Photo Credit: Jennifer Taylor
Presented by Bank of America
Featuring Free Events in Partnership with Renowned NYC Arts Institutions Including Jazzmobile, Carnegie Hall Citywide, World Music Institute, Asian American Arts Alliance, The Town Hall, and Belongó
Bryant Park Picnic Performances presented by Bank of America has an exciting season of free, live jazz performance lined up for the summer of 2024. All shows are free to the public and designed to be enjoyed casually – no tickets required – with more than 700 picnic blankets for audience members to borrow and ample chairs available.
2024 summer jazz highlights include:
- Jazzmobile celebrates the Centennial of legendary jazz vocalist Sarah Vaughan, “The Divine One,” with a jubilant performance by the acclaimed vocalist Charenée Wade and her septet.
- Carnegie Hall Citywide presents concerts in July and August, including the acclaimed South African musician Thandiswa Mazwai, Grammy Award-nominated bandleader of The Late Show Band Louis Cato, the high-energy Afrojazz trailblazer Michael Olatuja and Lagos Pepper Soup, and red-hot salsa dura band La Excelencia.
- World Music Institute welcomes Ghanaian highlife band Gyedu-Blay Ambolley (NYC debut).
- Asian American Arts Alliance features MacArthur ‘Genius’ pianist Vijay Iyer and his trio.
- The beloved Bryant Park tradition Accordions Around the World returns with 2024 Grammy nominee Zydeco star Dwayne Dopsie and Latin funk band Afro Dominicano.
- The Town Hall and Belongó celebrate John Barry’s iconic James Bond music with an all-star lineup of musicians led by Arturo O’Farrill with the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, and composer arranger and slide trumpet master Steven Bernstein, together with exciting surprise special guests.
Many of this season’s performances will be livestreamed for free on Bryant Park’s social media channels and website, reaching national and international audiences. Additional media support is provided by public radio stations WBGO and WQXR. View an archive of performances from previous years here.
Food and drink are available for purchase from a curated lineup of local vendors near the lawn. At all performances, attendees can discover new dishes and celebrate classics from the five boroughs with a rotating line-up of artisanal vendors by Hester Street Fair. Stout NYC offers light bites as well as a selection of beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages for purchase.
Additional artist and performance information will be available in the coming months. For the most current information please visit bryantpark.org/picnics.
Bryant Park Picnic Performances 2024
Jazz Programming
Jazzmobile
Sarah Vaughan Centennial Featuring Charenée Wade
Celebrating the 100th birthday of legendary jazz singer Sarah Vaughan with acclaimed vocalist Charenée Wade and her septet.
“Sarah Vaughan was the first vocalist that attracted me to Jazz at an early age,” says Charenée Wade. “Her warm and rich tone was mesmerizing, her storytelling, improvisation, playful expressiveness, and her “swanging” soulfulness set a new standard for artists all around the world. She is the epitome of a great jazz musician and all generations of artists should listen and can learn from her recordings and expansive body of work. They called her Sassy, but she is truly the Divine One.”
Known for expert vocal improvisational ability and her seriously swinging groove, Brooklyn native Charenée Wade evokes a classic jazz sound akin to Betty Carter and Sarah Vaughan, two of her musical touchstones. With her Motéma debut, Offering: The Music of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson, she pays tribute to another inspiration, the socially conscious poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, and confirms that she too plans to use her artist platform thoughtfully. The first full-length album tribute to Scott-Heron and his musical collaborator Brian Jackson by a woman artist, Offering is arresting in just how timely Scott-Heron’s messages are today and how perfectly Wade delivers them through her savvy arrangements and intimate jazz interpretations. While she has earned many accolades – first runner-up in New York’s Jazzmobile Vocal competition; a participant in Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program; a feature on NPR’s Song Travels; a starring role in the off-Broadway show Café Society and in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Salute to Betty Carter – she may surprise people with this authentic tour de force. Wade gives ample evidence on this remarkable debut as to why she is one of the most exciting, distinctive and bold young musical talents on the rise today. Wade has performed with Bobby Sanabria, Aaron Diehl, Oran Etkin, Robert Glasper and MacArthur Fellow and choreographer Kyle Abraham, among others, and at venues and festivals worldwide including Montreux and Spoleto. A singer, composer, arranger and educator, Wade teaches at Juilliard Jazz and is also a professor at the Aaron Copland School at Queens College. In 2017 Wade received the Jazz At Lincoln Center Millennial Swing Award, and was just recently appointed to Peabody Institute.
