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Emmet Cohen Quartet, Joel Ross, Melissa Aldana and Pete Malinverni to Headline JazzFest White Plains Concerts Sept. 11-15
More than 20 free and affordable performances taking place throughout White Plains
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. (Sept. 5, 2019) – The good vibes will be flowing throughout downtown White Plains as JazzFest presents over 20 free and affordable concerts from September 11-15. Headlining this year’s celebration of music and culture are rising stars and jazz legends including Pete Malinverni, Joel Ross’s “Good Vibes” featuring Melissa Aldana, and the Emmet Cohen Quartet featuring two of jazz’s greatest players, George Coleman and Jimmy Cobb.
For a full event schedule and to purchase advanced tickets to these headlining performances, please visit artsw.org/jazzfest.
“JazzFest features some of the most talented musicians you will ever hear, but it’s also so much more. It’s a celebration of cultures, communities and the beautiful individuals who make it all come to life,” said ArtsWestchester CEO Janet T. Langsam. “I invite people of all ages and interests to join us. Once you discover the joy that this music and this festival inspires, I’m sure you’ll be coming back year after year just like so many others. I’ll see you there!”
Kicking off the ArtsWestchester performances on Thursday, September 12, is Pete Malinverni’s Jazz-Chester, featuring Ralph Lalama, Wayne Tucker, Mikey Migliore and Aaron Seeber. Malinverni is Head of Jazz Studies at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. He has been a fixture on the New York City jazz scene since moving there in the early 1980s, and has recorded and performed with a host of masters, including Joe Lovano, Vernel Fournier, Charles Davis, Mel Lewis, Dennis Irwin, Jon Faddis, Karrin Allyson, Steve Wilson and many others. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $25. A Jazz Jam will immediately follow at 10 p.m. Entry is only $10 and audience members are invited to sign up to join the jam.
Friday night’s ArtWestchester performance on September 13 will feature two sets – 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. – with Chicago native and rising star Joel Ross. Twice selected as a Thelonious Monk Institute National All-Star, he has performed with established artists such as Herbie Hancock, Louis Hayes and Christian McBride, as well as with cutting-edge contemporaries like Gerald Clayton, Jon Batiste and more. He’s also performed at the Brubeck, Monterey, Seattle and Chicago Jazz Festivals, and recently completed a two-year fellowship with the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet in California. The 7:30 p.m. performance will feature his ‘Good Vibes’ band in a quintet formation.
Ross will be joined for a 9 p.m. performance by Chilean saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana. In 2013, Aldana became both the first female instrumentalist and the first South American to win the Thelonious Monk Competition. She is also a recipient of the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and a double recipient of the Altazor Award, Chile’s prestigious national arts prize. Tickets are $20 for the 7:30 p.m. performance or $35 for both performances.
On Saturday, September 14, JazzFest heads to the White Plains Performing Arts Center for a highlight performance of the Emmet Cohen Quartet featuring George Coleman and Jimmy Cobb. Showtime is 8 p.m. and tickets range from $29 to $44.
Recognized as a prodigy who began playing at the age of three, multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen has emerged as one of his generation’s pivotal figures in music. Cohen is the recent winner of the American Pianists Association’s prestigious 2019 Cole Porter Fellowship. George Coleman, among many accomplishments, was recognized as a National Endowment of the Arts “Jazz Master.” He has played in Max Roach’s band, was a member of the Miles Davis quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, and played on Hancock’s landmark Blue Note recording, Maiden Voyage. Jimmy Cobb made his name in support of Dinah Washington, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery and Sarah Vaughan, and on hundreds of studio sessions. As the drummer on Davis’ legendary album Kind of Blue, Cobb may be the most frequently heard drummer in jazz history.
In addition to these exciting headliners, over 20 free concerts will be taking place throughout the city, from the farmer’s market to the bars and restaurants to the library and more.
The celebration will culminate with the White Plains Jazz & Food Festival from 12 noon to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 15. Music and entry are free, with food and beverage vendors taking over Mamaroneck Avenue in front of the historic ArtsWestchester building.
Five bands will grace the stage throughout the day, ending on a high note with the New Orleans sounds of two-time Grammy-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne and The Gotham Kings.
- Lagond Music All-Stars, 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
- Art Bennett and The Organic Ensemble, 1:05 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
- Mwenso & The Shakes, 2:10 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Trio, 3:20 p.m. – 4:10 p.m.
- Alphonso Horne and The Gotham Kings, 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
For the full 5-day JazzFest White Plains concert schedule or to purchase tickets, visit: artsw.org/jazzfest
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Noon | Nanny Assis Trio (FREE)
Downtown Music at Grace Church, 33 Church St.
