Local jazz talent will be celebrated at Flushing Town Hall’s fifth annual Jazz Jam All-Stars concert, which will take place on Wednesday, July 9, at 7 p.m.
Flushing Town Hall is located at 137-35 Northern Blvd. in Flushing. The venue, housed in a landmark 1862 building, serves as a cultural hub for the borough, hosting a wide array of music, theater, dance, and visual arts events that reflect the neighborhood’s rich diversity.
The concert will feature ten standout musicians from across New York City who were selected for their musicianship and consistent participation in the venue’s monthly Jazz Jam sessions, curated by longtime bandleader Carol Sudhalter. These sessions are a key part of Flushing Town Hall’s programming and are open to both amateur and professional musicians.
This year’s Jazz Jam All-Stars include Angela Arthur (vocals), Frank Bergamini (soprano sax/vocals), Mimi Block (vocals/violin), Richard Braithwaite (tenor sax), Tony Campo (piano), Wajdi Cherif (piano), Gary Davis (guitar/vocals), Ken Meyer (guitar), Keeley Mitchell (vocals), and Gerald Thomas (bass/piano/sax). Each All-Star will perform two selections with the Flushing Town Hall house band, led by Sudhalter, who also serves as emcee and plays saxophone and flute. The house band features Joe Vincent Tranchina on piano, Scott Neumann on drums, and Eric Lemon on bass.
Among this year’s featured performers is tenor saxophonist Richard Braithwaite, a longtime St. Albans resident, who said he looks forward to debuting original compositions during the concert.
“It’s a really great platform—the whole Flushing Town Hall experience has been great, and I really enjoy it,” Braithwaite said.
Braithwaite began playing saxophone in 1974 and developed a love for jazz and R&B through the radio. “They had all these classical music and R&B settings because they had a whole string section, a whole horn section, and a rhythm section. It just sounded beautiful,” he said.
Though he never formally pursued a music career, Braithwaite has spent decades nurturing his passion for jazz. He taught music at Springfield Gardens High School and August Martin High School for more than a decade and performed as an understudy for a local band. He continues to serve the Southeast Queens community through music, offering workshops at the St. Albans VA Hospital and hosting a monthly Jazz Vespers series at the Presbyterian Church of St. Albans for nearly ten years.
Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Jam program was established 14 years ago in collaboration with the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. Originally conceived as an educational initiative, it has since grown into a community staple under the direction of Queens Jazz Overground, a collective of Queens-based jazz artists.
“The annual Jazz Jam All-Stars concert is the highlight of the year. It’s our chance to shine a spotlight on the musicians who show up month after month, year after year, sharing their remarkable talent and unwavering dedication,” Sudhalter said. “Choosing just 10 All-Stars this year was no easy feat—we had so many devoted, eligible musicians who’ve truly earned the spotlight. That’s a testament to the strength and heart of this incredible jazz community.”
In-person tickets for the concert are $25 for the general public, $20 for Flushing Town Hall members, and $15 for students with valid ID.
