition as a flutist, winning many DownBeat Critics and Readers Polls. In 1992, Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra featuring Lew Tabackin won a GRAMMY Award for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance.”

The concert on October 14th begins at 8:00 PM. For those unable to attend in person, the performance will also be live streamed online on YouTube for $10. Tickets are $40/$32 members/$20 students w/ID. Table packages for 2, w/ refreshments are available for $130/$110 members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/the-swinging-sounds-of-coleman-hawkins

The New York City-based band Hazmat Modine has become a global sensation, touring 40 countries in just 15 years, and will soon perform at Flushing Town Hall on Saturday, October 22—the perfect setting for a band whose musical influences are as diverse as the venue’s Queens neighborhood. Hazmat Modine will be joined by special guest, 2019 NEA National Heritage Fellow Balla Kouyaté, and the evening will feature dance lessons from Mali.

While dedicated to the performance of blues music, Hazmat Modine infuses its sound with a wide range of instruments—including harmonicas, tuba, drums, guitar, banjo, a full horn section, and throaty vocals— and incorporates new influences from its travels around the globe. With each new venue and adventure, the band’s performance evolves.

The group’s name “Hazmat” is a portmanteau of “hazardous material,” and “Modine,” the name of a company that manufactures commercial heaters.

Although Hazmat Modine may not yet be a household name, audiences may be surprised to discover they are already familiar with the group’s music. In 2012, its hit song “Bahamut” was featured on So You Think You Can Dance.

Hazmat Modine heads to Flushing Town Hall with a new album, Box of Breath, that features a collection of original material and the band in full command of their self-created idiom — swimming in international waters but never far from the American coast. Malian riffs mix with Mississippi mud and Tin Pan Alley, stretching the band’s aesthetic roots to include notes of hibiscus and the buzz of mosquitos. There are songs about death, striving, hoarding, time, and the march of dementia. Soaring horns and wailing harmonica are joined by the clang of modern India and the murmur of China, a distillation of Hazmat Modine’s travels through time, place and sound.

Reviewing the new album, music critic Dominique Boulay wrote in Move & Blues Magazine: "This is a New York band that has achieved the tour de force, by itself, of representing the entire history of American music. A vast musical melting pot in which all genres merge to form one!”

Flushing Town Hall audiences can also look forward to the band’s special guest, Balla Kouyaté, a 2019 National Heritage Fellow, balafon player and djeli who has been featured on more than 25 albums, including Yo-Yo Ma’s Songs of Joy and Peace and Sing Me Home. He also regularly plays with world-renowned West African musicians touring the States.

The word “djeli” derives from the Mandinka language, meaning the oral historians, musicians, and performers who keep alive and celebrate the history of the Mandé people of Mali, Guinea, and other West African countries. Kouyaté explains, “It means blood and speaks to the central role we play in our society.” Kouyate’s dedication to carrying on his family’s hereditary role as a djeli, his musical virtuosity on the balafon (the West African antecedent of the xylophone), and his humble nature and humility set him apart from others.

"We are so excited to bring Hazmat Modine back to Flushing Town Hall for audiences to enjoy their beautiful blues stylings and global music influences. You can go around the world in music with one night of these amazing musicians. The concert will begin with dance lessons from Mali." said Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall’s Executive & Artistic Director. “We are grateful to Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s Jazz Touring Network for their support of tonight’s concert, which was postponed due to the covid pandemic”.

Following a 7pm set of dance lessons from Mali, Hazmat Modine and Balla Kouyaté will perform at 8 PM on Saturday, October 22. In-Person Tickets can be purchased here: $18 General Admission/ $12 Members, Seniors, & Students w/ID, and include dance lessons.

Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot—located a short distance from the 7 train—at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.

Tickets can also be purchased at www.flushingtownhall.org

On Saturday, November 12th, Flushing Town Hall will host the 16th annual NEA Jazz Masters concert “The Blues Feeling,” led by the acclaimed American jazz virtuoso Jimmy Owens.

Band leader and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens (trumpet) will be joined by five distinguished musicians who have played and traveled the world with the best: NEA Jazz Master Terri Lyne Carrington (drums), the talented Camille Thurman (saxophone), trombonist of the year Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), veteran pianist Danny Mixon (piano), and American musician Kenny Davis (bass).

Renowned jazz artist Jimmy Owens (trumpet, flugelhorn) has over forty-five years of experience as a jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, lecturer, and music education consultant. His experience covers a wide range of international musical achievements, which include extensive work as a studio musician, soloist, bandleader, and composer of orchestral compositions, movie scores, and ballets. Owens is one of the few trumpeters of his generation who performed with many extraordinary jazz leaders, including sitting in with Miles Davis at age 15 and playing with Kenny Barron, Count Basie, Kenny Burrell, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Golson, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Archie Shepp, Billy Taylor, and Gerald Wilson.

With technical wizardry and profound creativity, the newest NEA Jazz Master from 2021, Terri Lyne Carrington, has become one of the giants of today’s jazz music. A three-time GRAMMY Award-winning drummer, composer, producer, and educator, Carrington began her professional career at only ten years old and received a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music at the age of 11. She is the first female artist to ever win the GRAMMY Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album, which she received for her 2013 work, “Money Jungle: Provocative in Blue.” Over the four-decade-plus span of her career, she has played with Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Lester Bowie, Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Stan Getz, Al Jarreau, John Scofield, Pharoah Sanders, and Esperanza Spalding, among countless other jazz luminaries. In 2019, Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science released their critically acclaimed double album, “Waiting Game,” a project that elevates social justice issues, featuring pianist Aaron Parks and guitarist Matthew Stevens. The album was nominated for a 2021 GRAMMY Award and won three awards in the 2020 Downbeat International Critics Poll for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, and Group of the Year. Carrington, the founder and artistic director of the Berklee Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice, recently published a new book, “New Standards,” addressing women's omission from jazz canon.

Camille Thurman is an extraordinary composer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, who is quickly becoming one of the standard bearers for the form, making a considerable and dynamic contribution to the legacy of jazz while paying tribute to its heroes. In a few short years, the New York City native has shared stages with jazz and R&B luminaries such as George Coleman, Roy Haynes, Dianne Reeves, Wynton Marsalis, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JALCO) featuring Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Barron, Buster Williams, Charles Tolliver, Jack DeJohnette, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jon Hendricks, Harry Connick Jr., Jon Batiste,  Audra MacDonald, Diana Krall, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Chaka Khan, Louis Hayes, Russell Malone, Nicholas Payton, Jacky Terrasson, Janelle Monáe, Alicia Keys, Lalah Hathaway, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu, among others.

