Blue Note Launches Inaugural Jazz Fest

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Parent Category: Other Festivals

Category: Music

Published on Friday, 10 June 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

The Blue Note Jazz Club celebrates its 30th Anniversary with its inaugural Blue Note Jazz Festival from June 1 - 30, 2011 in the heart of Greenwich Village, New York City.

This is the year’s largest New York jazz festival, with several jazz greats, many of whom have performed at the Blue Note for years, set to perform, including

• Dave Brubeck
• Chris Botti
• Nancy Wilson
• Bobby McFerrin
• Brian Wilson
• The Roots
• Chaka Kahn
• Roberta Flack
• El Gran Combo
• Jon Hendricks
• Kathleen Battle
• McCoy Tyner
• Youssou N’Dour
• Bill Frisell
• Meshell Ndegeocello
• Madeleine Peyroux

and many more. 

Since its inception in 1981, the Blue Note has become a cultural institution in New York and one of the premier jazz clubs in the world. Jazz is undoubtedly America's music, and while the Blue Note strives to celebrate the music's great history, the club is a place where progression and innovation - the foundation of jazz - are encouraged and practiced on a nightly basis.

"Thirty years ago, I never could have dreamed that the Blue Note would become what it is today," owner and operator Danny Bensusan said of his famed jazz club.

"It wasn’t easy to convince the artists to play here at first. We had help from some of the musicians who believed in what we were trying to do -- Ray Brown and Dizzy Gillespie, in particular -- and as we started bringing in bigger names, the reputation of the club grew. Once they played the Blue Note, they always wanted to come back, because there is an intimacy here between the audience and the musician that is appealing to everyone."

While the Blue Note Jazz Festival celebrates the club’s accomplishments and legendary artists, Bensusan believes the Blue Note’s future success will come from exposing new artists, captivating new audiences and investing in jazz education.

In light of this, the Blue Note Jazz Festival includes a series at the Mercury Lounge devoted to young up-and-coming artists in a variety of genres, as well as the new Spontaneous Construction Series at the Blue Note presented by Search & Restore, which pairs young, experimental artists together for the first time.

Additionally, the Blue Note Jazz Festival will sponsor educational programs for the non-profit organization JazzReach and its "ELLINGTON!" program at the Highline Ballroom, which will host hundreds of New York City Public School students each day over a period of three afternoons.

For Bensusan, the Blue Note Jazz Festival is a reflection of where the Blue Note has been, but most importantly, an indication of what lies ahead.

"I’m proud that after 30 years, the Blue Note has become an important institution in New York and that with the Blue Note Jazz Festival, we are continuing to expand and work toward making the Blue Note as good as it can be."

Shows are also scheduled at

• BB King Blues Club & Grill
• Beacon Theatre
• Highline Ballroom
• Joe’s Pub
• Le Poisson Rouge
• The Lehman Center for Performing Arts
• Mercury Lounge
• Rose Hall at Lincoln Center
• Terminal 5
• Town Hall

For more information, go to www.BlueNoteJazzFestival.com.

Blue Note Jazz Festival
June 1 - 30, 2011

Blue Note Jazz Club
131 W. 3rd St. (betw 6th Ave & McDougal St.)
New York City
212-475-8592
www.bluenotejazz.com

B.B. King Blues Club & Grill
237 West 42nd St
New York City
212-997-4144
www.bbkingblues.com

The Beacon Theatre
2124 Broadway
New York City

Highline Ballroom
431 West 16th Street
New York City
www.highlineballroom.com

Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette Street
New York City

Mercury Lounge
217 E Houston Street # A
New York City

Le Poisson Rouge
158 Bleecker Street
New York City

Rose Theater
in Frederick P. Rose Hall
Broadway at 60th Street
Columbus Circle
New York City

The Town Hall
123 West 43rd Street
New York City

Terminal 5
610 West 56th Street
New York City

Lehman Center for the Performing Arts
250 Bedford Park Blvd West
Bronx, New York

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