Bahia native Nanny Assis is a singer, drummer, percussionist and songwriter. He is a master of Brazilian Jazz, Afro-Brazilian music and other popular and folkloric sounds from his homeland.
12:30pm | Kristina Koller (FREE)
Court Street Farmer’s Market, 59 Court St.
As a vocalist, arranger and composer, Kristina Koller pushes “vocal jazz” in a new direction. Her music melds different genres with uplifting traditional jazz standards.
5:30-9:30pm | Downtown White Plains Jazz Stroll (FREE ENTRY)
5:30pm | Mediterraneo White Plains (189 Main St.) | Albert Rivera Quartet
Saxophonist Albert Rivera has toured North America and played at venues such as the River Room in Harlem and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Lincoln Center. In 2009, he was the recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award.
6:30pm | Morton’s The Steakhouse (5 Mamaroneck Ave.) | Pablo Mayor’s Folklore Urbano NYC Trio Pablo Mayor is one of the leading contemporary voices of Colombian music. His trio combines the native rhythms of Colombia with Jazz, Salsa, and Cuban Charanga. The Folklore Urbano NYC Trio has been heard throughout the USA, including renowned venues across the NYC area, as well as Canada and Colombia.
7:30pm | The Ritz-Carlton, Westchester (3 Renaissance Square) | The Brian Carter Quartet
Jazz drummer Brian Carter has affiliations with many musicians, including Bob Baldwin, Gil Parris, Bernie Williams, Eddie Henderson, Wali Ali, Nico Morelli and the late Didier Lockwood.
8:30pm | Sunset Restaurant Bar (49 Mamaroneck Ave.) | Gilberto Colon Jr. & Ensalada De Pulpo Gilberto “Pulpo” Colón Jr. is a pianist, composer, arranger, producer and band leader best known for his role as Musical Director for salsa superstar Héctor Lavoe. Colón has worked & recorded with some of Latin music’s most popular artists.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Noon | Jazz at Noon: Eunha So Quartet (FREE)
White Plains Public Library Plaza, 100 Martine Ave.
Pianist and composer Eunha So plays across genres, from classical to jazz. She has trained under several prominent artists, including Eric Gunnison, Art Lande, and Pete Malinverni. She is a graduate of SUNY Purchase’s graduate program in Jazz Studies.
6:30pm | Keyon Harrold (FREE)
Outdoor Plaza at 5 City Place
Keyon Harrold, who was raised in Ferguson, Missouri, was schooled in the straight-ahead jazz tradition. The trumpeter has been featured on more than one hundred jazz, R&B, hip-hop, gospel and blues albums, in addition to Miles Ahead, the Grammy Award-winning movie about Miles Davis. Harrold has recorded or performed with Gregory Porter, Prince, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige and many others. Rain location: City Center, 3rd floor lobby
8pm | Pete Malinverni’s Jazz-Chester, feat. Ralph Lalama, Mike Migliore and Aaron Seeber ($25)
ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave.
Pete Malinverni is Head of Jazz Studies at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. He has been a fixture on the New York City jazz scene since moving there in the early 1980s, and has recorded fourteen times as a leader in solo piano, trio, quartet, quintet, big band and choral contexts. During his time in NYC, Malinverni has recorded and performed with a host of masters, including Joe Lovano, Vernel Fournier, Charles Davis, Mel Lewis, Dennis Irwin, Jon Faddis, Karrin Allyson, Steve Wilson and many others.
10pm | Jazz Jam ($10) ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave.
Audience members can sign up for a jazz jam led by Jake Robinson of the Music Conservatory of Westchester, Ed Palermo of Hoff-Barthelson Music School, Bob Gingery from Concordia Conservatory and Pete Malinverni from SUNY Purchase College.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
Noon | Jazz at Noon: The Marcio Garcia Trio (FREE)
White Plains Public Library Plaza, 100 Martine Ave.
Dominican pianist, composer and educator Marcio Garcia has performed at the Stanford Jazz Institute, the 2016 Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, Five Points Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Blue Note NYC, Birdland and Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola.
5pm | Kotoko Brass (FREE)
White Plains Plaza, 1 N. Broadway
Kotoko Brass melds the traditional drum rhythms of Ghana, the sturdy bass and keyboards of the Caribbean, and the joyous horns of New Orleans to forge a new sound of its own. The band has shared the stage with Femi Kuti, the California Honeydrops, Vieux Farka Toure, Innov Gnawa, Take 6, the Boston Pops and more.
7:30pm | Joel Ross ‘Good Vibes’ ($20 for 7:30pm | $35 for both 7:30 & 9pm)
ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave.
