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Cheryl L. Duncan 201-332-8338 917-981-1842 (c) NEW YORK (June 8, 2009)—Jazzmobile, which presents New York’s oldest continuous summer Jazz festival reaching approximately 100,000 annually, will kick off its 2009 summer season with a three-borough concert tour, featuring jazz great Randy Weston, on Sunday, June 21. The performances, are part of the Make Music New York Festival, a free day of outdoor concerts throughout the five boroughs held each year to mark the first day of summer. The esteemed Harlem institution, which has been bringing its special brand of summer mobile concerts to the parks and streets of New York since 1964, is celebrating its 45th anniversary during Summerfest with headliners like Frank Wess, the Frank Foster Big Band, Wycliffe Gordon, Houston Person, Jimmy Heath, the Arturo O’Farrill Big Band, Eunice Newkirk, Lou Donaldson, Bobby Sanabria, Vanessa Rubin, Jeremy Pelt, the Jazzmobile Allstars with Cecil Bridgewater and The Duke Ellington Legacy Band, featuring Edward Ellington II. The launch consists of the legendary jazz pianist Randy Weston performing a tribute in honor of the late Ghanaian drummer Kofi Ghanaba with an outdoor concert in partnership with the Jazz Gallery outside their location in SoHo at 3:30 p.m., as well as concerts by the Jose Obando Trio at the Bronx Museum of Art at 3:00 p.m. and saxophonist Lily White in the Flushing Town Hall Gardens at 4:00 p.m. Jazzmobile’s June 21 concerts herald its Summerfest, which begins on July 7 at Carl Schurz Park with a performance by Winard Harper and the Dion Parson 21st Century Band, with special guest appearance by Dr. Billy Taylor. Beginning on July 8 and continuing through August 28, popular Jazzmobile performers will take to the stage each Wednesday and Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Grant’s Tomb and “As the longest-running major Jazz festival in New York City, Jazzmobile is both proud and thankful to the musicians, our board members, the Jazzmobile team, our sponsors and the great citizens of New York, who have invested their time and support over the years,” said Jazzmobile President and CEO Robin Bell-Stevens. “Your dedication has inspired us to hold an 18-month celebration of this important milestone, our 45th Anniversary.” This summer Jazzmobile will present two festivals, the Harlem International Jazz Festival (HIJF), celebrating international Jazz artists at venues across Jazzmobile thanks Governor David A. Paterson and the New York State Council on the Arts, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and its lead sponsors the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corp. (UMEZ) and Chase Bank. About Jazzmobile, Inc: Jazzmobile, Inc., the oldest not for profit arts organization created just for jazz in the country, was founded in 1964 by jazz master Dr. Billy Taylor and Daphne Arnstein. Its mission is to present, preserve, promote, and propagate Jazz – “ JAZZMOBILE SUMMER SCHEDULE FOLLOWS 2009 Jazzmobile Summer Concert Schedule Schedule In Formation/Schedule Subject to Change Jazzmobile Jazz Vocal Competition Mon., July 27 6:30 PM Finals, Winner $10 admission – RSVP required Tues., 7 July 7:30 PM Winard Harper/Dion Parson 21st Century Band with special guest appearance by Dr. Billy Taylor Wed., 8 July 7:00 PM Grant's Tomb – Thurs., 9 July 7:30 PM Bobby Sanabria & Ascencion – Latin Swing Dance Party $15 admission Fri., 10 July 7:00 PM Winard Harper/Craig Harris Sat., 11 July 2:00 PM George Gee Big Band /Arturo O’Farrill Big Band/ Great Jazz on the Great Hill – Mon., 13 July 7:00 PM Tues., 14 July 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM Satima Bea Benjamin, T.K. Blue, Luc Delannoy Jam Session & Panel Discussion—Music & Migration: Reflections 555 RSVP required: 212-866-3616 Jazzmobile Summerfest Sat., 11 July 3:00 PM Danny Mixon Wed., 15 July 7:00 PM Frank Foster Big Band Grant's Tomb – Thurs., 16 July 7:00 PM Lou Donaldson Fri., 17 July 7:00 PM Vanessa Rubin Mon., 20 July 7:00 PM Vanessa Rubin Tues., 21 July 7:00 PM Danny Mixon Wed., 22 July 7:00 PM Akiko Tsuruga Grant's Tomb – Thurs., 23 July 7:00 PM Ghanniyya Green Fri., 24 July 7:00 PM *Sun., 26 July 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM “A Great Day in Eunice Newkirk Grant’s Tomb Mon., 27 July 7:00 PM Antoinette Montague Tues., 28 July 7:00 PM Eunice Newkirk Wed., 29 July 7:00 PM Wycliffe Gordon Grant's Tomb – Thurs., 30 July 7:00 PM Lily White Roosevelt Island – Fri., 31 July 7:00 PM Lonnie Youngblood Sat., 1 August 3:00 PM Annette A. Aguilar & Stringbeans Mon., 3 August 7:00 PM Lou Donaldson
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