Caramoor Ground’s American Roots Music Festival returns this Summer with a packed music lineup performing throughout the grounds, as artists coming from blues, Americana, folk, and bluegrass will hit the stage Saturday, June 24.
Including nine different musicians, with ten-time Grammy nominee Brandy Clark as the evening headliner, the festival at Caramoor Grounds expects to be another fantastic experience like past years.
The Mike Block Trio, who will be performing at the American Roots Music Festival on June 24.
For the schedule, the grounds open at 12:00 pm, music starts at 12:30 pm, headliner starts at 7:30 pm. Concert-goers will need to reserve seats for the evening headliner. The daytime performances will not have reserved seating and the festival suggests bringing your own seats during this time.
There will be a free shuttle from Metro North’s Katonah train station to and from the American Roots Music Festival, running before and after every summer afternoon and evening concert.
For tickets to evening, daytime, or both showings, visit here.
Daytime & Evening Schedule
12:30 pm–1:15 pm / Divining Rod (Friends Field) 1:00 pm–1:30 pm / Family Set: Our Band (Sunken Garden) 1:30 pm–2:15 pm / Nefesh Mountain (Venetian Theater) 1:30 pm–2:15 pm / Hayley Reardon (Spanish Courtyard) 2:30 pm–3:15 pm / Leon Timbo (Friends Field) 2:30 pm–3:15 pm / Mike Block Trio (Sunken Garden) 3:30 pm–4:15 pm / Miko Marks (Venetian Theater) 3:30 pm–4:15 pm / Sunny War (Spanish Courtyard) 4:30 pm–5:15 pm/ Mike Block Trio (Friends Field) 4:30 pm–5:15 pm / Leon Timbo (Sunken Garden) 5:15 pm–6:00 pm / Miko Marks (Spanish Courtyard) 5:45 pm–6:30 pm / Sunny War (Friends Field) 7:30 pm–9:00 pm/ Brandy Clark (Venetian Theater) – Evening Show
The Bronx Music Heritage Center has announced the return of their signature Bronx Rising! with the addition of various music performances, a film screening, and moderated conversations exploring Congolese influences in Caribbean music and dance. Bronx Rising!is set to begin on June 24th and will stretch to the end of August with three Congolese events scattered throughout.
Bronx Rising! is an annual series that brings the Bronx’s cultural riches, past and present, to life. The kick-off event on June 24th will begin the Congolese series with ‘The Congo Influence in Puerto Rican Bomba’ at 3:00 PM in the Bronx Music Hall Plaza. This conversation will be open to the public and be presented by musical artist Nkumu Katalay and Alex LaSalle, bandleader of the Afro-Puerto Rican Alma Moyo, followed by a performance of both their ensembles.
The next event in the series will take a different direction in exploring Congolese influence as it will feature a special screening of “Kumina Queen.” The film follows Imogene Queenie Kennedy, a priestess in post-colonial Jamaica, as she shares the African spiritual practices of Kumina with the world. Kumina’s basic elements are song, dance, and trance possession which is a driving force in Jamaica’s culture and identity as the music and rhythms employed during Kumina ceremonies have heavily influenced Jamaican popular music including reggae and dancehall. Today, artists such as Nyasha Laing, the film’s director, producer, and screenplay writer, are reimagining Kumina in part because of the constantly changing mysteries of spirit possession. Taking place on July 22nd at 7:00 PM in the BMHC Lab, the event will continue with a moderated discussion and Q&A with Laing and anthropologist Dr. Kenneth Bilby pertaining to the Congo influence present in popular Jamaican music. Tickets for the event will be sold for $10 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.
On August 26th, the series will conclude back at the Bronx Music Hall Plaza with ‘Congo Roots in the Diaspora: “Quien no tiene de Kongo tiene de Karabal픑 which will feature a performance by the Román Díaz Ensemble. Román Díaz himself will remain after the free performance to converse with cultural historian Dr. Ivor Miller and BMHC co-artistic director Bobby Sanabria. The men will examine how Congolese influences have shaped Cuban traditions thus producing some of the most famous performance ensembles of the island.
Despite having such a large impact, Congolese influences and connections have been emphasized less both in the music world and within the Latin American and Caribbean communities in the United States, but their presence pervades many of the music, dance, and artistic traditions. Throughout this summer’s Bronx Rising! Congolese events, the Bronx Music Heritage Center will work to bridge this gap and highlight the connections between cultures, music, religion, and art present in the Bronx.
