—A packed virtual program awaits jazz lovers this fall and winter.
Performances are free, but donations of any amount are always welcome—
(Flushing, N.Y.)—This fall season, jazz is in the air with Flushing Town Hall’s virtual music programming including the popular monthly Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong, and two concert series: Lioness: Women in Jazz, and New Music Horizons – Collaborative Artists in Concert—all of which are free for anyone to enjoy from the comfort of their home.
Although the historic venue’s doors have been temporarily closed due to COVID-19, Flushing Town Hall continues to pursue its mission of bringing people together by providing global arts for a global community through its online series, FTH at Home!.
Monthly Jazz Jams
Flushing Town Hall has traditionally offered a robust array of strong jazz presentations, including frequent performances by renowned NEA jazz masters, such as the late Jimmy Heath, and has hosted a monthly Jazz Jam with the support of the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation for many years. The historic arts organization also spearheaded the creation of the Queens Jazz Trail Map, celebrating the borough’s iconic sites and jazz legends.
Since spring 2020, the Louis Armstrong Legacy Virtual Jazz Jam has brought hundreds of musicians together online—from all across the world from New Zealand to Italy and Germany and reached over 11,300 people on Facebook, with more than 1,200 engagements online—numbers that surpassed the participation and capacity of the venue during previous in-person sessions.
Led by Astoria resident Carol Sudhalter, along with Flushing Town Hall’s House Band musicians Joe Vincent Tranchina, Scott Neumann and Eric Lemon, the monthly event brings together amateur and professional musicians to join with a piece that is in keeping with each monthly theme.
Every second Wednesday of each month, up to a maximum of 15 new musicians who have not performed at a previous Jazz Jam, are invited to join. To be considered, musicians should email education@flushingtownhall.org and identify a three- to four-minute tune they intend to share that is live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or youtube video). Selection is on a first-come first-served basis. Members of the public are invited to watch the live stream on Facebook.
On November 11, the Jazz Jam celebrated “Gratitude,” and December 9, the last Jazz Jam of the calendar year, will be a “Holiday Party,” where jammers can perform their favorite holiday song, and recall any memory around their tune. Participants also can show off their family’s traditional holiday treats and drinks, and toast the season that day.
Signature Jazz Events
In October, Flushing Town Hall kicked off the three-concert-series Lioness: Women in Jazz, a collective of female jazz instrumentalists, composers and bandleaders, by presenting guitarist and composer Amanda Monaco from Queens. The series continues this fall with two more performances: on November 19 at 7:30 PM, Lauren Sevian's LSQ performs with Lauren Sevian (baritone saxophone), Helen Sung (piano), Christian McBride (bass) and E.J. Strickland (drums); and on December 13 at 2:30 PM, the Lioness Ensemble with Alexa Tarantino (alto saxophone), Jenny Hill (tenor saxophone, flute), Lauren Sevian (baritone saxophone), Amanda Monaco (guitar), Akiko Tsuruga (organ) and Sylvia Cuenca (drums) will conclude this series. Both pre-recorded concerts will be free to watch on Flushing Town Hall’s YouTube channel and will be followed by a live Q&A with the musicians.
New Music Horizons – Collaborative Artists in Concert, led by founder and director Mark Wade, is dedicated to the support of new music in the fields of contemporary jazz and classical music in the NYC metro area. Having been presented at Flushing Town Hall prior to the pandemic, the collaborative artist concerts return on November 14 and December 20. Both pre-recorded concerts will be available to watch for free on Flushing Town Hall’s YouTube channel.
Mark Wade has been voted one of the top bassists of 2016, 2018, and 2019 by the prestigious Downbeat Magazine Reader's Poll. He has played with notable jazz artists such as James Spaulding, Jimmy Heath, Conrad Herwig, Harry Whitaker, Pete McGuinness, Peter Eldridge, Don Byron, and Stacey Kent.
On November 14 at 7:00 PM, New Music Horizons Part I presents two dynamic jazz composers: classical composer David Shenton and jazz composer Mark Wade. NYC-based pianist, violinist, composer, and arranger David Shenton will present a set of his lyrically inventive compositions. Pianist/music director David Shenton has worked with renowned members of the music profession in all genres, including Vanessa Williams, Tony Bennett, Renée Fleming, Sherrill Milnes, Marilyn Maye, Liz Callaway, Sir André Previn, and Stephen Schwartz. The Mark Wade Trio will follow with their brand of group interplay and expressive improvisation that has brought them an international following.
On December 20 at 5:30 PM, New Music Horizons Part II presents another set of two dynamic jazz composers: Bruce Arnold and Mark Wade. Bruce Arnold will present a set of solo acoustic guitar featuring his style of lyrical melodies and raw dissonances. Bruce Arnold has developed an extensive reputation as a composer, educator and guitar virtuoso and has played with such diverse musicians as Stuart Hamm, Peter Erskine, Joe Pass, Joe Lovano, Lennie Pickett, Randy Brecker, Stanley Clarke, the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Mark Wade Trio will follow with their brand of group interplay and expressive improvisation that has brought them an international following.
