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Great Jazz on the Great Hill Returns to Central Park Saturday, August 9 New Yorkers know it’s summer when the City’s parks and outdoor spaces come alive with the sound of Jazzmobile’ s SUMMERFEST. The 60th annual Summerfest series, which premiered on July 9 with an outstanding roster of jazz stars and emerging talents, is providing audiences with another month of exceptional FREE musical performances that reflect New York City’s dynamic diversity, from straight-ahead, Latin, post-bop, blues, swing stylings and genres and beyond. Jazzmobile continues its longtime Harlem residences at Grant’s Tomb on Wednesdays and at Marcus Garvey Park | the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater on Fridays. Summerfest also returns to Central Park for the annual Great Jazz on the Great Hill, presented in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy, featuring Lezlie Harrison, host, trumpeters Josh Evans and Wallace Roney, Jr. and for all the swing dancers, The George Gee Swing Orchestra. Then, the City Parks Foundation|SummerStage and Jazzmobile’s Summerfest present Terri Lyne Carrington with Christie Dashiell in “We Insist 2025, ” an original work by Max Roach. On August 22, don’t miss the opening night of the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival featuring Ron Carter’s Great Big Band and vocalist April May Webb and S.O.A.R. at Marcus Garvey Park. Ms. Webb is the 2025 winner of the Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition! Over the years, SUMMERFEST has remained a free concert series thanks, in part, to generous donors including The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Harlem Community Development Corporation, West Harlem Development Corporation, Joyce and George Wein Foundation, The Mellon Foundation, the Howard Gilman Foundation, television partner PIX11 and Steinway & Sons. All SUMMERFEST concerts are free, weather permitting and subject to change. On Wednesday evenings, depending on availability, concerts may be moved to the Interchurch Center 61 Claremont Avenue. Great Jazz on the Great Hill: Big Band, Dance Floors & Jazz’s Next Generation There’s no better way to spend a summer Saturday than with great jazz, fresh air, and good company — and this weekend, Jazzmobile brings it all together with Great Jazz on the Great Hill in Central Park. Set against the stunning backdrop of nature, this annual celebration turns the park into a swinging open-air concert hall — complete with a dance floor, live big band, and rising jazz stars. Hosted by WBGO 88.3 FM’s Lezlie Harrison (also a renowned vocalist), at the heart of the event is the incomparable George Gee Swing Orchestra, one of the country’s most dynamic and dance-friendly big bands. Known for their electrifying arrangements and infectious rhythm, George Gee and his ensemble serve up a classic swing sound with modern energy that makes it impossible to stay seated. With decades of experience and deep roots in jazz tradition, the orchestra is beloved for bringing danceable swing back to center stage, and with a dedicated dance floor set up on the Great Hill, audiences are encouraged to get up and move. The lineup also includes two of today’s most exciting young trumpet voices — both deeply rooted in jazz tradition while boldly pushing its boundaries. First up is the Josh Evans Quartet. Evans, a fiery and thoughtful trumpeter, has made a name for himself in New York’s straight-ahead and avant-garde scenes. A veteran sideman with legends like Jackie McLean and Rashied Ali, Evans leads with intensity, intelligence, and deep emotional range. His quartet delivers a powerful, modern sound grounded in the language of hard bop — a true force in the next generation of jazz. Also on the bill is the Wallace Roney Quartet, led by Wallace Roney Jr., a rising star with a deep personal connection to jazz history. The son of the legendary