Carnegie Hall Citywide
Thandiswa Mazwai
South Africa’s Thandiswa Mazwai is a chart-topping singer, songwriter, and bandleader with a passionate worldwide following. Always popular with New York City audiences, she has electrified crowds at Afropunk, the Apollo Theater, GlobalFEST at Lincoln Center, and more. Fresh off the release of her latest album, Sankofa, Mazwai’s performance is a celebration of Pan-Africanism and blends jazz, South African Xhosa music, and a variety of contemporary West-African influences.
Louis Cato
Multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Louis Cato is best recognized today as the bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but Cato—an enormously versatile and collaborative musician—has worked with such varied artists as John Legend, Talib Kweli, Bobby McFerrin, Snarky Puppy, A Tribe Called Quest, Q-Tip, Jack White, Jon Batiste, and others. On top of being one of today’s most in-demand players, Cato is increasingly carving out his own name as an artist.
Michael Olatuja & Lagos Pepper Soup
One of today’s most inventive bassists, the London-born, Lagos-raised Michael Olatuja has worked with Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Angelique Kidjo, Shakira, Phil Collins, Rod Stewart, Hugh Masekela, Terence Blanchard, and Joe Lovano, and many others. He’s also a major presence in the bands of Broadway, films scores of directors like Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. In this outdoor performance, he shares selections from his acclaimed Lagos Pepper Soup album and brand-new songs that blend energetic Afrobeat, jazz, and funk into what Olatuja calls “a zesty, sonic stew that honors the ancient Xulu word ‘umbuntu,’ which means, ‘we are all connected.’”
La Excelencia
New York City’s La Excelencia is an award-winning salsa dura band inspired by the sounds of the ‘70s and the sociopolitical landscape of today. Combining traditional salsa elements with a modern and unabashedly hard-hitting energy, La Excelencia inspires dancers and invigorates listeners alike. On this Friday night in Bryant Park, enjoy a free hometown performance by these internationally renowned salsa stalwarts. “It takes just a note or two to hear that La Excelencia is different,” writes The New York Times. “The real deal doesn’t show up that often, and here it is. Celebrate it.”
World Music Institute
Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Artist TBA
The groundbreaking African highlife band from Ghana makes its New York City debut.
For the first time in America, Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and an eight-piece band will perform his 1975 debut album, Simigwa, in its entirety! Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is a musical luminary hailing from Ghana, West Africa, with a staggering 29 albums under his belt. Known affectionately as the “Simigwa Do Man,” Ambolley’s musical journey began in the vibrant port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, in the Western Region of Ghana. His early fascination with music blossomed into a lifelong passion. From mastering his father’s flute at the tender age of eight to honing his guitar skills under the mentorship of “Uncle Bonku,” Sammy Lartey, and Ebo Taylor, Ambolley’s musical odyssey has been nothing short of extraordinary. This all led to Ambolley becoming a musical life force and exploding on the scene in 1973 with a jazzy highlife sound called “Simigwa-Do.” His name has become synonymous with Simigwa music and dance. Gyedu-Blay Ambolley’s groundbreaking debut solo album, Simigwa, stands as a cornerstone of Ghanaian music history (and one of its most iconic album covers). Simigwa stands as Ambolley’s magnum opus, a masterpiece fusing together the rich tapestry of highlife, afrobeat, folk and funk.
Asian American Arts Alliance
Vijay Iyer Trio
Three-time Grammy nominee and MacArthur ‘Genius’, pianist Vijay Iyer brings his renowned jazz trio.
Described by The New York Times as a “social conscience, multimedia collaborator, system builder, rhapsodist, historical thinker and multicultural gateway,” composer-pianist Vijay Iyer has earned a place as one of the leading music-makers of his generation. His honors include a MacArthur Fellowship, a Doris Duke Performing Artist Award, a United States Artist Fellowship, and the Alpert Award in the Arts. His newest album features his acclaimed trio with drummer Tyshawn Sorey and bassist Linda May Han Oh titled Compassion (ECM, 2024). His lush, expansive collaboration with Arooj Aftab and Shahzad Ismaily, Love in Exile (Verve, 2023), received two Grammy nominations and was named among the best albums of the year in Pitchfork and The New York Times.
Accordions Around the World
Curated by Ariana Hellerman
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Afro Dominicano, Artist TBA
This annual celebration of accordionists returns with a rare New York City appearance from the Louisiana-based, three-time Grammy-nominated Zydeco star Dwayne Dopsie as well as Latin funk steeped in Dominican styles of music from Afro Dominicano. A third group will be announced soon.