Bronx Rising! Participating 2023 Artists and Scholars
Nyasha Laing is a documentarian who works to transform our understanding of diverse social and cultural movements and practices. Her independent storytelling—which has appeared in and on the Los Angeles Pan-African Film Festival, BBC World Service, YES Magazine, The Art Museum of the Americas, IMZ International Festival, and European Traveling Showcase—explores loss, regeneration, identity, and freedom.
Dr. Kenneth Bilby is an American anthropologist, ethnomusicologist, and author. His published works include the books Words of Our Mouth, Meditations of Our Heart: Pioneering Musicians of Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae, and Dancehall (2016), Enacting Power: The Criminalization of Obeah in the Anglophone Caribbean, 1760–2011 (2012; with Jerome S. Handler), True-Born Maroons (2005), and Caribbean currents: Caribbean music from rumba to reggae (1995; with Peter Manuel and Michael Largey).
Nkumu Katalay is an artist, orator, multi-instrumentalist, and social activist whose main objective is to promote humanity. Born in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he lives in New York City. Nkumu’s vision highlights the contribution of Congolese cultures in modern world history. He is the founder of The Life Long Project Band, a musical group and a project which focuses on pushing the positive narrative of the Congolese culture via music and social-cultural and educational initiatives. He is also founder of the Afro Congolese Dance program and company which offers weekly dance activities throughout New York City, in schools, corporations, or cultural centers for all ages from children to adults and seniors.
Alex LaSalle is a high priest (Tata Nkisi) to one of the oldest houses of Kongo-Cuban Palo in Cuba and now New York City—Batalla Sacampeño Mayombe. His teacher and mentor is Florencio Miguel Garzon (“Loanganga”) from Cuba. In addition to serving as a diviner and priest, Alex is also a specialist in hundreds of Afro-Cuban Kongo Mambo songs and rituals. Alex is fluent in the Afro-Cuban Bantu/Kongo language, is an avid researcher and oral historian. He has presented lectures for educators and students at Yale, Columbia, New York University, Long Island University, and others. A teaching artist in New York City public schools, Alex is the founder and director of Alma Moyo Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba group, and member of Grammy Nominated Los Pleneros de la 21 and Grupo Folklorico Experimental Nueva Yorquino. Alex has performed with such groups as Roberto Cepeda’s Bomba Aché, William Cepeda’s Afro-Boricua, Felix Alduén y su Tambores, Pa’lo Monte, Nchila Ngoma Mayombe, and 21 Division.
Román Díaz is a Cuban born master percussionist and a living repository of Afro-Cuban culture. He is a noted scholar of Cuban religious and folkloric music as well as a composer and performer of contemporary Afro-Cuban music and Jazz. He has performed and recorded with Cuban diva Mercedíta Valdes, Canadian Jane Bunnett, Juan Carlos Formell, Paquito D’Rivera, and folkloric artist, Orlando “Puntilla” Rios, and Pianist Danílo Pérez. He has also recorded with the Afro-Cuban folkloric groups; Yoruba Andabo, Raices Profundas and Los Marqueses de Atares. He has also performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, and the Smithsonian Museum. As a member of the seminal Rumba ensemble, Yoruba Andabo, Díaz aided in the creation of the sound that has defined contemporary Rumba since the 1980’s in Cuba and around the world. Díaz continues to innovate the song style as well as migrating the conical two-headed Bata drum from religious music into contemporary Jazz.
Dr. Ivor Miller is a cultural historian specializing in the African Diaspora in the Caribbean and the Americas. He was a Senior Fellow at the National Museum of African Art at the Smithsonian Institution (2011-2012), a Fulbright Scholar to Nigeria (2009-2011), and teaches in the Bassey Andah Institute for African and Asian Studies at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. His most recent book, “Voice of the Leopard: African Secret Societies and Cuba” (UP of Mississippi 2009/ CBAAC Lagos 2011) was awarded Honorable Mention by the Association for Africanist Anthropology. Based upon fieldwork in Nigeria, Cameroon, Cuba, and the USA, it documents ritual languages and practices that survived the Middle Passage and evolved into a unifying charter for transplanted slaves and their successors.