Wycliffe Gordon boasts an impressive career touring the world, performing to great acclaim from audiences and critics alike. The Jazz Journalists Association named him 2020 “Trombonist of the Year” for the record-breaking 13th time, and he has topped Downbeat Critics Poll for “Best Trombone” again an unprecedented six times (2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 & 2012). Last year, he was the recipient of the “Louie Award,” the International Trombone Award and the Satchmo Award, among others. Wycliffe is a prolific recording artist and is extremely popular for his unmatched signature sound, plunger technique, and unique vocals. He can be heard on hundreds of recordings, soundtracks, live DVDs, and documentaries. Musicians and ensembles of every caliber perform his music throughout the world, and his arrangement of the theme song to NPR’s “All Things Considered” is heard daily across the globe.

A prolific piano virtuoso who has performed in the U. S. and internationally, Daniel Asbury Mixon was born on August 19, 1949, in Harlem and raised in Brooklyn. Growing up in a musical household, he was influenced by his mother and grandparents, beginning his early artistic expression at the age of 3. During an afternoon outing at the Apollo Theatre with his grandfather, Mixon was inspired by the jazz musicians he heard. It was then that he decided that he would like to be a pianist, and he never once looked back. By the time Mixon was 17, he was invited to play with Sam Brown and Patti Labelle and the Blue Bells in Atlantic City, and two years later, he found himself with the Muse Quartet under the auspices of Chris White.

In May 2004, Mixon was one of the first musicians to be honored by the National Jazz Museum in Harlem in a series entitled “Harlem Speaks,” which resulted in an invitation to the White House for Black Music Month.

Kenny Davis is a native of Chicago, Illinois. His career began with listening to great R&B artists such as Earth Wind & Fire, Brothers Johnson, and The Temptations. First being self-taught, he later went on to Northeastern Illinois University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and discovered jazz music. He quickly became part of the Chicago jazz scene, playing with Von Freedman, Ari Brown, and Fred Anderson. In 1986, Davis moved to New York, where he played with Out of the Blue (OTB) and became part of the New York scene. One of the highlights of his career was being a music arranger for a song on the GRAMMY Award-winning CD by artist Cassandra Wilson, "Blue Light Till Dawn."  Throughout the '90s, Davis toured with such notable jazz artists as Herbie Hancock, Dianne Reeves, and Art Farmer. In 1999, Kenny Davis received a call from Kevin Eubanks, then band leader/music director of “The Tonight Show” Band, and joined the band as their bassist from September 1999 thru March 2002.

Since Flushing Town Hall hosted the very first NEA Jazz Masters concert on November 17, 2006, featuring three NEA Jazz Masters, Jimmy Heath (saxophone), Clark Terry (trumpet), and Dr. Billy Taylor (piano), the historic venue in Queens hosted many of the greatest names in jazz that could also be seen in some of the biggest clubs in Manhattan: Earl May, Benny Powell, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Cándido Camero, Paquito D’Rivera, Reggie Workman, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Barry Harris, Sheila Jordan, Antonio Hart, Bill Charlap, and Gustavo Casenave, to name just a few.

“We are delighted to bring The Blues Feeling to New York’s jazz lovers with our popular annual NEA Jazz Masters concert,” says Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director at Flushing Town Hall, “We are proud to be one of the best gems for superb jazz in the city, and to present an outstanding lineup of incredible musicians year-round.”

The concert on November 12th begins at 8:00 PM. For those unable to attend in person, the performance will also be live-streamed online on YouTube for $10. Tickets are $40/$32 members/$20 students w/ID. Table packages for two w/ refreshments are available for $130/$110 members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/the-blues-feeling

For Calendars: Fall Jazz Programming at Flushing Town Hall

Wednesday, November 9, 2022, at 7:00 PM

Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam (Nov. 2022)

In-person Tickets: $10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

Open to Jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band, led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter opens each jam with the work of Louis Armstrong. Don’t play? Come listen!

https://flushingtownhall.org/jazz-jam-nov-2022

Saturday, November 12, 2022, at 8:00 PM

Flushing Town Hall Presents NEA Jazz Masters: The Blues Feeling

In-Person Tickets: $40 /$32 Members /$20 Students w/ID

Table Packages: $130 /$110 Members (Table for 2 with refreshments/drinks)

https://flushingtownhall.org/the-blues-feeling

Friday, December 2, 2022, at 8:00 PM

Songs for Barry Harris w/ NEA Jazz Masters Sheila Jordan, Harvie S, and Roni Ben-Hur

In-Person Tickets: $40 /$32 Members /$20 Students w/ID

Table Packages: $130 /$110 Members (Table for 2 with refreshments/drinks)

https://flushingtownhall.org/songs-for-barry-harris

Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 7:00 PM

Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam (Dec. 2022)

In-person Tickets: $10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

Open to jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band, led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter opens each jam with the work of Louis Armstrong. Don’t play? Come listen!

https://flushingtownhall.org/jazz-jam-dec-2022

For the venue’s current schedule of all 2022 Fall events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

On Friday, December 2 at 8:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall will pay tribute to one of the greatest NEA Jazz Masters with Songs for Barry Harris, featuring NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, bassist Harvie S, and jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur. The trio will perform jazz standards and tunes Barry Harris played throughout his phenomenal career and share unique stories and memories about the outstanding jazz luminary for the anniversary of his passing.

Master Harris died one year ago, in December of 2021, at the remarkable age of 91. He gave his final public performance at Flushing Town Hall’s 15th annual NEA Jazz Masters concert just one month prior.

All three featured performers have a very special connection to the late Dr. Barry Harris. Sheila Jordan grew up in Detroit and knew Dr. Harris as a teenager; they remained good friends across the decades. Roni Ben-Hur started out as a student of Dr. Harris, later playing in his band and recording some classic albums with him. Harvie S played with Dr. Harris over many years and taught with him in summer programs at the Manhattan School of Music. Audiences can look forward to a very moving and uplifting tribute to the influential Jazz Master.

Raised in poverty in Pennsylvania's coal-mining country, Sheila Jordan began singing as a child, and by the time she was in her early teens, she was working semi-professionally in Detroit clubs. Her first great influence was Charlie Parker. After moving to New York in the early 50s, she married Parker's pianist, Duke Jordan, and studied with Lennie Tristano, but it was not until the early 60s that she made her first recordings. By the late 70s, jazz audiences had begun to understand her uncompromising style a little more, and her popularity increased. Jazz journalist Scott Yanow describes her as "one of the most consistently creative of all jazz singers."

