By Kiran Mediratta, Our Town

On a blistering summer day, listeners gather in a small park by Lincoln Center for some summer jazz. A whole series of free lunchtime concerts are on tap for the remainder of the summer at Dante Park.

For the rest of the summer, you can enjoy free outdoor jazz concerts every Wednesday afternoon.

The Lincoln Square BID, a local not-for-profit aimed at improving the quality of life in the neighborhood, is running its fourth season of the Summer Jazz Sensation. Every Wednesday from 12 to 1:30pm, esteemed local and international jazz artists perform in Dante Park, on the corner of West 64th Street at the crossroads of Broadway and Columbus Avenue.

“We want to make the neighborhood clean, safe, and beautiful,” said Ralph Memoli, executive VP of the Lincoln Square BID in an interview with Straus News following the performance by singer Kathryn Farmer on July 9. “Then there’s the fun stuff, like music and food. Our main goal is to create neighborhood connections and foster a sense of community.”

Listeners of all kinds—locals, tourists, elderly, teens, and babies and dogs (though they probably didn’t have a say in the matter)—enjoyed the hour and a half of swing, samba, and blues. “The proof is in the pudding,” Memoli said, as he laughed about whether the concerts have been successful or not. Lush trees and some red umbrellas provided much-needed shade, and Lincoln Center, the iconic destination for performing arts, stood stoically a block away, quietly absorbing the sweet melodies.

“Along with jazz, we try to bring commerce and culture, and promote local businesses.” This week, it was a plant-based local restaurant called Le Botaniste. “I told you they were good,” Memoli said as I tried a falafel sample from Le Botaniste. Then, halfway through the setlist, the West Side Y hosted a gentle stretch that got everyone working off their lunch.

With such popularity, the greatest challenge Lincoln Square BID faces has been the weather. From the heat or rain, both of which have been prominent this summer, the not-for-profit reserves Friday as its backup day. When an earlier event was moved due to weather, the loyal crowd of jazz-goers came out in full bloom, and the only challenge was “finding a seat for everyone,” the opposite of what you might expect on a rainy day.

Susan Hinkson, a new neighbor to the Upper West Side, is a longtime lover of jazz. “I’ve seen them set up, but this is my first time experiencing the concert.” Enjoying the songs, she told me how she sings jazz herself, has music on Spotify, and will even perform this autumn. “After a long time of sitting behind desks, this will be a new endeavor.”

At the July 9 concert, listeners watched vocalist Kathryn Farmer perform, along with a band consisting of a drummer, bassist, pianist, and saxophonist. Farmer, who grew up in Greenburgh, NY, spent her childhood enveloped in jazz. “My father had lots of jazz records, but I didn’t realize until later how good they were,” she told Straus News between sets. With an exceptional 4.5-octave range, Farmer graduated from the New England Conservatory and performed with greats such as Santi Debriano, Jimmy Smith, and Lester Bowie. (She also learned to play the organ, though there was no organ in the park today.)

As Farmer’s crystal-clear vocals sparkled in classics like “Come Rain or Come Shine,” and “Hit the Road, Jack,” folks danced on the small stage, couples held hands and swayed gently with the cozy old tunes, and others, just stopping for a bite to eat, were graced with a show at lunchtime. A statue of Italian poet Dante Alighieri, for whom the park is named, watched over the scene from behind the band.

”I like to dance, if you haven’t realized. The minute the music starts, I’m dancing,” Farmer wove into the intro of a groovy song.

Farmer has spent the last few months performing across Bangkok and Tokyo, but still understands the value in a local concert on the city streets. “I love this venue: It brings music to people, especially elderly people, it’s wonderful.” Like most of the watchers, Farmer is a NYC local, too. “I’ll be coming back just to watch.”

Jack, a neighborhood resident, has been coming to the event for years and is particularly drawn to the lyrics. “I like coming for the vocalists,” he said. As a trumpeter, he has performed all across the city—the American Legion in Brooklyn, Columbia University, later at Lehman College, and now he enjoys summer jazz with his community.
The lineup of performers is Svetlana & The New York Collective on July 23; Trumpet Summit One: James Zollar with John Bailey and Kalí Rodríguez-Peña on July 30; Carla Cook and Friends on Aug. 6; Jeremy Carlstedt on Aug. 13; Tenor Madness featuring Jason Marshall and Keith Loftis on Aug. 20; Emily Braden Quartet on Aug. 27; Person2Person featuring Eric and Houston Person on Sept. 3; Lucy Yeghiazaryan Trio on Sept. 10; and Bobby Harden on Sept. 17.
In its mission to bring culture and connections to Lincoln Square, Lincoln Square BID has clearly been successful. Once a week at noon, you can enjoy tasty food, listen to spirited music, and meet thoughtful people. Throughout its history, jazz has always had a way of uniting people, and it continues to do so for an hour and a half every Wednesday this summer.

