By Raphael Sugarman
Queens’ wealth of talented and culturally diverse artists offers its residents an extremely inviting menu of theater, music and a great deal more. If, however, you’re in the mood for a trip outside the borough, there is perhaps no more colorful a cultural kaleidoscope in the world than Manhattan.
The TimesLedger has profiled numerous Queens actors, opera singers, musicians and others who played a prominent role in some of the city’s most celebrated productions, as well as behind the scenes. Local residents are great supporters of not only their own borough’s cultural institutions, but some of the Manhattan’s greatest stages as well.
Last week, From the Footlights highlighted the fall theater season. Below is a tiny taste of some of Manhattan’s other cultural offerings for the fall and winter months:
Jazz:
With its three theaters, including one full-sized concert hall, it is virtually impossible to do justice to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s schedule in this small space. Certainly a good place to start is the Oct. 15-17 tribute to Duke Ellington, led by the JALC Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. All three evenings will be held in the Rose Theater at 8 p.m. For a taste of “bluesy, church-driven, down-home sound,” don’t miss Soul Jazz of the ‘60s, the Music of Art Blakey, Cannonball Adderley and Horace Silver, on Oct. 22-24 in the Rose Theater at 8 p.m.
Another early highlight of the season will be when the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra and David Liebman presenting the Miles Davis classic “Sketches of Spain” in Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola on Monday, Nov. 9. Maceo Parker will be performing the music of Ray Charles and James Brown in The Allen Room, Nov. 13-14.
For a full listing of JALC’s schedule and show times for the season, go to jalc.org or call 212-721-6500. Jazz at Lincoln Center is in the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle and W. 59 St.
There are plenty of other jazz offerings around town. Fresh off the appearance of Barbra Streisand, The Village Vanguard is planning its usual full schedule of fall performers, including its own very fine Grammy-nominated Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, which has been playing its Monday night gig for 33 years. At 212-255-4037 or www.villagevanguard.com. At 175 Seventh Ave. South.