Harvie S, award-winning bassist, educator, composer, arranger, and producer, is continually challenging himself and his peers, expanding the borders of musical direction. He has performed and recorded with Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon, Tony Bennett, Ray Baretto, Paquito D’Rivera, Mark Turner, Jim Hall, Billy Hart, Joe Lovano, Pat Metheny, Chico O’Farrill, Danilo Perez, Maria Schneider, Toots Thielemans, Ray Vega, James Williams, Phil Woods, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea, Sheila Jordan, Steve Kuhn, Pat Martino, Wycliff Gordon, David Mathews, Ingrid Jenson, Anat Cohen, James Weidman, Jim Hall, Mike Stern, Dr. Billy Taylor, and countless others. He can be heard on twenty albums as a leader, fifteen as a co-leader, and over four hundred albums as a sideman. Harvie S was selected as a Jazz Ambassador for the United States and toured throughout Europe and Southeast Asia in this honored capacity. He has been a guest on NPR's All Things Considered and Fresh Air.

Jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has earned a sterling reputation as a musician and educator, renowned for his golden tone, improvisational brilliance, compositional lyricism, and ability to charm peers, students, and listeners alike. Eminent jazz critic Gary Giddins wrote in the Village Voice: “A limber and inventive guitarist, Ben-Hur keeps the modernist flame alive and pure, with a low flame burning in every note… [He’s] a guitarist who knows the changes and his own mind.” Ben-Hur – born in Israel in 1962 but a longtime American citizen, now based in New Jersey – has released nine albums as leader or co-leader, with Time Out New York calling him “a formidable and consummately lyrical guitarist.” The Star-Ledger of New Jersey summed him up this way: “A deep musician, a storyteller, Ben-Hur works with a warm, glowing sound and has an alluring way of combining engaging notes with supple rhythm.” Along with releasing acclaimed educational products – including the instructional DVD Chordability and method book Talk Jazz: Guitar – Ben-Hur has directed international jazz camps for nearly 15 years. Jazz guitar star Russell Malone got it right when he said: “Everything Roni does is beautiful. He has the magic touch.”

Barry Harris was a magnificent American jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Among the many honors and recognitions he received during the course of his life, Harris was named an NEA Jazz Master in 1989 by the National Endowment for the Arts. He was America’s oldest, living jazz professor and was said to be the world’s jazz professor, as he demonstrated his theories and methods in workshops and seminars across the globe and online. Master Barry Harris first joined Flushing Town Hall’s NEA Jazz Masters series in 2007 alongside Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Tootie Heath, and Benny Powell. When at times, health challenges prevented his participation in subsequent concerts in our series, he generously invited NEA Jazz Master pianists Jo Anne Brackeen and Kenny Barron to take his place, helping bring more living legends to our beloved corner of Queens. He was beloved by Flushing Town Hall’s staff and audiences.

“The esteemed Barry Harris graced our stage on multiple occasions over the years, and we are honored that he shared his talents with our audiences,” says Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “Sheila Jordan, Harvie S, and Roni Ben-Hur have all known Master Harris for many years, and I know that they will deliver a fantastic and heart-warming tribute to the great person and musician he was.”

The concert on December 2 begins at 8:00 PM. For those unable to attend in person, the performance will also be live-streamed online on YouTube for $10. Tickets are $40/$32 members/$20 students w/ID. Table packages for two w/ refreshments are available for $130/$110 members. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/songs-for-barry-harris.

For Calendars: Upcoming Jazz Programming at Flushing Town Hall

Friday, December 2, 2022, at 8:00 PM

Songs for Barry Harris w/ NEA Jazz Masters Sheila Jordan, Harvie S, and Roni Ben-Hur

In-Person Tickets: $40 /$32 Members /$20 Students w/ID

Table Packages: $130 /$110 Members (Table for 2 with refreshments/drinks)

Flushing Town Hall pays tribute to one of the greatest NEA Jazz Masters with “Songs for Barry Harris,” featuring NEA Jazz Master Sheila Jordan, bassist Harvie S, and jazz guitarist Roni Ben-Hur. The trio will perform jazz standards and tunes Barry Harris played throughout his phenomenal career and share unique stories and memories about the jazz luminary.

https://flushingtownhall.org/songs-for-barry-harris

Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 7:00 PM

Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam (Dec. 2022)

In-person Tickets: $10/FREE for Members, Students, & Jamming Musicians

Open to jazz students, musicians, and music educators, Monthly Jazz Jams are a fun way to hone your skills and jam with your peers. The house band, led by saxophonist Carol Sudhalter opens each jam with the work of Louis Armstrong. Don’t play? Come listen!

https://flushingtownhall.org/jazz-jam-dec-2022

For the venue’s current schedule of all 2022 events, visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events.

This February, Flushing Town Hall celebrates Black History Month (or African American History Month, as it’s also known) with the return of its Black History Trilogy, a three-part series featuring outstanding performers paying tribute to influential African American musicians, dancers, and entertainers.

“I am very excited about the lineup of artists,” says Clyde Bullard, Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Producer and curator for the Trilogy. “The music presentations are soulful tributes to Chuck Berry, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Al Green, Otis Redding, and music from a few of the greatest African American film soundtracks. There will also be an astonishing dance tribute to the Lindy Hop and dances from the Savoy Ballroom.”

Part 1: The Trilogy kicks off on Friday, February 3 at 8PM with The Chuck Berry Rock & Roll Concert Party, featuring an energetic performance from premier vocalist and blues guitarist Keith “The Captain” Gamble in celebration of one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll.

A singer/songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player, Keith “The Captain” Gamble’s heart and soul are rooted in blues music. He serves as a guest instructor with Jazzmobile in Harlem and guest artist for the LaGuardia Community College lecture series on the Blues. He is also the co-writer of From the Root to the Fruit - A Chronicle of the Blues, a documentary film that was later staged as a musical production. The Captain has toured throughout Europe and to Zambia and Ghana, commissioned by the US State Department, and he served as lead guitarist and male vocalist for ABC’s “The View” house band, the Mile High Club.

Part 2: The Trilogy continues on Friday, February 10 with The Challenge to Defy Gravity. Audiences will travel back in time to the 1920s Savoy Ballroom to celebrate the gravity-defying contributions of dancers Frankie Manning and Norma Miller, known for their famous Lindy Hop and air steps. Music director Frank Owens teams up with choreographer and dance historian Mickey Davidson to present a dance experience like no other. Audiences will learn swing-era dance moves at the 7PM pre-concert workshop, which they can put into practice at 8PM while enjoying a lively dance performance and concert with special guests Theara J. Ward, Music Director Patience Higgins, The Savoy Swingers, and Harvest Moon Hoppers.

Mickey Davidson is primary choreographer and director for Mickey D. & Friends, a group of dancers and musicians that explores and performs the interlocking relationship between music and dance. From 1993 to 2013 Davidson led the arts-in-education Okra Dance Co., presenting multicultural dance programs in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. She’s taught jazz dance and tap and has served as a visiting lecturer at Wesleyan University for seventeen years.

