Jazz Forum Arts: Free & Affordable Waterfront Jazz Concerts

Jazz Forum Arts (JFA)’s summer concert series is underway with 32 concerts in five Westchester County venues along the Hudson River. Live music will fill the air every weekday evening: Mondays at Henry Gourdine Park in Ossining, Tuesdays at Horan’s Landing in Sleepy Hollow, Wednesdays at Waterfront Park in Dobbs Ferry, Thursdays at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, Fridays at Pierson Park in Tarrytown.

Each performance presents waterfront views and unique backdrops for live music, like the Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in Sleepy Hollow, and artist Peter Lundberg’s 42-foot-high steel and concrete arch sculpture in Ossining.

With the goal of highlighting the genre’s diversity, the outdoor series showcases performers that range from internationally renowned musicians to emerging artists. Included among the extensive lineup is Brazilian vocalist Vanessa Falabella’s bossa nova rhythms (August 2 in Dobbs Ferry), Wayne Tucker & The Bad Mothas’s refresh of the American Songbook (July 28 at Pierson Park) and a tribute to the music of jazz great Billy Strayhorn by pianist John DiMartino and his quartet (August 10 at Lyndhurst) and more.

Jazz Forum Arts Executive Director Mark Morganelli will put on his trumpeting shoes at Horan’s Landing, where he will perform all four weeks with his Jazz Forum All-Stars group as they celebrate the music of Brazil.

At Pierson Park, Vanessa Racci’s August 11 performance celebrates Ferragosto, and Italian holiday that dates back to Emperor Augustus who established the celebration in 18 B.C. as a day to rest for crop workers in the middle of summer.

Dobbs Ferry concerts are preceded by an introduction to JFA’s award-winning Jitterbugs jam sessions that jazz primer for preschool-aged children. JFA educator Neal Spitzer leads the interactive session with music and dance.

Making their summer concert series debut on July 27 performance at Lyndhurst, the Harlem Blues & Jazz Band is celebrating 50 years as an ensemble dedicated to authentic classic swing and blues. Despite decades of booking jazz talent, Morganelli says he has never presented this group before: “There are so many incredible jazz and world music artists in the New York metropolitan area that you could probably spend 10 lifetimes and not be able to present them all. That’s why this is the cultural center of the universe for jazz. The talent pool is absolutely huge.”

Morganelli, who co-founded Jazz Forum Arts 38 years ago, says the organization’s mission is to elevate the jazz community and its uniquely American art form. Every year since its inception, the group has presented dozens of performances, a legacy that stretches into hundreds of performances. The group has been presenting free outdoor summer concerts since 1985. “I’m proud of it,” says Morganelli: “I’m glad that we are able to present top-quality artists to the public at little or no cost while enhancing the appreciation of jazz.”

The summer concert series runs through August 25. All concerts are free except those at Lyndhurst, which are $10 per person older than 10 years old.

For more free and affordable events throughout Westchester, visit ArtsWestchester’s directory of free and outdoor arts events through September.

About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest private not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to create an equitable, inclusive, vibrant and sustainable Westchester County in which the arts are integral to and integrated into every facet of life. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue. artsw.org