FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Karin Venegas, karin@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7049
Sandra Tharas, sandra@anatgerstein.com, 347-361-7068
Flushing Town Hall Virtual Jazz Jam Pays Tribute to the American Melting Pot on Wednesday, July 14, 2021
—More than 200 musicians have participated and 7,000 viewers have tuned in to the virtual jams over the last 15 months—
—Virtual programming is free, but donations to support the cultural nonprofit are encouraged at flushingtownhall.org/donate—
(Flushing, N.Y.)—As Flushing Town Hall continues its gradual reopening to artists and audiences, the monthly Jazz Jam, one of its most popular virtual programs, remains exclusively online for the summer. This July, the Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong returns with the theme, “A Jazz Tribute to the American Melting Pot: diverse music and musicians in celebration of our national holiday” on Wednesday, July 14 at 7:00 PM (ET).
After the pandemic shut down New York City in March 2020, the jams moved to virtual formats embracing a special theme each month—and this July continues the tradition: both novice and professional jazz artists from near and far will come together virtually to celebrate the diversity of jazz music and musicians.
Supported by the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, the monthly Jazz Jams have been led since 2016 by Astoria resident Carol Sudhalter. House band members include illustrious musicians Joe Vincent Tranchina, Scott Neumann, and Eric Lemon.
“From Latin Jazz to Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain, music from practically every culture eventually finds its way into the jazz idiom, enriching its array of colors and sounds,” says Carol Sudhalter, Flushing Town Hall’s Jazz Band leader. “In July we look forward to seeing how each participant contributes their own creative corner of the picture!”
Since April 2020, the Jazz Jams have remained wildly popular, presenting the second Wednesday of each month, reaching more than 7,000 virtual national and international viewers. The jams have become a haven for jazz lovers from around the world with musicians joining from across the U.S. and from as far away as Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Slovenia, Trinidad, and Japan.
Musicians interested in participating on July 14 should email education@flushingtownhall.org with the suggested three- to four-minute tune they intend to play in line with this month’s theme. The performance can be live or a pre-recorded audio or video (but not a professional, edited recording such as a CD or YouTube video).
Musicians who performed in 2020 are now welcome to return. Each month, up to five returning musicians and up to 15 new musicians can participate. Selection is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Anyone is invited to listen and can simply tune in to Flushing Town Hall’s Facebook page or Zoom on Wednesday, July 14 at 7:00 PM (ET) to join the live event for free, without registration.
Support Flushing Town Hall this season!
Flushing Town Hall recently launched its new membership program, Flushing Town Hall’s Circle of Friends, with memberships starting at gifts of $50 or more. With the loss of nearly all earned income, Flushing Town Hall is in dire need of support and is currently raising funds under its Lemon-AID the Arts Campaign. Donations in any amount are appreciated to support the artists and the nonprofit cultural organization as they continue to provide programming and entertainment across New York and the world.
Flushing Town Hall’s facilities are temporarily closed to the public in accordance with COVID-19 safety regulations. Current programs are being presented virtually.
For Calendar Listings
WEDNESDAY, July 14, 7:00 PM (ET)
Virtual Jazz Jam: A Jazz Tribute to the American Melting Pot: diverse music and musicians in celebration of our national holiday.
Flushing Town Hall’s free Virtual Jazz Jam: Celebrating the Legacy of Louis Armstrong invites musicians and jazz aficionados to participate or simply listen during its monthly jam session. In July, musicians will choose tunes that pay tribute to the American Melting pot with a diverse line-up of musicians. To participate, email education@flushingtownhall.org and identify the three- to four-minute tune you intend to play. To watch live, for free tune in to Facebook or Zoom.
Thank you to our generous community of donors for providing Flushing Town Hall a foundation of strength and endurance. We are grateful beyond measure for the elected officials, donors and members, foundations, corporations, volunteers, and all patrons who have supported us for over 40 years, in the best and the worst of times. Flushing Town Hall is grateful for all gifts received and wishes to thank everyone for their ongoing generosity.
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; The City of New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Gonzalo Casals; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Corey Johnson, Council Members Costa Constantinides, Daniel Dromm, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, Paul A. Vallone, Jimmy Van Bramer; Howard Gilman Foundation, Booth Ferris Foundation, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.
