SUMMER IS IN THE AIR!!!
We have had one eye out for the sighting of summer in the city, City Parks Foundation’s line up for free concerts Summerstage and it looks like another humdinger in !
“The 2015 30th Anniversary Season will open with a free concert in Central Park featuring the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Other notable talents include: Angelique Kidjo, the iconic African singer-songwriter; London’s soul-funk collective Jungle; Canadian folktronica artist, Caribou; Franco-Norwegian circus duo, Magmanus; and a special celebration of dance and music from the legendary Broadway musical The Wiz. Additionally, Brazil’s pioneering mangue-beat superstars, Nação Zumbi, will return to SummerStage 20 years after their historic and epic U.S. debut. A number of parks will welcome neighborhood heroes to their stages, like Staten Islander Mack Wilds, and a screening of Time is Illmatic, the documentary that follows Queensbridge prodigal son Nas, as his life leads up to his critically-acclaimed, seminal album, Illmatic. The Oliver Lake Big Band will premier a commissioned piece during the expanded Charlie Parker Jazz Festival weekend, and a 30th Anniversary DJ commission with Quantic, Gilles Peterson, and Afrika Bambaataa, will take audiences through the decades of SummerStage.”
I am not sure what is catching your eye here, but I know what I see: THE TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND FREE CONCERT. What else: Jungle, the Carole King songs, always the Summer Recital Series is a must see, Whodini… and the 30th anniversary night looks fabulous. I haven’t included the other boroughs though I did notice George Clinton is playing one. At first glance. this appears to be their best year so far. An amazing array of music. For more info, go here. Meanwhile, here are my picks for must sees
Monday May 18 6:00 PM Tedeschi Trucks Band Central Park
Saturday Jun 6 3:00 PM Blue Note Jazz Festival:Meshell Ndegeocello / Roy Hargrove / Gabriel Garzón Montano Central Park
Sunday Jun 7 3:00 PM Angelique Kidjo /Emmanuel Jal / Rich Medina Central Park
Monday Jun 15 8:00 PM The Metropolitan Opera Summer Recital Series Central Park featuring Janai Brugger,
Nathan Gunn, Isabel Leonard, and pianist Dan Saunders
Saturday Jun 20 7:00 PM Jungle / Ibeyi in association with Okayplayer Central Park
Saturday Jun 27 3:00 PM VP Records 35th Anniversary: Maxi Priest /Gyptian / Bunji Garlin & Fay
Ann Lyons / Massive B Central Park
Wednesday Jul 15 7:00 PM NPR and WNYC’s Ask Me Another: Celebrating 30 Years of SummerStage Central Park
Sunday Jul 26 3:00 PM Rock Steady 38th Anniversary Concert: Whodini / Big Daddy Kane & more Central Park
Saturday Aug 1 3:00 PM Dr. John & the Nite Trippers/ Amy Helm Central Park
Monday Aug 3 8:00 PM Beautiful The Carole King Musical: Songs in Concert Central Park
Sunday Aug 23 7:00 PM RCA Summer Concert Celebration featuring:Jazmine Sullivan / Jordan Bratton & more Central Park
Wednesday Sep 2 6:00 PM Lake Street Dive / Kitty,Daisy & Lewis Central Park