Bobby Sanabria is Bobby Sanabria is co-artistic director of The Bronx Music Heritage Center and an eight-time Grammy-nominated drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, conductor, producer, educator, and bandleader. He has performed and recorded with legends such as Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaría, Ray Barretto, Cándido, Henry Threadgill, Larry Harlow, and the Godfather of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá. A South Bronx native of Puerto Rican parents, Sanabria was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2006. He holds a B.M. from the Berklee College of Music and is on the faculty of the New School and the Manhattan School of Music, conducting the Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Bands at both schools.
The Waddington Concert Series returns for its 14th year with “Rollin’ on the River!” Over the last five years the series has treated over 15,000 attendees to high quality performances by artists from across the state. This summer’s series will feature eight performances with concerts taking place directly on the St. Lawrence River at Island View Park Pavilion.
Waddington is located directly on the St. Lawrence River just along the US-Canada border. The town showcases some of the best sunsets in New York and has earned a reputation for its fishing and other wildlife opportunities. Surrounded by rolling fields, family farms, historic buildings, and dense forests, Waddington demonstrates the best of the North Country.
“Rollin’ on the River!” runs every Friday at 6:30 from July 7 to August 25 and is free to the public, however donations are always accepted. Attendees can enjoy the show from the pavilion or float by in a boat.
More and details and information about the Waddington Concert Series here.
Concert Lineup
July 7: Fritz’s Polka Band (Annual Memorial Dedication Concert)- everything from modern style polka to country to rock and even blues
July 14: Phil Hurley- a tasteful blend of country and rock
July 21: Double Axel- covering the classic tunes of Van Morrison, Bob Seager, The Beatles, and the Doobie Brothers
July 28: Bear Tracks- country and bluegrass with a hint of Roots rock
August 4: SFM- a premier party band specializing in 80s hits
August 11: Tas Cru- a unique take on Roots rock and blues
August 18: Mark Rust- classic covers and “sing alongs” played on guitar, fiddle, banjo and hammered dulcimer
August 25: Northbound- a variety of pop, rock, and folk favorites from the last five decades
May 2023 marked the 75-year anniversary of Folkway Records, delivering classic American folk albums since its founding in New York City by Marian Distler and Moses Asch in 1948.
From the talents of Woody Guthrie to the jazz swing of Mary Lou Williams, the label has pioneered some of the industry’s top artists in their respective genres.
Folkway Records’ Woody Guthrie
Releasing acclaimed albums from Elizabeth Mitchell, Our Native Daughters, Dom Flemons, Kronos Quartet, and many more, the past 75 years and present-day continue to undoubtedly shine a light on the label’s success.
On July 6, 2023, Smithsonian Folkways will present “Folkways at 75,” a program at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington D.C.
Featuring performances from Jake Blount and No-No Boy, members of the newest wave of folk music on the label, and a screening of Early Abstractions, a series of short films by Harry Smith, “Folkways at 75” expects to be the perfect celebration for Folkway Records.
The slogan for Folkway Records from the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings website.
In addition to the July celebration, November 10-12, 2023 will see the label partner up with the Brooklyn Folk Festival, including performers, tributes to label members, workshops, etc. For details on this event, visit here.
Throughout the year, Smithsonian Folkways will continue to reissue and re-press many classic albums the record label has brought out over the years. The Sounds of North American Frogs by Charles Bogert will hit an LP for the first time since 1958, and re-presses of albums by Elizabeth Cotten, Doc Watson, Lightnin’ Hopkins, and many others will be available for pre-order as well.
A new program called Friends of Folkways will give supporters the chance to stream a collection of Folkway Records classics for a minimum monthly donation of $5. Additional details surrounding the donation program will also be announced soon.
A music video for Jake Blount’s “Didn’t It Rain,” a member of Folkway Records who will be performing at “Folkways at 75.”
Partnering organizations, the Shubert Foundation and Music Theatre International have recently announced the return of their annual Broadway Junior Student Finale. The 18th celebration will commence on June 22 at 11:15 a.m. at Broadway’s Ambassador Theatre located in Midtown Manhattan.
Throughout the past four years, since the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on human normality, the Broadway Student Finale has looked much different than previous years as schools all across the world and Broadway itself was shut down. Now, the students have returned to the stage to bask in the blinding spotlights provided by a real theater and not a computer screen.