Flushing Town Hall greatly appreciates the supporters of our current campaign, Lemon-AID the Arts. If you are able and willing to help, please click here to learn more and donate today. Special thanks to our donors with gifts of $100 and above: Arline Abdalian, Alberta Alexandre, Karen Argueta, Maria Arias, Henry Assael, Bob Band, Christopher Banks, Barbara Banks Schwam, Beverly Bartow, Geraldine Benfante, Viviana M. Benitez, Carl Bennett, Denise Boudiette, Seth Bornstein, Larue Brathwaite, Anne Bresnahan, Carolee Brooks-Hildenbrandt, Jeanette Brown, Claire Bullard, Christopher Caltieri, Jenna Capeci, Calvin Chan, Dongshin Chang, Christopher Chen, Annika Cheng, Cecilia Cheng, Amy Chin, Wanda Chin, Ginger Chinn, Alexander Choi, David Creed, Jacob Eichenbaum, David Fesser, Ellen Fisher-Turk, Karen Fitzgerald, Paul Foster, Toni Foy, Emma Frankel, Andrew Garson, Gitler Family Fund, Anat Gerstein, Carl Gold, Loren Golden, Howard Graf (Graf & Lewent Architects), Constance Hammen, Heather Harrison, Alan Heilbron, Susan Hennessy, Loren Golden, Geraldene Hornsby-Gray, Rhenaye Hornsby, Timothy Hosking, Ming-I Huang, Raymond Jasen, Carmen Jimenez, Minja Kang, Andrew Karp, Amir Kassam, Adrienne Kivelson, Bob Kodadek, Ellen Kodadek, Saul Kupferberg, Carol Leaf, Stephanie Lee, Anne Lewent, Judith Lewent and Mark Shapiro, Steve Lewent, James Liao, Jeri Lim, Meiling Liu, Stephanie Long, Martha Ma, Frank Macchio, Rob Mackay, Sandra Mann, Pamela Marquez, Steve Marston, William McClure, Brenda McCoy, Steven Mecca, Cynthia Merkle, Chi Mo, Lee Nash, Sandra Nash, Rochelle Nechin, Albert Niu, TeHsing Niu, The Ong Family Foundation, Jessica Peña, Kimberly Phelan, Mary and Oscar Pollock, Ryan Powers, Hope Pordy, Qi Shu Fang Peking Opera Association, Richard Quatrano, Alfred and Diane Rankins, Dottye Ricks, Mira Rubens, Teresa Salles, Jeffrey Schneider, Roslyn Schwersenz, Anthony Scotto, Gustavo Segredo, Tina Seligman, Dominique Sellers, Alice Sharp, Thomas Simmons, Stephen Sincovich, Judi Silvano, Mike Sperendi and Jan Schneider, Douglas Stalnaker, Sheila Sweeney, Jean Tatge, Marsha Toma, Veronica Tsang, WAC Lighting, Tai-nin Wang, Jill Ward, Daryl Ware, Jay Wegman, David and Elsie Werber, Constance Wingate, Robert and Karla Wishnick, Edwina and Eldwin Wong, Lucy Wong, Jennie Woo, Jon Yanofsky, Mimi Yeung.
Support for our programs is also provided by 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, Kuang-Yu Fong/Chinese Theatre Works, Howard Graf and Kathy Donovan, Guru Krupa Foundation, Investors Foundation, Raymond D. Jasen, the Jim Henson Foundation, Ellen Kodadek, Nelson Lee/Flushing Bank, Anne Lewent, James S. Liao, Emily Lin/Lin & Loveall Foundation, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Frank Macchio, Materials for the Arts, William McClure/Queens College, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, Northwell Health, TeHsing Niu, Carlos Ortiz, Queens Art Education Center/Arthur Liu, RuDance/Asian American Dance Sport Corp., Helen Shieh, Richard Siu, Curtis Smith, Michael Tang, Veronica Tsang, Tai and Tony Wang/Glow Foundation, Anna Wu, Minwen Yang, Hank Yeh, Sandy Yeh, Shane Yeh, and Angela Qi Zhang.
Flushing Town Hall greatly appreciates the sponsors of the 2021 Lunar New Year Chinese Temple Bazaar: Tai Wang and Glow Foundation (Title Sponsor), Amy Mak Chan, The Andy Li Team at Compass, Healthfirst, MetroPlusHealth, The Parc Hotel, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr., Shandong Association, Shanghai Commercial Bank, and President of Flushing Town Hall Veronica Tsang. A special thank you to Flushing Town Hall’s Chinese Cultural Committee for their ongoing support.
With special thanks to the Howard Gilman Foundation, Flushing Town Hall was able to purchase equipment needed to live-stream and record from its theater.
Louis Armstrong Legacy Virtual Jazz Jam is supported in part by a grant from The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation.
Crazy Talented Asians & Friends: An Evening of Live Comedy – Triumphing Over Quarantine! is sponsored by a generous anonymous donor. Flushing Town Hall thanks the sponsor and the numerous community volunteers and viewers for your strong support.
We have done our best to recognize donations correctly, but should your recognition be incorrect, please contact Jessica Peña, Director of Development, at jpena@flushingtownhall.org.
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.
Land Acknowledgement:
Flushing Town Hall acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the Matinecock People, one of the original tribes of New York, and the first people of Flushing, Queens. The Matinecock continue to live and work on this land to this day. Flushing Town Hall honors their elders who have stewarded this land throughout generations.
COVID-19:
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, while our venue remains temporarily closed in accordance with social distancing guidelines, we are proudly presenting performances, exhibitions, panel discussions, and educational activities online through our virtual initiatives, FTH at Home! and Global Arts for Global Kids.
For more information:
www.flushingtownhall.org
(718) 463-7700 x222
137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354