Musical Performance & Education
The Queens Jazz OverGround, a jazz artists’ collective that promotes jazz performance and education in the borough of Queens, will present Spring Jazz Festival 2014, a free, daylong series of jazz workshops and performances, at Flushing Town Hall on Saturday, Apr. 26, from noon to 10 p.m.
The second annual festival highlights the talents of the many renowned and emerging jazz instrumentalists in the borough of Queens. The day will include performances by Queens student jazz combos, jazz master classes open to all students and aspiring performers, clinics for pre-selected Queens middle school and high school student bands, and an educational workshop for children. The evening features an exciting lineup of seven professional Queens-based jazz ensembles playing original music.
All workshops and performances are free and open to the public.
The festival is the culmination of a year-long series of jazz concerts, clinics, and jam sessions organized and hosted by the Queens Jazz OverGround, who are Jazz Artists in Residence at Flushing Town Hall. Last spring, the inaugural festival drew more than 500 people from the New York metropolitan area.
Schedule of events
Daytime sessions Noon-5:45 p.m.
– Children’s Louis Armstrong Collage Workshop-Children will create artwork in the style of legendary trumpeter Louis Armstrong (who was also a visual artist and Queens resident) while listening to his music and learning about his life. Children of all ages welcome.
– Master Classes-Rhythm section, brass, and saxophone master classes will be led by members of the Queens Jazz OverGround as well as guest artists Ron Horton (trumpet) and Hashem Assadullahi (saxophone). Open to all.
– Student Performers-Student bands from J.H.S. 185 (Alex Jung, director), J.H.S. 194 (Scott Martin, director), and Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School (William Stevens, director) will play selections and work with guest clinicians Javier Arau, Tom Zlabinger, and Josh Deutsch. Student combos from Frank Sinatra High School, the Queens College Center for Preparatory Studies in Music, and the York College Blue Notes High School band will also perform sets. Audiences are welcome at all performances and clinics.
– A performance of pianist/composer Daniel Kelly’s Rakonto Project, which incorporates recordings of the voices and stories of community members from ethnically diverse New York City neighborhoods. Rakonto was originally commissioned by Flushing Town Hall and is funded by a grant from Chamber Music America.
Evening performance 6-10 p.m.
Professional jazz ensembles will perform 50-minute sets concurrently in the Theater and Gallery.
– Lazy Susan, 6 p.m.-Sam Sadigursky, clarinet; Josh Deutsch, trumpet; Danny Fox, piano; Sam Trapchak, bass; Alex Wyatt, drums.
– Edward Perez Trio, 6:30 p.m.- Alex Brown, piano; Edward Perez, bass; Eric Doob, drums.
– Amanda Monaco/Noah Baerman Quintet, 7 p.m.-Wayne Escoffery, tenor and soprano saxophones; Amanda Monaco, guitar; Noah Baerman, piano; Sean Conly, bass; Victor Lewis, drums
– UoU, 7:30 p.m.-Takuji Yamada, saxophone; Daisuke Abe, guitar; Toru Dodo, piano; Kuriko Tsugawa, bass; Anthony Lee, drums
– Peter Brendler Quartet, 8 p.m.- Jon Irabagon, tenor sax; Josh Deutsch, trumpet; Peter Brendler, bass; Vinnie Sperrazza, drums.
– Mark Wade Trio, 8:30 p.m.- Tim Harrison, piano; Mark Wade, bass; Scott Neumann, drums.
– Brian Woodruff Sextet, 9 p.m.- Hashem Assadullahi, alto and soprano saxophone; Jacob Varmus, trumpet; John Fedchock, trombone; Pete McCann, guitar, Matt Clohesy, bass; Brian Woodruff, drums.
Flushing Town Hall is located at 137-35 Northern Blvd. (corner of Linden Pl.).
For more details, visit www.queensjazz.org or email queensjazzoverground@gmail.com. For directions to Flushing Town Hall, visit www.flushingtownhall.org/ visiting/directions.php.