The Shubert Foundation and MTI Broadway Junior partnership founded the musical theatre mentorship program to help public schools create change in their community’s social culture through building sustainable theatre education programs. The Shubert Foundation is the largest institutional funder of theatre education programs throughout NYC public schools and has provided nearly $8 million for Theatre and Arts programs in NYC.
Its partner in Broadway Junior, Music Theatre International, is one of the world’s leading theatrical licensing agencies, granting theatres from around the world, including schools, the right to perform the greatest selection of musicals from Broadway and beyond. The organization’s initiative has had substantial widespread involvement as 167 schools and more than 24,500 students have participated in Broadway Junior while over 100 schools are currently in the program.
The Broadway Junior process is vast as it spans multiple years of involvement with students, teachers, and public schools. In the first year of the program, teachers and students are guided step-by-step through the process of producing a first-ever musical in their schools. In the second year, teachers and students continue to receive support and encouragement on their second musical but take ownership of their productions. In the third year and beyond, schools present a musical independently and serve as inspiration for other schools involved in earlier cycles of the program. The program utilizes master teachers and expert production advisers from educational theatre organizations, iTheatrics, Broadway Bound Kids, and ArtsConnection.
Hundreds of these participating students from Brooklyn to Staten Island will share musical numbers from their fully produced school shows at the Finale. The Broadway shows being represented include Roald Dahl’s Matilda The Musical JR., Disney’s Aladdin JR., Into the Woods JR., Dear Edwina JR., Disney’s High School Musical JR., Legally Blonde The Musical JR., Disney’s The Lion King JR., Once on This Island JR., Shrek The Musical JR., and Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka JR.
Not only will students get the chance to perform on such an iconic stage at the 18th Broadway Junior Finale, but various Broadway professionals will be in attendance including the two hosts Jeanna de Waal and Uma Paranjpe. Also in attendance will be The Shubert Foundation President Diana Philips along with prominent members of the event’s other sponsors.
“The success of the program since 2005 has demonstrated that theater enhances young performers’ ability to collaborate, follow directions, practice self-discipline and work ethics, and use their imaginations while honing their verbal communication skills and developing social skills which will serve them well in navigating life,” said Drew Cohen, President, and CEO of Music Theatre International. “We are grateful to the students, of course, and also to the teachers, teaching artists, and parents who make this opportunity a reality for the students.”
The 18th Broadway Junior Student Finale performances from middle school groups participating in the second year of the program:
Brooklyn Environmental Exploration School
The Emerson School (Queens)
I.S. 136 Charles O. Dewey (Brooklyn)
Isaac Newton Middle School for Math and Science (Manhattan)
Manhattan School for Career Development
Marsh Avenue Expeditionary Learning School (Staten Island)
M.S. 935 (Brooklyn)
M.S. 158Q Marie Curie Middle School (Queens)
Pelham Gardens Middle School (Bronx)
P.S. 177Q The Robin Sue Ward School of Excellence (Queens)
Pugsley Preparatory Academy (Bronx)
Stephen Decatur Middle School 35 (Brooklyn)
The William W. Niles School – JHS 118 (Bronx)
Year Three and Graduated Schools participating in the Shubert/ MTI Musical Ensembles:
Accion Academy (Bronx)
Collaborative Arts Middle School (Queens)
Corona Arts and Sciences Academy (Queens)
Evergreen Middle School (Brooklyn)
I.S. 96 Seth Low (Brooklyn)
I.S. 131 The Albert Einstein Intermediate School (Bronx)
I.S. 217 School of Performing Arts (Bronx)
I.S. 392 (Brooklyn)
JHS 185 Edward Bleeker (Queens)
Lafayette Academy (Manhattan)
M. S. 101 The Edward R. Byrne School (Bronx)
M.S. 129 Academy for Independent Learning & Leadership(Bronx)
M.S. 331 Bronx School of Young Leaders (Bronx)
M.S. 915 (Brooklyn)
New Preparatory Middle School (Queens)
P.S./M.S. 4 Crotona Park West (Bronx)
P.S./I.S. 30 Mary White Ovington School (Brooklyn)
Held annually on June 21, the summer solstice, Make Music Day is a daylong, musical free-for-all that celebrates music in all its forms. All across the world, free music events will take place, with a great deal of events held across New York State.