Jazz performances run until Sept. 17, from noon to 1:30pm in Dante Park, West 64th Street between Broadway and Columbus Avenue.

“Along with jazz, we try to bring commerce and culture, and promote local businesses.” — Ralph Memoli, executive VP of the Lincoln Square BID

MANHATTAN (WABC) — The Lincoln Square Business Improvement District kicked off its Summer Jazz Sensations series on Friday.

The free concerts run every Wednesday through September 17th from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Dante Park, at Broadway between 63rd and 64th Streets.

Attendees can enjoy outdoor performances by local, iconic and well-known jazz artists in the heart of the Lincoln Square neighborhood.

In the event of rain, the concerts are scheduled to be help on Friday.

“We love seeing the seats filled with jazzed up locals and visitors enjoying an afternoon of music and exploring a new shop or restaurant on their outing in such a welcoming neighborhood. This year’s lineup is bringing incredible jazz musicians who have played around the world right to our own backyard for a series you won’t want to miss. This year is set to be our best concert series yet,” said Monica Blum, President of the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District.

Link to Original Story

By Mike Mishkin, I Love the Upper West Side

Wednesday, June 21 is the first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice – the longest day of the year. To celebrate the great outdoors, we’ve provided you with a list of ways to enjoy it.

The 17th annual Make Music New York festival (on June 21) will offer free performances at locations throughout the five boroughs, with three of those locations on the Upper West Side:

• One participating location on the Upper West Side will be the Open Street of West 103rd between Broadway and West End Avenue, where festivities will run from 3:30-8:30 p.m. This will include six musical acts, a kid’s obstacle course, a sketch artist, tarot card readings, backgammon and more. Here’s a flyer for the event.
• Make Music New York will also take place on Pier I (at West 70th Street in Riverside Park South), with two performances between 5-7 p.m. Here’s more info about those free concerts.
• Lastly, three performances will be taking place at the Martin Luther King, Jr. High School terrace. This will be between 4-7 p.m., and details can be found here.

The Lincoln Square BID will also be launching its Summer Jazz Sensations series on Wednesday from 12-1:30 p.m. at Dante Square Park at 64th and Broadway. Kicking things off will be saxophonist Eric Person’s Soul Saturation. According to the BID, the opening day reception will also be attended by local officials and BID president Monica Blum. Here’s a bit more info about this series, which will run through August 30.

June 21 is also World Yoga Day, and from 6-9 p.m., free yoga-related festivities for kids and adults will be taking place at Waterline Square Park, located between 59th and 60th streets along Riverside Boulevard. Here’s the schedule.

On Thursday, June 22 from 6:30-8:30 p.m., the Hudson Classical Theater Company will perform Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” on the North Plaza of The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument at West 89th Street and Riverside Drive. More details can be found here here.

As part of NYC Parks’ free summer movies series, a screening of The Woman King will be taking place on Friday, June 23 from 9-11:45 p.m. at Tecumseh Playground (78th and Amsterdam Avenue). Here’s some info about the movie. Bring your own blanket. Alcohol and glass bottles are prohibited. Here’s the official event listing by NYC Parks.

UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — One more sign that New York City is opening up comes courtesy of the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District, which has a free program called Jazz Sensations at Dante Park.

The tiny park sits at the intersection of Columbus Avenue and Broadway, between 63rd and 64th streets, directly opposite Lincoln Center.

Every Wednesday through August, there will be free lunchtime jazz performances starting at noon.

If it’s raining at that time, then the music moves to midday on Friday.

It’s a chance to take a break in the middle of Manhattan under a canopy of mature trees. That’s pure delight for singer Gabriele Tranchina.

“We are connected to nature,” she said. “We are also connected to the people around us.”

It’s a connection that’s all the more valuable because we were without it for so long during the pandemic.

“When you finally get back to doing what you love, you’re bursting with energy, enthusiasm, and you just want to give even more than you did before,” saxophonist Eric Person said.

The two artists are paid to perform by the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District, but it’s played at no cost to all who pass by.

“We make the neighborhood clean, safe, beautiful, and fun,” the group’s president, Monica Blum, said. “And this is the fun part.”

Link to Original Story