Chicago native Joel Ross, twice selected as a Thelonious Monk Institute National All-Star and a 2013 Young Arts Jazz Finalist, has performed with established artists like Herbie Hancock, Louis Hayes and Christian McBride, as well as with cutting-edge contemporaries like Gerald Clayton, Jon Batiste and more. He’s also perform at the Brubeck, Monterey, Seattle and Chicago Jazz Festivals, and internationally-celebrated venues like Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola in New York, SF Jazz in San Francisco, and Club Vibrato in Los Angeles. Ross recently completed a two year fellowship with the Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet in California. Tonight’s performance will feature ‘Good Vibes’ in a quintet formation.
9pm | Joel Ross ‘Good Vibes’ feat. Melissa Aldana ($20 for 7:30pm | $35 for both 7:30 & 9pm)
ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave.
Chilean saxophonist and composer Melissa Aldana has had a remarkably rapid evolution, from being a six-year-old sax prodigy to now being widely considered one of the most compelling tenor saxophonists on the scene. In 2013, Aldana became both the first female instrumentalist and the first South American to win the Thelonious Monk Competition. She is also a recipient of the Martin E. Segal Award from Lincoln Center and a double recipient of the Altazor Award, Chile’s prestigious national arts prize. Aldana has released four recordings as a leader. Recently, she premiered the commissioned suite, Visions for Frida Kahlo, before touring Brazil, Europe and Australia with her quartet. Aldana joins Joel Ross ‘Good Vibes’ for this 9pm performance.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
2pm | Jazz at the Galleria Youth Showcase (FREE)
Galleria White Plains, 100 Main St.
Drop by the Galleria and enjoy a musical showcase featuring Westchester’s top young jazz musicians. Groups include the Sleepy Hollow Jazz Combo with Austin Day, The Hoff-Barthelson Jazz Ensemble with Ed Palermo and the Tim Veeder Quartet with students from the White Plains High School.
2pm | Hands-On Jazz for Families (FREE)
White Plains Public Library, 100 Martine Ave.
Join teachers from The Music Conservatory of Westchester for a participatory music event at the White Plains Public Library.
8pm | Emmet Cohen Quartet feat. George Coleman & Jimmy Cobb $29-44
White Plains Performing Arts Center, 11 City Place
Recognized as a prodigy who began playing at age three, multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen has emerged as one of his generation’s pivotal figures in music. Cohen is the recent winner of the American Pianists Association’s prestigious 2019 Cole Porter Fellowship. In this performance, his ensemble will be joined by two of jazz’s greatest figures, George Coleman and Jimmy Cobb. Among countless accomplishments, Coleman was recognized as a National Endowment of the Arts “Jazz Master,” played in Max Roach’s band, was a member of the Miles Davis quintet with Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Tony Williams, and played on Hancock’s landmark Blue Note recording, Maiden Voyage. Jimmy Cobb made his name in support of Dinah Washington, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery and Sarah Vaughan, and on hundreds of studio sessions. As the drummer on Davis’ legendary album Kind of Blue, Cobb may be the most frequently heard (if not the best known) drummer in jazz history.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15:
Noon-5:30pm | White Plains Jazz & Food Festival (FREE ENTRY)
Mamaroneck Ave. at Main St.
Noon-12:45pm | Lagond Music All-Stars
Lagond Music School presents a lineup of some of Westchester County’s finest young musicians. The ensemble performs a range of music from Latin jazz to danceable funk.
1:05-1:50pm | Art Bennett and The Organic Ensemble
Saxophonist Art Bennett was born and raised in White Plains, where he first began studying jazz. Active in the “Loft Jazz” movement of the 1970s in New York City, he has performed with greats Lonnie Smith, Rashied Ali, Roy Brooks, Willian Parker and many others.
2:10–3pm | Mwenso & The Shakes
Taking from the stylings of Fats Waller, Muddy Waters, James Brown and other American musical legends, Mwenso & The Shakes put on an electrifying show. Immigrating from Sierra Leone, London, South Africa, Greenwich Village, Madagascar, France, Jamaica and Hawaii, the Shakes now call Harlem their home.
3:20–4:10pm | Camille Thurman with The Darrell Green Trio
Camille Thurman is a “rising star” (Downbeat Magazine) who excels in both saxophone – from which energy soars, and vocals – from which she embraces a soulful dynamism and spirited “Fitzgerald-esque” (All About Jazz) scat. She has performed for audiences throughout the world.
4:30–5:30pm | Alphonso Horne and The Gotham Kings
Two-time Grammy Award-nominated trumpeter Alphonso Horne has put together a band that weaves the sound of New Orleans into a rich musical fabric that demonstrates the history of the trumpet and the story of jazz. Inspired by the music of King Oliver Creole Jazz Band, The Gotham Kings use the virtuosity of the young Louis Armstrong and innovative genius of King Oliver to take you on a journey of sound that encompasses rags, stomps, shouts and funk.
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