trumpeter Wallace Roney and the esteemed pianist and educator Geri Allen, Roney Jr. honors the legacy of both parents while forging his own artistic voice. His playing reflects a mastery of tone and technique that belies his age, and his band channels the fearless innovation that made his family name synonymous with jazz greatness. Together, these three groups create a vibrant snapshot of jazz’s past, present, and future. From the swing-era grooves of George Gee to the forward-thinking sounds of Evans and Roney Jr., Great Jazz on the Great Hill is more than a concert — it’s a celebration of community, legacy, and living tradition. Jazzmobile: Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future As Jazzmobile celebrates its 60th Anniversary, the mission that began in 1964 remains as urgent and inspiring as ever: to bring world-class jazz directly to the people, and to nurture both the legends and the rising stars of this music. Great Jazz on the Great Hill is a perfect reflection of that vision — a place where seasoned big band leaders like George Gee share the stage with artists like Josh Evans and Wallace Roney Jr., whose artistry is shaping the next era of jazz. These young bandleaders represent the future of the genre, and Jazzmobile is proud to give them the stage, the spotlight, and the audience their music deserves. Through programs like Summerfest, Jazzmobile not only presents free concerts across New York City, but also provides educational outreach, artist development, and mentorship — ensuring that the tradition of excellence continues across generations. Evans and Roney, though young, are already carrying the torch passed down from jazz’s greatest icons, including those who have long been part of the Jazzmobile family. Whether honoring the past through swing or championing the future through innovative improvisation, Jazzmobile continues to build bridges between the icons of yesterday and the visionaries of tomorrow — all while keeping the music playing, alive and accessible for everyone. Great Jazz on the Great Hill is presented by Jazzmobile in partnership with the Central Park Conservancy. Admission is free. 📍 Central Park – The Great Hill enter at Central Park West and 106th St /Duke Ellington Boulevard 📅 Saturday August 9 3:30-7PM Come Early! 🎶 Live Music • Dance Floor • Family Friendly • Free Admission 2025 SUMMERFEST 60 AUGUST 5-9 SCHEDULE TUESDAY, AUGUST 5 | 7:00-8:30 pm "NATIONAL NIGHT OUT" 1. JAMES ZOLLAR QUARTET at DIZZY GILLESPIE MURAL PRESENTED WITH THE NEW HERITAGE THEATRE GROUP HOST: 32ND POLICE PRECINCT WEST 135th STREET, HARLEM 2. PATIENCE HIGGINS QUARTET HOST: 26TH POLICE PRECINCT PRESENTING MORNINGSIDE AVENUE, WEST 125TH STREET WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6 | 7:00-8:30PM HOUSTON PERSON QUARTET GRANT'S TOMB RIVERSIDE DR. & WEST 122ND ST., HARLEM FRIDAY, AUGUST 8 | 7:00-8:30PM MIMI JONES & FRIENDS MARCUS GARVEY PARK THE RICHARD RODGERS AMPHITHEATER 5th AVE. & WEST 124TH ST., HARLEM SATURDAY, AUGUST 9 | 3:30-7:00 PM GREAT JAZZ ON THE GREAT HILL PRESENTED BY JAZZMOBILE AND THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HARLEM WEEK AND THE NEW HERITAGE THEATRE GROUP PERFORMERS LEZLIE HARRISON, WBGO 88.3 FM, HOST THE GEORGE GEE SWING ORCHESTRA JOSH EVANS, TRUMPET and WALLACE RONEY, JR. TRUMPET THE GREAT HILL IN CENTRAL PARK CENTRAL PARK WEST & 106TH ST., HARLEM SUMMERFEST NEW HERITAGE THEATRE GROUP & HARLEM WEEK LATIN JAZZ NIGHTS 1. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13 | 7:00-8:30PM THE STEVE KROON SEXTET GRANT'S TOMB | RIVERSIDE DR. & WEST 122ND ST., HARLEM 2. THURSDAY AUGUST 14 | 5:00PM BOBBY SANABRIA ASCENCION SUMMERFEST HARLEM STAGE ACP HARLEM STATE OFFICE BUILDING PLAZA 163 W. 125th STREET 3. SATURDAY AUGUST 16 | SUMMER IN THE CITY | 5:30-7:00PM Presented with Jazzmobile and Bobby Sanabria HARLEM WEEK SALUTES TITO PUENTE EDDIE PALMIERI AND CELIA CRUZ WITH THE MULTI-GRAMMY NOMINATE BOBBY SANABRIA MULTIVERSE BIG BAND Featuring ANTOINETTE MONTAGUE, JENNIFER JADE LEDESENA, AND GERARDO CONTINO THE ST. NICHOLAS STAGE ON W.135TH STREET & FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 | 7:00-8:30PM TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON: “WE INSIST 2025!” with CHRISTIE DASHIELL MARCUS GARVEY PARK THE RICHARD RODGERS AMPHITHEATER 5TH AVE. & WEST 124TH ST., HARLEM SUNDAY AUGUST 17, HARLEM DAY | 4:00-5:30 PM HARLEM WEEK AND JAZZMOBILE SALUTE CONGRESSMAN CHARLES B. RANGEL AND HON. HAZEL DUKES WITH THE LYNETTE WASHINGTON QUARTET THE PAUL E. WEST BETHUNE BIG BAND 5TH AVE ON WEST 15TH STREET WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20 | 7:00-8:30PM T.K. BLUE QUARTET GRANT'S TOMB RIVERSIDE DRIVE & WEST 122ND ST., HARLEM FRIDAY, AUGUST 22 | 7:00-9:00PM RON CARTER’S GREAT BIG BAND APRIL MAY WEBB & S.O.A.R (winner of 2025 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition) CHARLIE PARKER JAZZ FESTIVAL PRESENTED WITH JAZZMOBILE SUMMERFEST60 AND THE CITY PARKS FOUNDATION | SUMMERSTAGE MARCUS GARVEY PARK THE RICHARD RODGERS AMPHITHEATER 5TH AVE. & WEST 124TH ST., HARLEM SATURDAY AUGUST 23 | 2:00-4:00PM JAZZMOBILE @ THE LOUIS ARMSTRONG HOUSE MUSEUM WITH WINARD HARPER & JELLI POSSE EMILO VILLAFRANCA Louis & Lucille Armstrong’s Home – in the Garden Come Early and Tour the House and Visitors Center 34-56 107TH St., Corona, Queens WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27 | 7:00-8:30PM NEA JAZZ MASTER AND CHIEF DONALD HARRISON QUARTET GRANT'S TOMB RIVERSIDE DR & WEST 122ND ST., HARLEM FRIDAY, AUGUST 29 | 3:00PM SENATOR CORDELL CLEARE’S ANNUAL AFTERNOON AFRO-LATINO JAZZ FESTIVAL MARCUS GARVEY PARK THE RICHARD RODGERS AMPHITHEATER 5TH AVE. & WEST 124TH ST., HARLEM ABOUT JAZZMOBILE: Jazzmobile was founded by National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Dr. Billy Taylor, Philanthropist and Arts Administrator Ms. Daphne Arnstein with NEA Jazz Master Jimmy Heath in 1964. It is the oldest not for profit organization created with a mission just for Jazz. Jazzmobile's mission is to present, preserve, promote and propagate America's classical music Jazz. For 60 years Jazzmobile has been presenting world class musicians and clinicians, further developing the pioneering free quality jazz programs started by its founders. They are SUMMERFEST (NYC's longest running jazz festival), which has brought free programs to underserved neighborhoods in all five boroughs, on city streets and in city parks; SJW|Saturday Jazz Workshops, which have provided theory classes and performance training from young students to emerging performers for over 50 years training "the next" generation of jazz artists be they professionals or hobbyists. For the non-musician, Jazzmobile offers "Jazz in The First Person, " a series of lecture demonstrations designed to introduce jazz as a music appreciation course for toddlers to seniors. Jazzmobile's education programs were all designed to be mobile, and like the core performance programs are free to students and audience making them also accessible to underserved communities. Similar organizations, large and small, continue to emulate the core programs - Jazz at Lincoln Center, the (former) Thelonious Monk Institute, The Jazz Program at the Kennedy Center (co-founded by Dr. Billy Taylor) to name just three. Over the years Jazzmobile and its programs have toured nationally and internationally, thanks to corporate and government support. Jazzmobile has plans to move into its new offices in the National Urban League Center on West 125th Street later this year. The new location will enable the organization to continue to grow capacity, expand its core and new education and performance programs. Jazzmobile is also one of the art and culture organizations in residence at the Victoria Theater Center. Both are in Central Harlem on West 125th Street. www.jazzmobile.org # # # |
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