Davidson has been affiliated with Lindy Hop since 1985 when she started rehearsing with Norma Miller and her Jazz Dancers. Since Norma's return to Las Vegas, Mickey has maintained the group under the name "Savoy Swingers.” Davison teaches special Lindy Hop and Lindy-related workshops nationally and internationally and frequently partners with Lindy Hop legend Frankie Manning in workshops, live performances, and televised presentations. She was one of three choreographers for the European Tour of the Broadway production of Black and Blue. Davidson. sets and maintained the Swing and Blues choreography inherited from Mr. Manning.

Part 3: The Trilogy concludes on Friday, February 24 at 8PM with Soul men: The Music of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and More. Extraordinary vocalist Billy Cliff will lead audiences through a fun and funky mix of cinema and soul music history, featuring the works of Isaac Hayes’ composition for Shaft, Curtis Mayfield’s soundtrack for Super Fly, and Marvin Gaye’s film score for Trouble Man.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in the Bronx, Billy Cliff first emerged in the music industry as a background singer for famed vocalist Angela Bofill and platinum recording artist Freddie Jackson. He has also performed with Dianne Reeves, Will Downing, The Shop Boys, and David Byrne of The Talking Heads. He has toured as lead vocalist with the mega rhythm & blues pop grop Kool & The Gang.

In-person tickets for each Trilogy performance are $15 or $12 for Members, Seniors, and Students with ID.  Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot – located a short distance from the 7 train - at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.

Black History Trilogy #1: The Chuck Berry Rock & Roll Concert Party

FRI, FEB 3 @ 8:00 PM

Flushing Town Hall kicks off its 2023 Black History Trilogy with a celebration of Chuck Berry, one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll. Enjoy an energetic night celebrating Berry’s music and legacy with a tribute performance by Keith “The Captain” Gamble, a premier vocalist and blues guitarist.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/bhm-trilogy-1-2023

Black History Trilogy #2: The Challenge to Defy Gravity

FRI, FEB 10 @ 7:00 PM dance workshop; 8:00 PM performance

Travel back in time to the 1920s Savoy Ballroom to celebrate the gravity-defying contributions of Frankie Manning and Norma Miller, known for their famous Lindy Hop and air steps. Music director Frank Owens teams up with choreographer and dance historian Mickey Davidson to present a dance experience like no other. Audiences will learn swing-era dance moves, which they can put into practice while enjoying a lively dance performance and concert with special guests Theara J. Ward, Music Director Patience Higgins, The Savoy Swingers, and Harvest Moon Hoppers.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/bhm-trilogy-2-2023

Black History Trilogy #3: Soul Men: The Music of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and More

FRI, FEB 24 @ 8:00 PM

Extraordinary vocalist Billy Cliff will lead audiences through a fun and funky mix of cinema and soul music history featuring the works of Isaac Hayes’ composition for Shaft, Curtis Mayfield’s soundtrack for Super Fly, and Marvin Gaye’s film score for Trouble Man.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/bhm-trilogy-3-2023

For the venue’s full schedule of 2023 Winter/Springevents, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events

COVID Policy:

Although as of March 7, 2022, New York City has relaxed its COVID policies for indoor arts and entertainment events, Flushing Town Hall will maintain its prior policy for the safety of its audiences, artists, and staff. This policy will remain in effect until further notice: Flushing Town Hall requires all visitors, performers, and staff to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 with matching identification. Additionally, masks will be required at all times. For more details on Flushing Town Hall’s Covid-safety measures and vaccine requirements, please visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/covid-safety.

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All gifts of $50 or more give you exclusive Flushing Town Hall Circle of Friends membership benefits including a Smithsonian membership, ticket discounts, and more! Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.

https://www.flushingtownhall.org/circle-of-friends

Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization and receives major support in 2022 from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Adrienne E. Adams and New York City Council Members Sandra Ung, Tiffany Caban, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Vickie Paladino, Lynn Schulman, and Jessica Won; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

To view current donor lists, please visit www.flushingtownhall.org/donor-listings

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.

On Friday, March 24 at 8 PM, Flushing Town Hall will present Octogenarian Women of Jazz during Women’s History Month.

Flutist/tenor saxophonist Carol Sudhalter, beloved as Flushing Town Hall’s house band leader, will celebrate her 80th birthday leading a very special quintet of Octogenarians for the occasion. She will be joined in the band by world-renowned pianist Bertha Hope (86), drummer Paula Hampton (87) of the legendary jazz Hampton family, and widely popular vocalist Keisha St. Joan (84). In addition, the concert will feature the rare participation of revered bassist Bill Crow, joining the women on stage at an impressive 95 years of age. Performing well past the typical age of retirement and still very much in their artistic prime, this quintet proves that music, like wine, gets better with age.

"Looking at movies, books, and general depictions, we are accustomed to thinking of 80 as an ending, as an age when the mind and body begin to decline," says Carol Sudhalter." But now that I am 80, I realize that it is just the beginning of a new life and such a rewarding culmination of past years' work at the same time. I am so excited to share the stage with my fellow Octogenarians to bring a wonderful evening of jazz to the audiences in Queens."

“I have been honored to have Carol lead the house band of our popular Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jams for several years now and am excited to see her take the stage with this extraordinary ensemble for her big birthday,” says Flushing Town Hall’s Executive and Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “Carol’s work is extremely important to Flushing Town Hall and the Queens jazz community — and we are so excited to celebrate her birthday with this special concert.”

The concert begins at 8:00 PM EST on Friday, March 24th. Tickets are $15/$10 for members, seniors, and students with ID. Tickets can be purchased here.

About the Quintet:

CAROL SUDHALTER

Flutist, baritone, and tenor saxophonist Carol Sudhalter (80) is the youngest of the musical Sudhalters, long recognized for their contributions to jazz research and performance, and for their role in the historic Boston jazz scene (brother Dick Sudhalter, father Al Sudhalter violinist/alto saxophonist played with Bobby Hackett, Eddy Duchin.). She was the first graduate of Smith College to become a jazz musician and played with the first-ever all-female Latin band, Latin Fever, at the Salsa Festival at Madison Square Garden alongside Tito Puente. She is the founder of and plays baritone sax in the Astoria Big Band, which has received 20+ performance grants and has played at Mary Lou Williams Festival. The band presents both a concert of works by women composers and a “Jazz History of Queens.”

In 2016, Sudhalter became the director and house band leader of the Flushing Town Hall Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam, one of the leading jazz events in the borough of Queens. Within her term, the jam has had great success and doubled in attendance.

Sudhalter placed 9th for ”Best International Jazz Flutist” in Down Beat Magazine’s 77th Annual Jazz Readers’ Poll 2012, and her 2019 CD ‘Carol Sudhalter Quartet Live at St. Peter’s Church” (on baritone sax and flute) was reviewed in the June 2019 issue of Down Beat Magazine. In 2022 Sudhalter was honored to participate in the debut performance of composer/pianist Mickey Tucker’s Spiritual Collage for Saxophone Quartet and Orchestra, in Bloomington, Indiana, alongside such legendary players as Cyrus Chestnut and Gary Bartz.

KEISHA ST. JOAN

Seasoned jazz vocalist Keisha St. Joan (84), a fixture on the New York City scene for decades, is a “garrulous, warm, expansive presence with an easy laugh…but a closer look reveals a depth of character that is at once expressed in her soulfulness on the bandstand, and in her unyielding commitment to truth and dignity in her daily life” (Todd Weeks).

Born Joan Broadbelt on 119th Street in Harlem in 1939, she gained access, through family connections, to recordings of opera, which became a fixation. At age 5, she announced that she was going to be an opera singer. The family lived in the Phipps Houses, where Thelonious Monk also lived: she would hear him playing piano. Shortly after, Keisha began singing lessons. At 17, St. Joan was already singing professionally with the Harlem Opera Group. She appeared in “La Boheme,” and “Carmen,” and sang the role of Marguerite in “Faust.” Soon she was exposed to Miles and Dave Brubeck.

At age 36, finally feeling ready to begin a full-time career in music, she left her day job. She met and heard the legendary hipster vocalist Babs Gonzales, who introduced her to Pastor John Garcia Gensel at St. Peter’s, where she was often featured at the weekly Jazz Vespers service and at the famed annual All Night Soul celebration. In the 70s, she began to front her own bands, which included artists such as pianists Stan Hope and Eric Reed, bassists Ollie Richardson and Peck Morrison, trumpeter Richard Williams, and the great hard-bop drummer Walter Perkins.

BERTHA HOPE

Bertha Hope (86) is a jazz pianist and educator. Born in Los Angeles, California, she began having an interest in jazz through the playing of Bud Powell. In the late 1950s, Bertha began working professionally in Los Angeles jazz clubs, where she met the great Elmo Hope, whom she later married and with whom she worked extensively. In 1961, the two moved to the East Coast and released a duo album for Riverside, entitled “Hope-Full.” Some years after Elmo died, Bertha created the ELMOllenium project to preserve the musical legacy of her late husband, by performing and teaching his work to other artists.

In 1982, she joined the all-female Kit McClure Band as a pianist and vocalist and performed across the East Coast and toured extensively in Japan. During the same period, Hope formed Jazzberry Jam!, an all-women quartet. Jazzberry Jam! performed at some of the most prestigious jazz clubs and venues and toured nationally. Internationally, in 1999, Jazzberry Jam! was featured in a documentary entitled “Les Femmes du Jazz” for the French Arts Channel, which received the award for Best Documentary at France’s Biarritz Film Festival.

Hope is the recipient of two-lifetime achievement awards (2002 from Cobi Narita's Jazz Coalition, 2005 by the late Dr. Billy Taylor in 2005 at the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Festival). The International Women in Jazz honored Bertha in 2012 with its jazz award. In 2018, she won the National Jazz Museum in Harlem’s Legends of Jazz Award, and in 2021, she was feted as a Jazz Trailblazer, receiving an Osceola Macarthy Adams Award.

PAULA HAMPTON

Drummer and vocalist Paula Hampton (87) is a rarity in the field of jazz; and is the heir to a unique musical heritage. Hampton’s illustrious career began at a very early age when she performed at the famous Cotton Club in Indianapolis with her uncles’ band. Known as “The Hampton Family Band,” their extensive national tour culminated in a classic ‘battle of the bands’ pitting them against another famous Hampton: her uncle, the late Lionel Hampton. Hampton is proof that talent runs in families, hers having a show business history dating as far back as the days of “Black Vaudeville” to the present day.

Hampton is a member of an elite group of female drummers who have had extensive instrumental training. Her studies also included vocal instruction with composer/arranger Brook Benton and Belford “Sinky” Hendricks. Her talents have taken her around the world, performing with pianist Amina-Claudine Myers; vocalist Evelyn Blakey and her group, “Celebration;” touring Europe in 1985 with a show entitled “Late Great Ladies of Jazz and Blues,” featuring vocalist/actress Sandra Reaves-Phillips; and recording and performing with vocalist Dakota Staton.

Hampton has also led her own band and played at innumerable venues in the tri-state area. Her talents do not stop with the traps -- she made her cabaret debut in the acclaimed revue “Life is What?” where she received rave reviews from The New York Post. She is the recipient of the coveted Bistro Award from Backstage Magazine.

Hampton is currently performing and touring with her group, Jazzberry Jam!, an all-women’s band, and is continually called upon to record with renowned musicians.

BILL CROW    

Bill Crow (95) began his career as a jazz bassist with the Teddy Charles Trio in 1950. In the 1950s and 60s, he was featured on the big bands of Claude Thornhill, Gerry Mulligan and Benny Goodman, as well as many small jazz groups. He toured in Europe and Japan with Mulligan, played with Goodman at the Seattle World's Fair, and on his Russian tour in 1962.

Between 1970 and 1983, Crow played in the pits of a number of Broadway shows, including the long runs "The King and I" and "42nd Street," doubling on string bass and tuba. During this period, he also frequently appeared in jazz venues with the Al Cohn quartet, the Bernie Leighton trio, the Kenny Davern quintet, the Eddie Bert quartet, and guitar duos with Chuck Wayne, Tal Farlow, Eddie Diehl, Carl Thompson and Joe Puma. In the 1990s, Crow appeared with many jazz groups, including the Kansas City Sound, the Doug Proper Quartet, and small groups led by Dick Sudhalter, Giacomo Gates, Rio Clemente, Joe Morello, Carmen Leggio, Joe Beck and Marian McPartland. He now appears frequently with the Ryo Sasaki Trio in New York, and with his own groups in the greater New York area. A sideman on numerous recordings with other jazz leaders, he has also made two compact discs with his own quartet for Venus Records of Japan.

Crow is also the author of two books. His first, Jazz Anecdotes, (Oxford University Press, 1990) was voted "Best Jazz Book" in the 1991 Jazz Times readers’ poll and his autobiography ”From Birdland to Broadway (Oxford University Press, 1992), which where both translated into Japanese by author Haruki Murakami. A Korean translation of Jazz Anecdotes was published in 2001.

For the venue’s full schedule of 2023 events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/events.

Flushing Town Hall’s monthly series of Mini-Global Mashup concerts will continue on Sunday, April 16, with Brazil Meets China.