Make Music Day began in France in 1982 as the Fête de la Musique and now spans over 1,000 cities in 120 countries in 2023. Make Music Concerts, unlike conventional music festivals, encourage performances by anyone who wants to participate. In the same way, performances are enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend. Ranging from classical to folk, hip hop to opera, latin jazz to punk rock, live music of all kinds can be enjoyed on Make Music Day.
Make Music Troy
The first annual Make Music Troy, a wonderful mix of free, public musical events, will debut on Wednesday, June 21. This summer, over 100 U.S. cities will join the world’s largest annual music event, with thousands of Make Music performances nationwide. Participating organizations include Troy Public Library, Troy City School District, Oakwood Community Center, The Ruck, Song City, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, and more. Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate, regardless of musical expertise or age.
Make Music Troy will feature a variety of musical performances and activities throughout the day. Some highlights of Make Music Troy will include:
Year End Celebration at Tenth Street Garden – Children’s Songs & Sing Along – 2:30pm – 3:15pm
Color Run Music Celebration at School 19 – Performances by HEARD – Time TBD
Drum Making Kits at the Troy Public Library – All Day
Under the Mural Community Drum Circle at the Troy Saving Bank Musical Hall Parking Lot – Performance by Zorkie Nelson – 6:00pm-7:00pm
For those interested in participating, you can sign up here. Artists and performers sign up to note their interest. Businesses, buildings, schools, churches, and other institutions interested in hosting performances can visit the website to match with local performers.
A full schedule of events will be available and posted here.
Make Music New York
Returning for its 15th year, Make Music New York will feature an exciting roster of activations. During the week leading up to the 21st, there will be events on June 17 and 18, like Porch Stomp!, the tenth annual edition of NYC’s Americana and folk music festival featuring over one hundred musicians performing on Governors Island. Additionally, the Southeast Queens Gospelfest – an amazing lineup of gospel musicians headlined by award-winning songwriter Rich Tolvert Jr presented in partnership with NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation At Baisley Pond Par, Queens. It will also be the 15th year of the annual DIY Punk Festival, Punk Island, at the American Veterans Memorial Pier in Shore Road Park, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.
Highlights for June 21 include:
Pueblo Harlem – the Afro Larin Jazz Alliance’s (ALJA) annual celebration of Hispanic heritage and cluture, which has taken place since 2014, including performances by the multi-Grammy-Award winning Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, the Fat Cats, ALJA’s pre-professional youth ensemble, and special guests from ALJA’s family of performing and traching artists – at Johnny Hartman Plaza in Hamilton Heights. Presented in partnership with the NYC Department of Transportation and The Brotherhood Sister Sol.
Street Studios: From 12-4 pm in front of the Harman / JBL store at 19 E Houston Street in Soho. A small mobile recording studio will be set up on the shop’s sidewalk. Gust producers will invite the public and passerby to contribute original audio (by singing, rapping, playing an instrument) which they then record, mix, and loop and play back to create spontaneous, collaborative productions. This season’s producers are The Beatbox House, a NYC-based collective of World Champion Beatboxers comprised of five core members: Gene Shinozaki, Kenny Urban, NaPoM, Amit and Chris Celiz.
Paul’s Pianopalooza: From 3-7 pm at Madison Square Park in the Flatiron District, the New York State Music Teachers Association, District 1 Manhattan-Bronx, will kick off with a piano-based marathon and a 90th birthfay celebration for beloved NYC composer and educator Paul Sheftel. Pianists of all ages and levels will perform a program of Paul’s works, including a visit from the maestro himself, to be followed with “Made in New York,” piano music by NYC composers of all stripes. Presented in partnership with the Madison Square Park Conservancy.
Mass Appeal Guitars: Hosted by NYC Guitar School, from 4:30-7 pm at Union Square Park’s south plaza. You can bring your guitar to the park and join hundreds of guitarists of all levels in Union Square, for a massive guitar strum-along of beginner friendly songs like “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley, “Seven Bridges Road” by The Eagles, and more. Free guitar lessons from twenty guitar teachers from 4:30-6:30pm, the play-along is at 6:30pm, and then stick around at 7 pm for live rock music.
Yonkers
At Riverfront Auditorium, 6pm: Library Jazz Band – Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions – 50th anniversary!
The Library Jazz Band, a new 17-piece jazz orchestra, shares originals of every track of the landmark album.
Auburn, New York, will have live piano music at Café 108 (owned and operated by Auburn Public Theater) from 11:00am to 2:30. They will also have live music in Stage Right at Auburn Public Theater from 4:00pm to 9:00pm.