2024 Grammy Award nominee and “America’s Hottest Accordion” winner, Dwayne Dopsie plays high-energy zydeco that keeps you wanting more. Dwayne hails from one of the most influential Zydeco families in the world. Although inspired by tradition, he has developed his own style that defies existing stereotypes and blazes a refreshingly distinct path for 21st century Zydeco music. Dwayne attributes his musical abilities to his father, Rockin’ Dopsie, Sr., a pioneer of Zydeco music. He has played the accordion since age seven and states, “This is my calling – Zydeco music is in my blood and it is my heart and soul.” This singer/songwriter and accordionist has performed in 40 countries and also in hundreds of cities across the United States, Europe, Brazil, Panama and Canada since debuting his band at age 19.
The funk-fusion combo Afro Dominicano infuses their songs with Afro-Caribbean soul: a blend of Dominican folkloric styles and pop influences that includes merengue, bachata, samba, reggae, punk and R&B, all filtered through a uniquely New York sensibility. The group’s mix of sweet vocals, accordion, guitar, traditional percussion and electric bass sparks high-energy riffs and romantic balladry that eludes the pigeonhole of genre in favor of genuine human connection. The social justice-inspired collective of Dominican-American musicians celebrates the forthcoming release of their newest album with a night of fresh jams and good times, featuring music by DJ Bembona.
Harlem Stage
Artists TBA on May 16
Harlem Stage brings its Uptown Nights Latin Music Series to Bryant Park with a special artist TBA.
The Town Hall and Belongó
The Man with The Golden Horn
An all-star lineup of musicians – including Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra and slide trumpet master and arranger Steven Bernstein – perform the iconic music of James Bond films.
A very NYC celebration of John Barry’s James Bond music: Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra meet up with legendary Downtown composer, arranger and slide trumpet master, Steven Bernstein. Joining the festivities will be a variety of surprise guests to take a wild ride through the iconic music of 007. The classic James Bond scores will be shaken and stirred in an Afro Latin big band setting with a strong dose of NYC underground, and a nod to Charlie Palmieri’s organ playing.
Complete Line Listings
May
May 31: New York City Opera – Puccini Celebration
June
June 01: New York City Opera – Puccini Celebration
June 06: Contemporary Dance – Sidra Bell, Ballet Tech, TBA
June 07: Contemporary Dance – David Dorfman Dance, Soles of Duende, Joffrey Concert Group, National Dance Institute
June 14: Contemporary Dance – Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE, Robin Dunn, Kevin Wynn Tribute, Brooklyn Arts
June 21: Jazzmobile – Sarah Vaughan Centennial Featuring Charenée Wade
June 28: Emerging Music Festival Day 1 – Artists TBA
June 29: Emerging Music Festival Day 2 – Artists TBA
July
July 05: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Tania León and The Harlem Chamber Players
July 12: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Thandiswa Mazwai
July 19: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Louis Cato
July 26: Carnegie Hall Citywide – Michael Olatuja & Lagos Pepper Soup
August
August 02: Carnegie Hall Citywide – La Excelencia
August 09: Joe’s Pub – Broadway en Spanglish: Florencia Cuenca and Jaime Lozano
August 10: New Victory Theater – Ephrat Asherie + Barkin/Selissen Project
August 16: World Music Institute – Gyedu-Blay Ambolley, Artists TBA
August 17: Jalopy Theatre – Artists TBA
August 23: New York City Opera – Tosca
August 24: New York City Opera – Tosca
August 30: Asian American Arts Alliance – Vijay Iyer Trio
August 31: Contemporary Dance – Mark Morris Dance Group, Blacks in Ballet, Reed Luplau
September
September 05: Accordions Around the World – Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers, Afro Dominicano, Artist TBA
September 06: American Symphony Orchestra – Beyond the Hall
September 12: Harlem Stage – Artist TBA
September 13: The Town Hall + Belongó – The Man with The Golden Horn
Follow Bryant Park
Website: https://bryantpark.org
Twitter: @bryantparknyc
Instagram: @bryantparknyc
Facebook: facebook.com/BryantParkNYC
YouTube: youtube.com/BryantParkNYC
Location and Subway Directions:
Bryant Park is situated behind the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Take the B, D, F, or M train to 42nd Street/Bryant Park; or, take the 7 train to 5th Avenue.
