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National Jazz Museum Celebrates Its New Home

Posted March 31, 2016

The National Jazz Museum in Harlem (NJMH) hosted the opening celebration for its new home at 58 West 129th Street. This new venue invites everyone - the jazz aficionado and the jazz-curious alike - to connect with America’s truest art form and its icons in the cradle of jazz music, and will introduce guests to NJMH’s ongoing work to present, promote and preserve jazz music. Please click here for photos and see photo IDs /descriptions below.

Guests at last night’s opening event enjoyed performances by celebrated pianist Marc Cary with vocalist, Terri Davis; tenor saxophonist, Bill Saxton; drummer, Russell Carter; and bassist, Rahsaan Carter—and were among the first to experience VIBRATIONSan exhibit featuring over 100 years of Harlem history in one room. Speakers included Tim Porter, Esq, Board member, and newly named Chairman of the NJMH’s Board of Directors; Loren Schoenberg, NJMH Founding Director and Senior Scholar; and Harold Closter, Director of Smithsonian Affiliations;, among others. Though unable to attend NJMH Co-Artistic Directors Jon Batiste (celebrated pianist and Late Show with Stephen Colbert bandleader) and Christian McBride (renowned bassist / Artistic Director of Newport Jazz Festival) as well as Board Member, Ken Burns (award-winning documentary filmmaker)– each gave remarks via video.

Board Chair Tim Porter noted that the vision for the new NJMH space would include, “providing more educational programming; taking advantage of performance and partnership opportunities afforded by the new location, enhancing our role in Harlem’s cultural and civic life, presenting new and exciting exhibits, nurturing emerging talent in the many areas associated with jazz both on and off the band stand, building upon the programs we have successfully operated in other parts of the city, targeting some of our programming where to those who would otherwise miss out on the arts, and all the while continuing to expand, where appropriate, our national and international outreach activities.”

Other special guests included:

George Wein (NEA Jazz Master / Festival Productions), Mercedes Ellington (dancer/actress, and granddaughter of the great Duke Ellington), Hilma Carter (widow of the late jazz saxophone great, Benny Carter), Lloyd Williams (President & CEO, The Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce) and Voza Rivers (Harlem School of the Arts) among others.


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