BY BENJAMIN MANDILE
Coronavirus may be keeping more people indoors and away from one another, but that is not stopping jazz fans from coming together for their monthly “jam” as they meet online for a virtual jam.
Flushing Town Hall, in conjunction with its house band, decided to move the monthly event online, meeting tonight from 7 to 8:30 p.m. for a series of submitted pieces by its performers.
Ten performers from all over the world will submit work they have been working on, according to Carol Sudhalter, the director of the FTH house band.
Performers from as far as Colorado and Italy will be on the virtual meet up, which is new for the jam, as usually it is usually local performers. If these virtual jams continue in the future, Sudhalter expects more performers worldwide could be involved.
“That’s the one advantage that we cannot do at the live jam,” said Sudhalter.
Instead of the group’s usual format of playing together, individual pieces similar to what would have been played at the live jam will be shared virtually.
Through trial and error Sudhalter and her pianist found that playing collectively is not feasible with the technology they have available.
Sudhalter along with the pianist, bassist and drummer of the house band will play tunes made famous by or associated with Louis Armstrong because the group is funded by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation Inc.
Visit www.facebook.com/flushingtownhall to tune in to the virtual jazz jam.
