From John Coltrane to Jimmy Heath to Joshua Redman, Sarah Vaughan to Dianne Reeves to Cécile McLorin Salvant, Thelonious Monk to Bill Evans to Hank Jones to Kenny Barron – for nearly 70 years, The 92nd Street Y has been a home to the greatest artists in jazz.
In fact, jazz has had a presence at 92NY for more than a century. In 1918, the Jumuly Jazz Band entertained patrons the night before Thanksgiving. In the 1920s and ‘30s, evenings of parlor jazz were hosted. In 1955, jazz became a pillar of our concerts programming with a Modern Jazz Festival featuring giants in the making, including Monk, Charles Mingus, and others. The 1960s brought Coltrane, Betty Carter, and more. In 1985, piano legend Dick Hyman founded Jazz in July, giving birth to a new era of jazz programming and prominence in our hall, and launching a festival – led by Artistic Director Bill Charlap for the past 18 years – that has become the place for summer jazz in NYC.
In celebration of our 150th anniversary year, we’re looking back at the artists and genres who inspired 92NY’s music programming throughout our history. And we’re celebrating singular elements of that programming in a new annual summer festival, Midsummer MusicFest. In this first year, the spotlight shines on jazz. It all begins with a week of fabulous events celebrating the influence of jazz on other art forms and genres – from musical theater to dance to classical music – leading into two weeks of starry concerts in our beloved Jazz in July festival.
Midsummer MusicFest kicks off Tue, Jul 11, with an evening featuring the megawatt artistry of Broaday entertainer Norm Lewis. In a you-don’t-want-to-miss-this co-presentation with Harkness Dance Center, a collaborative performance by tap and swing dance sensation Caleb Teicher and the captivating jazz vocalist Veronica Swift is followed by a swing dance party led by Teicher and featuring the swing dance band Charles Turner & Uptown Swing in The Arnhold Center’s Buttenwieser Hall (Thu, Jul 13). And acclaimed pianist-composer Vijay Iyer joins forces with Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (Sun, Jul 16) for the New York premiere of his own suite for chamber orchestra and jazz trio, along with Ellington from Orpheus, and more.
Jazz in July 2023 features a phenomenal line-up curated by Bill Charlap. The season opens with NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater joining trumpeter Nicholas Payton and the Bill Charlap Trio (Tue, Jul 18). Additional highlights include concerts featuring the exemplary pianist Aaron Diehl (Thu, Jul 20), guitar icon John Scofield (Tue, Jul 25), and more, a first-ever 92NY solo piano concert by Charlap in the intimate space of Buttenwieser Hall (Wed, Jul 26), and a blow-out season finale jazz party featuring Jazz in July all-stars John Pizzarelli, Renee Rosnes, Ken Peplowski, and more (Thu, Jul 27).
The world’s most renowned artists. Combinations of talent and genres that won’t be experienced elsewhere. Never-before and never-again nights of magic. Join us to celebrate it all, with a festival inspired by the artists whose music is an enduring part of our legacy – and this summer, with three weeks of unparalleled jazz, when our 150th anniversary year will literally be in full “swing!” Tickets here.
Jazz at 92NY is partially endowed by a generous gift from Simona and Jerome A. z”l Chazen. Major support is also provided by Evelene Wechsler and Barbara Tober.
The July 18 & July 27 performances are underwritten by Producers Circle member Evelene Wechsler.
Midsummer MusicFest 2023: Jul 11-27. Details at 92NY.org/Jazz