For Calendar Listings
Saturday, November 14, 7:00 PM EDT
New Music Horizons – Collaborative Artists in Concert
PART I: David Shenton & The Mark Wade Trio
http://www.flushingtownhall.org/new-music-horizon
New Music Horizons returns to Flushing Town Hall virtually to present two dynamic jazz composers: classical composer David Shenton and jazz composer Mark Wade. David Shenton will present a set of his lyrically inventive compositions. The Mark Wade Trio will follow with their brand of group interplay and expressive improvisation that has brought them an international following.
Thursday, November 19, 7:30 PM EDT
Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Series Featuring Lauren Sevian's LSQ
http://www.flushingtownhall.org/lioness
Flushing Town Hall and Convergence Arts present Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Series featuring Lauren Sevian's LSQ with Lauren Sevian (baritone saxophone), Helen Sung (piano), Christian McBride (bass) and E.J. Strickland (drums). Tune in to YouTube for a free pre-recorded streaming performance, taped just for this event, followed by a LIVE Q&A with the musicians.
Wednesday, December 9 @ 7:00 PM EDT
Virtual Jazz Jam “Holiday Party”
http://www.flushingtownhall.org/virtual-jazz-jam
‘Tis the Season to celebrate jazz with Flushing Town Hall’s free Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong. Open to amateur and professional musicians, including high school students, jammers are invited to perform their favorite holiday song, and recall any memory around their tune. Participants can also show-off their family’s traditional holiday treats and drinks, and toast the season. To participate, musicians should email education@flushingtownhall.org and identify a three- to four-minute tune they intend to play (live or pre-recorded). Only 15 musicians will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone is invited to tune in to the LIVE VIRTUAL jam and listen on Facebook or Zoom.
Sunday, December 13 at 2:30 PM EDT
Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Series Featuring the Lioness Ensemble
http://www.flushingtownhall.org/lioness
Flushing Town Hall and Convergence Arts present Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Series featuring the Lioness Ensemble with Alexa Tarantino (alto saxophone), Jenny Hill (tenor saxophone, flute), Lauren Sevian (baritone saxophone), Amanda Monaco (guitar), Akiko Tsuruga (organ) and Sylvia Cuenca (drums). Tune in to YouTube for a free pre-recorded streaming performance, taped just for this event, followed by a LIVE Q&A with the musicians.
Sunday, December 20, 5:30 PM EDT
New Music Horizons - Collaborative Artists in Concert
PART II: Bruce Arnold & The Mark Wade Trio
http://www.flushingtownhall.org/new-music-horizon
New Music Horizons Part II presents two dynamic jazz composers: Bruce Arnold and Mark Wade. Bruce Arnold will present a set of solo acoustic guitar featuring his style of lyrical melodies and raw dissonances. The Mark Wade Trio will follow with their brand of group interplay and expressive improvisation that has brought them an international following.
Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts dba Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization which receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Mayor Bill de Blasio; Queens Borough President Melinda Katz; Council Members Adrienne Adams, Costa Constantinides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Francisco Moya, and Paul A. Vallone; and the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and the Booth Ferris Foundation.
Thank you to the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation for their continued support of our jazz jam project.
Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Series is made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Lioness: Women in Jazz Concert Seriesis made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Queens Council on the Arts.
New Music Horizons is made possible in part by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
Support for our programs is also provided by Acrobuffos/Seth Bloom & Christina Gelsone, Angela An, Robin Bell-Stevens, Viviana M. Benitez, Dongjiang Bi, Cathay Bank, Douglass Chan, Amy Mak Chan, Calvin W. Chan, Sharon Chen, Ginger Chinn, Dr. Hsing-Lih Chou/New York Institute of Culture and the Arts, Con Edison, Crossings TV, Exploring the Metropolis, Kuang-Yu Fong/Chinese Theatre Works, Barbara Garii, Matthew Goldner, Howard Graf & Kathy Donovan, Guru Krupa Foundation, Lily Han, Heather Harrison, Belinda Pilin Hsu, Alice & Steve Huang, Hung Pin Hung, Investors Foundation, Raymond D. Jasen, the Jim Henson Foundation, Ellen Kodadek, the Laura B. Vogler Foundation, Nelson Lee/Flushing Bank, Janet T. Leow, Anne Lewent, James S. Liao, Emily Lin/Lin & Loveall Foundation, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Frank Macchio, Materials for the Arts, William McClure/Queens College, Mets Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Jassy Z. Min, New York Chinese Chorus, TeHsing Niu, Northwell Health, Carlos Ortiz, Queens Art Education Center/Arthur Liu, Richard Quantaro, Queens Courier, Resorts World, Camillo Reyes, RuDance/Asian American Dance Sport Corp., Dominique Sellers, Helen Shieh, Richard Siu, Curtis Smith, Mike Sperendi & Jan Schneider, Taipei Cultural Center in New York, Michael Tang, Veronica Tsang, Tai & Tony Wang/Glow Foundation, Jay Wegman, Constance Wingate, Lucy Wong, Anna Wu, Minwen Yang, Hank Yeh, Sandy Yeh, Shane Yeh, and Angela Qi Zhang.
Special thanks to Calvin W. Chan, Raymond D. Jasen, Ellen Kodadek, Anne Lewent, William McClure, and TeHsing Niu for underwriting a portion of FTH at Home: Global Arts for Global Kids.
Although we cannot list every donor, Flushing Town Hall is grateful for all gifts received and wishes to thank everyone for their ongoing generosity.
About Flushing Town Hall
Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.
For more information:
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354