Albany
The Eggwill celebrate international‘Make Music Day’on Wednesday, June 21st at 12:00 pmwith afree outdoor concert by the group Heard.
Heard is a collective of musicians that brings their skills and passion for world music, jazz and improvising together to create irresistible grooves from West Africa, Brazil, the Caribbean and beyond, set in a unique sonic tapestry. For this special ‘Make Music Day’ concert, they will invite the audience to sing, stomp and shake along with them, with free egg shakers for the first 100 people who arrive for the show!
In the event of inclement weather, the concert will take place on the South Concourse at the Empire State Plaza. The event is presented in cooperation with the NYS Office of General Services Special Events with support from M&T Bank.
President Joe Biden, in a briefing on June 15, spoke on his progress in eliminating “junk fees” that companies often charge. Many major ticketing companies, such as Live Nation, SeatGeek, and xBk will be switching to “all-in” ticket pricing, where all fees will be disclosed upfront.
As stated in his State of the Union Address, Joe Biden planned to fight against junk fees. These junk fees are hidden charges that companies add onto a person’s bills without them really being able to do anything about it. This can often pose an issue for working class people, where these extra charges can quickly add up. For the live music industry, this often occurs at the end of the purchasing process after a person has already spent time comparing options. According to Biden, the solution to this is “all-in pricing,” where all fees are presented upfront in order to not surprise consumers at the end of their purchase.
Biden mentioned several companies represented at the briefing who had already been using the process, such as TickPick, DICE, Newport Festival Foundation, and Airbnb. Some had been using all-in pricing for years, whereas others, like Airbnb, only started recently.
One of the companies to recently agree to this plan was Live Nation, which will automatically list all prices at its own venues upfront starting this September. Customers will also have the option of an all-in option for all other tickets on the platform. Other companies joining it include: SeatGeek, a smaller, mobile-focused ticketing company; and xBk, a small venue in Des Moines, Iowa.
This is real transparency, which leads to more competition, brings down costs for working Americans, keeps growing our economy from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.
President Joe Biden
Biden called for competitors to these companies to follow suit and adopt this pricing model as well. He affirmed that this was not the final step, and there was more work to do to address issues in the online ticketing industry and with junk fees. Biden also thanked Congress for the legislation they are working on to address junk fees across industries.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens announced it is celebrating its 80th anniversary and officially opening its new state-of-the-art building on July 6.
Photo credit Albert Vercerka/Esto.
Louis Armstrong is a definitive arbiter of Jazz and America’s first Black popular music icon, entertaining millions from heads of state and royalty to the kids on his stoop in the working-class neighborhood of Corona, Queens. The Louis Armstrong House Museum preserves his legacy by offering guided tours of the historic home and preserving Armstrong’s 60,000-piece archives. The brand-new Louis Armstrong Center, located across the street from the historic home, will further help celebrate his legacy by offering year-round exhibitions, performances, readings, lectures, and screenings through an array of public programs for all ages. It now includes the home itself that reflects the personal values of Louis Armstrong and the garden that serves as a place for gatherings and a place for live performances.
This is a landmark moment for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. Standing on the shoulders of the jazz and community greats who have come before us, the new Louis Armstrong Center invites today’s musicians, neighbors, and global fans to discover Louis and Lucille Armstrong’s story from a new perspective. We will bring the Armstrongs’ unique archives alive through new interactive events. And we will ensure that music once again rings out on 107th Street through groundbreaking programs in collaboration with emerging artists and contemporary icons.
Executive Director Regina Bain.
The opening of the 14,000 square foot Center has spurred the creation of new programming. The Museum is announcing the upcoming season of its groundbreaking Armstrong Now, which will feature the creation and debut of new works by Esperanza Spalding, Amyra León, and Antonio Brown. Armstrong Now will provide established and emerging artists with a platform to create new work inspired by Armstrong’s legacy, as well as the vast collection of artifacts and documents in the Armstrong archives.
Also included at the Center is the new exhibition curated by Jason Moran, Here To Staywill look at Louis Armstrong’s five-decade career as an innovative musician, rigorous archivist, consummate collaborator, and community builder. “In Here to Stay, we amplify Louis Armstrong’s ability to connect with communities locally and globally. His star shines bright worldwide, but especially here at his home in Corona, Queens. I consider this one of the ‘wonders’ of the world, meaning, we have Lucille and Louis’ magnificent home, and now a museum dedicated to his life and archive,” said Moran.
