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| Jazz in the Valley Takes Place August 19th and 20th in Hudson Valley, NY On Sunday August 20th, 2023, Jazz in the Valley will return to Poughkeepsie's waterfront for an incredible afternoon of music, art, food and wine - celebrating the very best that the Hudson Valley has to offer. The festival weekend kicks off on Saturday, August 19th, 2023 with the first annual Poughkeepsie Jazz Crawl, a stroll through Poughkeepsie's downtown district featuring exciting performances and themed cocktails at three local eateries. The festival weekend continues as attendees flock to Waryas Park on Sunday August 20th for an unforgettable afternoon of music, situated on the banks of the bucolic Hudson River. The festival lineup includes adventurous modern jazz ensemble Scatter the Atoms That Remain, led by drummer Franklin Kiermyer and featuring up-and-coming pianist David Whitfield; a special performance by living legend Louis Hayes alongside his quartet featuring Essiet Essiet on bass and Steve Nelson on vibraphone; jazz messenger Javon Jackson alongside the Javon Jackson Band featuring acclaimed jazz vocalist Aimée Allen; and concludes with a rousing Afro-Cuban performance by Sonido Solar, celebrating the great Eddie Palmieri. Dylan McCarthy, the festival's new Assoc. Producer notes "Under the leadership of the tenacious Ms. Greer Smith, Jazz in the Valley has a 23-year history of presenting historic performances by living legends, perhaps no other living artist embodies the story of jazz like NEA Jazz Master Louis Hayes. Hayes' musicianship has guided the direction of the artform for nearly seventy years. He is the very pulse of this music, and we are honored to feature him on our festival stage." Each year, the festival introduces a young up-and-coming artist to its global audience. Just two years ago, Jazz in the Valley featured brilliant young vocalist Samara Joy on its stage, she has since propelled into stardom, winning the 2023 GRAMMY award for Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album. This year, Jazz in the Valley introduces its audience to exciting young pianist Davis Whitfield, music director for the festival's opening act Scatter the Atoms That Remain. Festival Artistic Director Javon Jackson is a driving force behind the festival's commitment to offering a platform for the next generation of jazz greats. Jackson notes "As Art Blakey said, each generation seems to get better and better, I admire the upcoming generation of artists for their dedication, their talent and their seriousness." The 2023 festival season will officially kick off with a string of monthly concerts preceding the festival. After the success of the first promotional concert at the stunning Beatrix Farrand Gardens on June 17, Jazz in the Valley is thrilled to announce a promotion concert at Opus 40, the famed sculpture park and museum in Saugerties, New York, on July 8, 2023. Tickets are available at this link. The concert will feature jazz luminary Craig Harris, master drummer Chief Baba Neil Clarke on percussion, celebrated vocalist Mala Waldron and dynamic bassist Christopher Dean Sullivan. The first annual Poughkeepsie Jazz Crawl will begin at 4 PM on August 19th, starting with the official Jazz in the Valley kick-off party taking place at the stunning food hall The Academy. More information about the jazz crawl to be announced in early July! A longtime staple in the jazz festival circuit, Jazz in the Valley can attribute its longevity and its dedicated fan-base to its prime location — looking out upon the Hudson River — its dedication to community engagement, diverse musical offerings and accessibility both in price and its ease of access from NYC - Jazz in the Valley is just a quick 90 min train ride from NYC. Fans can take a train from Grand Central Terminal to Poughkeepsie Train Station, which is steps away from Waryas Park. TICKETS: Early bird special – $45 Advance general admission — $55.00 At the gate — $66.00 For students with valid ID — $20.00 Tickets can be purchased online through the festival's website (jazzinthevalleyny.org), or in person at Blue-Byrds Haberdashery & Music (320 Wall Street, Kingston, 845-339-3174). For group ticket sales, directions and more information about Jazz in the Valley, contact TRANSART at info@transartinc.org, (845) 384-6350, or visit www.jazzinthevalleyny.org. TRAVEL: If you plan on taking Metro-North Railroad to Poughkeepsie Station and want to leave your car behind, you can save on discounted rail fare and discounted admission by getting an MTA Away package. More details here! ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: TRANSART & Cultural Services is a nonprofit organization committed to enriching the cultural experience of living in the Hudson Valley. It provides year-round programming with the mission of building communities, addressing critical social issues and infusing art and culture into the civic life of people of African descent, as well as promoting and preserving the art that stemmed from the African diaspora. TRANSART moved their headquarters to the Mid-Hudson Valley in 1996 to underscore their commitment to enhance the cultural environment of the historically underserved communities of color located along the Hudson River. In addition to twenty-three years of Jazz in the Valley, TRANSART also has presented a multitude of traveling exhibitions, workshops and performing arts programs in the tri-state area over the course of their history. TRANSART's dedication to presenting jazz in its truest form is matched only by its dedication to educating the youth about this art-form. The organization's Behind the Beat: Intro to Jazz Workshop is one of several initiatives that the festival serves to fund. This initiative brings master classes with jazz legends into Hudson Valley public schools. In addition, the organization will launch Music Futures, its first annual jazz summer camp this summer, in association with the Cunneen Hackett Arts Center. Here, students will receive an unparallelled intensive 2-week workshop that will focus on music performance and production. TRANSART hopes to create a new generation of jazz lovers and listeners through educating underserved students in need about the history of the music, and its cultural relevance in minority communities, " Smith says. "Young people need to see they are part of a larger history that is living, positive, and continues to grow." write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |