Live music is ubiquitous in New York City. It’s not just the birthplace of hip hop, NYC has left its mark on genres from punk to disco, from EDM to Blues, one series of free concerts highlight the important part the city has played in the history of Jazz.
What’s better than going to a concert? Going to a FREE concert, that’s what! This fall, The Shops at Columbus Circle and Jazz at Lincoln Center are co-hosting Sessions at the Circle. The project will welcome world class musicians with a series of free live performances at Columbus Circle.
The concerts start on Tuesday, September 12 at 5:30 pm, and continue for five consecutive weeks. The schedule looks like this:
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Micah Thomas
The music of Jelly Roll Morton
Monday, September 18, 2017
Charles Turner
Celebrating Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr.
Tuesday, September 26
Shenel Johns and Vuyo Sotashe
The music of Miriam Makeba and Nina Simone
Tuesday, October 3
Mariel Bildsten
The music of Count Basie and Duke Ellington
Tuesday, October 10
Veronica Swift
The Great American Songbook
Highlights
If you’re looking for recommendations I would mark September 18 and 26 in your calendar.
Monday, September 18, 2017
If you’re looking for recognizable songs for Jazz noobs, this is the show for you. This show celebrates the work of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. The performer, Charles Turner III, is a Berkley College of music graduate and is a mainstay at many of New York City’s premier jazz clubs and at international festivals and competitions.
Tuesday, September 26
As a huge Nina Simone fan, this is a show I’d personally recommend, you’ll also likely hear some recognizable tunes in this show if you’re not a Jazz aficionado.
Whether you’re looking for somewhere to go to impress a date, take in some genuine NYC music culture, or even just pass the time, you simply must check out Sessions at the Circle. World class music and musicians on your doorstep for free, projects like this remind us how lucky we are to live in New York City.
Featured image source [Wikimedia Commons]