Curated by renowned klezmer trumpeter Frank London, the concert series presents a different pairing of solo artists each month, showcasing traditional music from around the world and unexpected collaborations that create new and spontaneous sounds.

The April concert will feature Brazilian artists Rogério Boccato and Vitor Gonçalves alongside Chinese guzheng artist Wei Sun.

Brazilian percussionist and educator Rogério Boccato has contributed to projects led by some of today’s top jazz artists, including Maria Schneider, John Patitucci, Fred Hersch, Brian Blade, Kurt Elling, Danilo Perez, and Renee Rosnes. He has also collaborated with popular Brazilian artists such as Toninho Horta, Moacir Santos, Zé Renato, and Vinicius Cantuária.

He is featured on three Grammy-award-winning albums: Kurt Elling & Danilo Perez‘s “Secrets Are The Best Stories,” “The Thompson Fields,” with the Maria Schneider Orchestra, and Billy Childs’  “Rebirth.”

As a longtime member of the “Orquestra Jazz Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo,” Boccato has played with Antonio Carlos Jobim, Hermeto Pascoal, Milton Nascimento, Egberto Gismonti, João Bosco, Joe Zawinul, among many others.

Boccato also serves as a faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music, NYU, and of the Percussion department of The Hartt School (University of Hartford), teaching Brazilian Music and Ritmica.

Vitor Gonçalves is a pianist, accordionist, composer, and arranger from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After an illustrious musical career in Brazil, playing with such icons as Hermeto Pascoal, Maria Bethânia, Itiberê Zwarg, and many others, he moved to New York City.

Since he arrived in New York City in 2012, he has garnered acclaim and added to his already-illustrious musical resumé. He has performed at Lincoln Center, The Jazz Standard, the Jazz Gallery, the Newport Jazz Festival, NPR’s Jazz Night in America, and as a guest of the renowned Spok Frevo Orquestra for a special performance at The New York Times. He has a thriving solo career and frequently collaborates with figures in the New York jazz scene, such as Anat Cohen, Vinícius Cantuária, Anthony Wilson, Cyro Baptista, and Yotam Silberstein.

Wei Sun is a young guzheng artist from China. She was born into a family of musicians and started her journey at the age of six. She is a certified senior teacher of guzheng and a member of the China National Instrumental Association and the International Guzheng Association. In 2016, she came to the United States as a guzheng performer and teacher at the CBA Cultural and Arts Center.

Wei is now the principal performer of guzheng of the Chinese National Orchestra in New York, she has been invited to perform at the Lincoln Center, United Nations, Columbia University, Flushing Town Hall, Queens College Art Center, and more. She co-founded the trio bands, StringsW and Miss. In October 2017, StringsW held a concert at Carnegie Hall in which they combined Western and Chinese instruments together to rearrange Chinese folk music. Since March 2022, Wei has performed on the Broadway musical show “Noble Family.”

 “Brazil meets China – WOW!” says Ellen Kodadek, Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director. “Our mini Global Mashups are unique every time - they bring together artists from different parts of the globe who have never played together before with an intimate experience for the audience.”

Tickets to Brazil Meets China are $15 for general admission or $12 for members, seniors, and students. To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/brazil-meets-china

For the venue’s full schedule of 2023 Spring events, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents

On Friday, May 19, 2023, the Syrian Music Preservation Initiative (SMPI) will present an evening featuring works by Syrian composers, Love and Loss: Classical Music of Syria to mark its fifth anniversary at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

The celebration begins at 8:00 PM and features SMPI’s Takht al-Nagham (an Arab chamber music ensemble), led by Artistic Director Samer Ali. The group includes instruments traditional to the takht including the oud (Arab lute), qanun (Arab zither) and riq (tambourine).

“The theme of love and loss is common throughout the classical Syrian repertoire and remains relevant to their reality today,” Samer Ali said. “We are dedicated to preserving and invigorating the diverse regional music traditions of Syria, and this performance will promote the musical heritage through both older, lesser-known works and contemporary pieces. In this way, we celebrate the past, present and future of Syrian music.”

The one-night only event will feature works by Mahmood Aijan, Wanees Wartanian, Majdi al-’Aqili, Ramez Khaskiyya, Khalil Haj Hussein, and Samer Ali, as well as traditional works by other Syrian composers. Joining Samer Ali (violin) on stage will be Marissa Arciola Ali (bass), Brian Prunka (oud), John Murchison (qanun), Nezih Antakli (riq), Gideon Forbes (nay), Lubana Al Quntar (vocals), and in the choir, Zahra al-Zubaidi, Erik Jönsson, Marwa Morgan, and Stefan Paolini.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council.

Tickets can be purchased at https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2023/05/19/Love-and-Loss-Traditio…. Masks are not required though they are encouraged. Doors open a half hour before the event. For directions, visit https://www.carnegiehall.org/Visit/Directions-and-Parking.

You can view a previous performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLq3nzZpvgQ&t=1s

Founded in 2018, SMPI promotes and celebrates the diverse ethnic and regional musical traditions of Syria through preservation, innovation, research, and education. Its activities include music and dance performances, classes, workshops, and seminars, as well as digital resources and recordings.

Samer Ali, a native of Syria, is a physician, violinist, oudist, composer, and founder and artistic director of SMPI. An apprentice of Muhammad Qadri Dalal, the oud virtuoso, musicologist and prolific scholar of Arab maqam musical system, Samer has led Takht al-Nagham, SMPI's Arab chamber music ensemble, in New York at Roulette Intermedium; Florida at Miami Beach Bandshell; and Washington, DC at Kennedy Center.

Marissa Arciola Ali is a bassist, strategist and leader with a unique combination of artistic and business experience. She has worked with a number of nonprofit organizations while playing with groups ranging from classical, rock, and Middle Eastern music. As President of the SMPI board, and member of Takht al-Nagham, Marissa helps to move the organization forward both programmatically and financially, by putting a focus on the digital initiatives, prioritizing projects, and growing donation and fundraising prospects.

Lubana al-Quntar is regarded as one of the leading opera singers of the Arab world, with a repertoire that also includes traditional Arabic, folk and pop music. Born in Damascus, she completed her academic studies at the Royal College of Music in London and the Damascus Conservatory of Music, and studied operatic performance at the Maastricht Academy of Music in Holland She has appeared globally as an opera soloist and as a traditional Arab singer, and headed the opera department at the Damascus Conservatory where she taught opera and Arabic singing. Lubana has performed with Takht al-Nagham as a featured vocalist at Kennedy Center in DC and at Roulette in New York.