Photo provided by the Louis Amstrong Museum.
Ticketing and information about all of the Louis Armstong Museum’s events and programs can be found here.
Basilica Hudson is gearing up for a busy summer 2023 with six Jupiter Nights events taking place from June-August in the gallery building. Additionally, Basilica Hudson will host legendary NYC electronic music party The Bunker Hudson Valley on July 8th in both the main hall and gallery space.
Melissa Auf der Maur, a musician, and filmmaker Tony Stone founded Basilica Hudson in 2010. It is housed in a reclaimed, solar-powered 1880s industrial factory on the riverfront of Hudson, NY. The organization welcomes over 20,000 visitors each season. They enjoy genre-pushing music festivals, large-scale marketplace events, regular film screenings, an artist residency program, public installations, and other community gatherings. The majority of its programs are free or sliding scale.
Through its programs, Basilica Hudson supports the creation, production, and presentation of independent arts and culture. The organization strives to forge experiences that aspire to the scale, grit, and beauty of its surroundings. It draws inspiration from Hudson’s epic history, the region’s artistic legacy, and environmental advocacy for its mission and programming.
Jupiter Nights
Jupiter Nights is a twice-monthly series held every other Thursday. The series, celebrating regional musicians and community through adventurous live concerts, rotating art exhibits, and local food, returns June 15.
Series highlights include Water From Your Eyes, whose latest album Everyone’s Crushed (Matador) just received a Pitchfork “Best New Music” nod. Kalia Vandever, an exploratory trombonist currently on tour with Harry Styles as part of his backing band, will also be featured.
Eclectic, cross-genre programming spotlights next-generation regional talent while creating space for both locals and visitors to come together and build community on a weekly basis. Admission for events goes directly towards supporting the artists and Basilica Hudson’s mission to be a platform for innovative voices in arts and culture.
There will be six Jupiter Nights events in Summer 2023, presented with additional support from Basilica’s green energy partners at SunCommon. Each event unfolds in tandem with monthly visual art exhibitions, connected to the performers whenever possible.
The Bunker New York is set to bring a full-on dance party to Basilica Hudson with The Bunker Hudson Valley on July 8th.
In the spirit of collaboration between the Bunker and Basilica, the event will feature three back to back sets in the Main Hall. The event will feature rising starts such as AceMo x DJ SWISHA, Analog Soul, and Sister Zo x Scotia.
Those who need a break from the dance floor can head over to the gallery for the “Going In” room. The “Going In” room is a quiet space with meditative music, featuring a durational set from Nyhne incorporating live and DJ elements. Community Rave Network’s Luv Bruvs aka SVB and Villi Manilli will hold down the room for the rest of the night.
There will be full production onsite with a custom sound system by White Rabbit Audio, and lights and lasers by Nitemind. Local 111 will be on hand with delicious food. Additionally, the party will feature a stocked bar.
More Information
Tickets to The Bunker Hudson Valley are available here. For additional information on the Summer 2023 season, visit Basilica Hudson’s website.
Saranac Lake’s Music on the Green concert series is back for another year of summer programming. Located in the picturesque Adirondack Mountains, Saranac Lake has been hosting the concert series for a decade.
Music on the Green runs from July 5 through August 9 and takes place every Wednesday evening from 7pm to 9pm. All the concerts are held at Riverside Park and are free to the public. The series aims to shine a spotlight on Saranac Lake’s downtown and arts scene.
Since its inception in 2013, Music on the Green has brought 60 different music groups from various genres to the mountains. This year artists from all over New York and Vermont will make their way to Saranac Lake to share offerings of rock, jazz, soul, country, and more.
Summer Lineup:
July 5: Los Blancos- a roots and blues group from Syracuse
July 12: Fenimore Blues- a blues and rock outfit based out of Saratoga Springs
July 19: Freight- an Ithaca alt-country group
July 26: Mo’ Mojo- a zydeco band looking to channel the spirit of New Orleans
August 2: High & Mighty Brass Band- a groovy Brooklyn jazz brass ensemble with hints of hip-hop
August 9: Mal Maïz- Vermont musicians with a unique take Cumbia and other Latin sounds