John Murchison is a Brooklyn-based multi-instrumentalist who performs in the worlds of pop and musical theater,  jazz and avant-garde, and traditional music from the Middle East and Africa. John is one of the most in-demand bassists for traditional Arabic music in the United States, and also performs regularly on qanun, gimbri, oud, and percussion. He is cofounder of Brooklyn Maqam, an organization dedicated to presenting, promoting, and building community around Arabic music in the NYC area.

Zahra al-Zubaidi is a New York-based Iraqi vocalist who performs a wide range of Arabic styles, with a focus on Iraqi music. She has performed as a featured artist around the US, and as a guest/chorus with  several internationally renowned artists such as Muhammad Qadri Dalal, Lubana AlQuntar, with Takht al-Nagham and other ensembles like Safaafir and Hamid AlSaadi. In 2021, she was awarded the City Artist Corps grant to showcase women’s voices & the Iraqi Maqam, and recently performed at NYC’s historic Joe’s Pub for the 2022 Habibi Festival.

Nezih Antakli is a New York City-based percussionist who has performed nationally in numerous venues like the Lincoln Center, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, as well as internationally on a variety of festivals around the world as well as on the Broadway Show "The Band's Visit". A graduate of the University for the Arts in Rotterdam, Netherlands (CODARTS), he moved to the United States in 2007 and has been involved in the Middle Eastern and Balkan music scene in the wider New York City and Philadelphia area.

Marwa Morgan is a New York City-based Egyptian singer and journalist. She grew up in Cairo, where she was always surrounded by classical Egyptian music and started singing at an early age. Since she moved to the United States in 2015, music became a way to connect Marwa to her home despite the distance. She performed with several ensembles in the U.S., including Takht al-Nagham, The Middle East Music Orchestra at Rutgers university among others.

Erik Jönsson is a Brooklyn-based vocalist who began singing at a young age in his church's choir in the Hudson Valley. Decades later, he is still singing in church as a member of Trinity Church Wall Street's Downtown Voices and has sung as a member of that choir at Carnegie Hall with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) as part of the Mark Morris Dance Group's production of L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, and Madison Square Garden in concert with Andrea Bocelli. An active clarinetist who frequently performs with orchestras like the Chelsea Symphony, he is a software engineer at The New York Times Cooking and has worked with the SMPI to build and launch their website and perform with its ensemble, Takht al-Nagham.

The performance also features several musicians who were selected after an audition process, which was open to anyone from the community who wanted to perform with SMPI; the musicians include three siblings of Syrian descent from Pennsylvania: Kyla (violin), Chris (qanun), and Makayl Manja (violin); as well, as Amirah Ismail (violin), who is of Egyptian descent and from Washington, D.C., and Laith al-Attar (oud), who is of Iraqi descent and also from the DC area.  

Said Arciola Ali, “Arabic Music is under-represented in main stage concerts in the United States, and Syrian music is even more obscure. We are dedicated to elevating works by Syrian composers in the public eye, offering an opportunity to represent part of the Arab-American community on stage and fostering a cultural understanding for non-Arabs.”

Added Samer Ali, "We perform this music because we love it, because it is important, and because music itself is the language which breeds understanding and community.”

On Wednesday, July 12 at 7:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall will host its Third Annual Jazz Jam All-Stars Concert, honoring the musicians and audiences who regularly attend its in-person and virtual Jazz Jams. For the first time since the pandemic, the All-Stars concert will be held in Flushing Town Hall's theater.

A committee selected a stellar lineup of ten musicians to perform at the July 12 concert—ranging in age from 20 to 80+.  Frank Bergamini, Mimi Block, David DiTrapani, Keith Jordan, Sharif Kales, Glen Lowe, Denzel McKenzie, Naomi Okai, Frank Rosati, and Sarah Turkiew will be performing alongside the amazing house band led by Carol Sudhalter, who is also Master of Ceremonies and plays sax and flute. The band also includes Joe Vincent Tranchina on piano, Scott Neumann on drums, and Eric Lemon on bass.

“Louis Armstrong's community spirit lives on at our monthly Jazz Jams,” says Director of Education & Public Programs, Gabrielle M. Hamilton. “We are thrilled to celebrate Flushing Town Hall’s jazz community, especially this year’s ten All-Star musicians.”

The wildly popular Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in October 2021, began in collaboration with the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College as an educational program providing a platform for young jazz musicians to play music together. The monthly jam later was opened to amateur and professional musicians and public audiences under Queens Jazz OverGround, a collective of Queens-based jazz musicians.

Long-time big band leader Carol Sudhalter, who is well-versed in the Armstrong repertoire, took over the monthly jam as leader of Flushing Town Hall’s house band in 2016. Under her creative guidance, the program has paid homage to the great Louis Armstrong every month since—including 17 months of virtual jams during the pandemic. These virtual performances attracted more than 7,000 viewers and 200 musicians Zooming in from over a dozen countries worldwide, including New Zealand, Italy, and South Africa. Sudhalter, who turned 80 earlier this year, celebrated this special occasion with an “Octogenarian Women in Jazz” concert” on Flushing Town Hall’s stage in March 2023.

“It's so great to see participants returning month after month and year after year, and see them perfecting the art and craft of jazz,” says Carol Sudhalter. “And having a way to acknowledge and thank them is the best!”

The concert will begin at 7:00 PM on July 12 with a Louis Armstrong tune played by the jazz house band. After that, each All-Star will perform two tunes with the band. The evening will close with everyone on stage to perform another Armstrong masterpiece.

Unlike the regular Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jams, where any musician is welcome to participate and play, only selected invited musicians may perform at the Jazz Jam All-Stars concert.

Audiences are welcome to listen to the honorary jammers on Wednesday, July 12th at 7:00 PM ET. In-Person Tickets are $25, $20 for members, and $15 for students with ID. Ticket sales help keep our monthly Jazz Jams free for musicians and members!

This program is supported in part by a grant from The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.

For the venue’s full summer 2023 schedule, visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-present

On Saturday, September 23rd, Flushing Town Hall invites audiences for an electrifying evening of music with Slavic Soul Party!

Hailed as New York City's official #1 brass band for BalkanSoul GypsyFunk, Slavic Soul Party! transforms the sounds of New York life through a Balkan brass filter, creating fresh music that reflects themes of immigration, integration, and ingenuity. The nine-piece band will have audiences grooving to their unique blend of fiery Balkan brass, irresistible beats, Roma accordion wizardry, and virtuoso jazz chops.

Their most recent album, "SSP! Plays Duke Ellington’s Far East Suite," is their sixth and pays tribute to the Ellington opus while adding their unique flavor. The album explores cultural boundaries, historical lineage, and individual creativity.

Take a sneak peek to discover the magical beats and infectious energy of Slavic Soul Party!

Their Tuesday night residency in Brooklyn attracts music fans from all over the world and has earned them a reputation for delivering an amazing time. Touring extensively across North America, Europe, and beyond for over a decade, they have performed in a wide array of venues, from Serbian schoolyards to Carnegie Hall.

“Slavic Soul Party! was originally scheduled to bring its irresistible fun and energetic music to Flushing in 2020 shortly after the pandemic shuttered our doors,” says Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director of Flushing Town Hall. “We’ve been waiting for a long time and are so excited to finally bring them to Queens because we know our audiences will love their beat!”

The program will kick off at 7PM with a dance workshop, during which participants can dive deeper into the band's musical influences and learn some corresponding, traditional dance steps.

Then at 8PM, the concert will take audiences on a musical journey through their captivating repertoire, including tunes from their recent record, "SSP! Plays Duke Ellington's Far East Suite."

In-Person Tickets for the 8PM show are $20/$15 for members, seniors, & students w/ID and include the pre-show workshop at 7PM.

For the venue’s fall 2023 schedule, visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents.

The Brooklyn Conservatory Community Orchestra will present a world premiere of Vicente Gomez’s Concierto Flamenco on November 18, 2023 at 2 p.m. at the Brooklyn Museum. World-class artist and prize-winning classical guitarist Virginia Luque will perform the concierto accompanied by the orchestra.  

Considered to be one of the great classical and flamenco guitarists of the 20th century, Vicente Gomez began performing at a young age, with his touring career taking flight at age 13 in Madrid. He went on to perform in Europe, North Africa, and America, making his debut at Town Hall in 1938.

Gomez was the go-to guitarist for Hollywood, appearing in five movies, including Blood and Sand with Tyrone Power and Rita Hayworth and The Snows of Kilimanjaro with Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner. He also provided his music for four Broadway shows.

In 1953 Gomez moved to California and opened the School of Spanish Musical Arts, where classes offered included classical guitar, flamenco dancing, castanet playing, and even bullfighting.

Gomez recorded the Concierto Flamenco in 1960 on his guitar but never completed the orchestration. Bringing this unpublished masterpiece to life comes from the inspiration of two of Gomez’s most prominent students:  Dorothy Savitch (now conductor of two New York orchestras, the BCCO and the Sound Symphony Orchestra,) and Patrick Russ, orchestrator for some of Hollywood’s most famous composers, including Elmer Bernstein and Maurice Jarre.

“I began studying with Vicente Gomez when I was eleven years old, going on to study with him for ten years. He was a musical grandfather to me, a wonderful teacher and great composer,” said Dorothy Savitch, Music Director of Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. “Shortly before he died, he gave me the score to this concierto, and I worked alongside world-famous orchestrator Patrick Russ, another one of Gomez’s students, to bring it to life. I’m so proud to be able to share it with the rest of the world.”

The first half of the upcoming concert begins with Leonard Bernstein’s Candide Overture and ends with Smetana’s orchestral tone poem, The Moldau. Performing with the orchestra will be three of Brooklyn Conservatory’s students, Mira Mandayam, Lou Couaillier, and Peter Corwin, winners of BKCM’s Suzuki Concerto Competition. The concert will end with the world premiere of the Concierto, a show-stopping finish to leave the tune ringing in the ears of all attendees.

Tickets for the 2PM concert can be purchased at https://bkcm.org/event/gomez-premiere/.

About Brooklyn Conservatory of Music:
The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music (BKCM) aims to transform lives and build community through the expressive, educational, and therapeutic powers of music. Our Park Slope home offers private music lessons, group classes, ensembles, and music therapy. Through our community engagement programs, we bring high-quality music education and music therapy to thousands of students and clients at public schools and community-based organizations across the city's five boroughs. We strive to be a safe, affirming, and inclusive place for all people to come together and experience learning, joy, creativity, and healing through music. For more information, visit: https://bkcm.org/

On Friday, December 15 at 8:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall will proudly host its 17th annual NEA Jazz Masters concert, presenting "The Music of the NEA Jazz Masters and Original Compositions." This beloved event is an annual highlight for New York City’s many jazz aficionados who know the Queens venue to be among the city’s best for great jazz.

Renowned trumpet player and NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Owens will lead a group of six esteemed musicians, each boasting extensive experience touring and performing with the genre’s finest: the newest 2024 NEA Jazz Master Gary Bartz (saxophone), NEA Jazz Masters Ron Carter (bass), pianist Joanne Brackeen (piano), Louis Hayes (drums), and acclaimed jazz virtuoso Wycliffe Gordon (trombone).

“I feel truly privileged to welcome two of the newest NEA Jazz Masters, Gary Bartz, and Louis Hayes, alongside the return of some seasoned Masters and outstanding jazz talents to our stage," says Ellen Kodadek, Executive and Artistic Director at Flushing Town Hall. "Queens is the borough so many jazz legends have called home, and our annual NEA Jazz Masters concert upholds the borough’s history as a go-to destination for jazz icons and audiences alike."

Attendees can join the distinguished NEA Jazz Masters in a pre-concert workshop, "NEA Jazz Masters in Conversation," to hear a discussion of the icons with whom the Masters have played alongside and from whom they’ve drawn inspiration, including Max Roach, Oscar Peterson, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, and Billy Taylor.

“This year, our NEA Jazz Masters concert will bring the arrangements of several NEA Jazz Masters and their own compositions to the stage,” says Clyde Bullard, Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Producer in Residence, “The repertoire will include music composed by Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Benny Golson and Dizzy Gillespie with some other swinging surprises.”

Flushing Town Hall began a significant tradition when it hosted the first-ever NEA Jazz Masters concert on November 17, 2006. This remarkable occasion showcased three iconic NEA Jazz Masters: Jimmy Heath (saxophone); Clark Terry (trumpet); and Dr. Billy Taylor (piano). Since then, the Smithsonian affiliate has continued to dazzle jazz enthusiasts by welcoming a roster of luminaries most often found frequenting Manhattan's renowned clubs. The Queens stage has witnessed performances by Earl May, Benny Powell, Albert “Tootie” Heath, Cándido Camero, Paquito D’Rivera, Reggie Workman, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Barry Harris, Sheila Jordan, Antonio Hart, Bill Charlap, Gustavo Casenave, and many other jazz greats.

The concert on Friday, December 15, begins at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $40/$32 members/$20 students w/ID. Table packages for two w/ refreshments are available for $130/$110 members.

From 5:00- 6:30 PM, patrons with paid tickets for the concert are invited to join a free pre-concert workshop, "NEA Jazz Masters in Conversation," discussing the icons that the Masters have performed with, including Max Roach, Oscar Peterson, Charles Mingus, Art Blakey, and Billy Taylor.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://www.flushingtownhall.org/event-detail.php?id=461