Tag Archives: UpTownNYC

From Ipanema Beach to El Malecon Latin Jazz Meets Tap

A virtual United Nations of women, members of Cocomama hail from around the globe gathering their musical influences from far and wide; Salsa, Soul, Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz are among the items on the menu whenever they hit the stage! Led by Mayra Casales, Nicki Denner and Jennifer Vincent, the band has performed at the United Nations, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, the New York City Marathon, Joe’s Pub, Birdland, Studio 54, the Cape May Jazz Festival, the Montclair Jazz Festival, the Northampton Jazz Festival, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Spoleto Music Festival, the Michigan’s Women’s Festival and as musical ambassadors to Latin American for the US Department of State. Their critically acclaimed albums, Quiero (2016) and Women’s World (2023) cover a wide range of styles from salsa to soul and thanks to a grant from Chamber Music of America, they are currently recording their third album, Evolución, for release in 2025.

 

FULL LINEUP

Cocomama led by Mayra Casales, Nicki Denner, Jennifer Vincent, Ariacne Trujillo, Rafael Monteagudo, Anton Denner with tappers Max Pollak and Leonardo Sandoval.

Fort Tryon Park: Heather Garden Monthly Tour

Join us on Saturday, September 28, at 11 AM for the return of the beloved Heather Garden Tour in Fort Tryon Park, hosted by the knowledgeable Madeline Byrne!


The tour begins at the southern entrance to the Heather Garden.

The Heather Garden is the crown jewel of Fort Tryon Park, spanning 3 acres of stunning beauty. Boasting one of the largest heath and heather collections on the East Coast, the garden showcases a 600-linear-foot perennial border and over 650 varieties of plants, including trees, shrubs, and bulbs! It is New York City’s largest public garden with unrestricted access. Walk among the lush greenery, flanked by historic stone walls and remnants of Cornelius G.K. Billings’ early 1900s estate.

Enjoy breathtaking views of the Hudson River while discovering over 30 varieties of heaths and heathers, whose blooms and vibrant foliage bring year-round color to this extraordinary space. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the tranquil and diverse beauty of the Heather Garden in its autumn glory!

Word Up Recirculation: Benefit Concert for Injured Palestinian Journalist

Sunday, November 17, 2024 – 4:00pm to 6:00pm
RECIRCULATION A project of Word Up
876 Riverside Drive (near 160th St.)
New York, NY 10032

Cello and piano benefit concert for Gazan journalist Moamen Hermaid and his family. Pianist Robert Lind and cellist Alejandro Acosta will be playing Brahms/Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Rachmaninoff/Vocalise, Piazzolla/Milonga Sin Palabras, Schubert/Arpeggione Sonata in A.

Moamen Hemaid is a brave independent journalist in North Gaza. He was injured in a horrific attack and now his jaw is broken and his teeth shattered. To make matters worse, these injuries have become infected after he used funds meant for his treatment to save his community from starvation and thirst. AND NOW Moamen also has a terrible chest infection from breathing in toxic fumes and dust from the bombing while helping in rescue efforts. This is AT THE SAME TIME as the North of Gaza is being obliterated and annexed in this new campaign to ethnically cleanse the area of its population. He needs support for water, food, antibiotics, and for medical evacuation.

– Zelle: 518-364-1059
– Venmo/CashApp: AAAcello
– PayPal: baroquebarbie@gmail.com
– Follow Moamen on IG: @ moamen_hemaid     or on TickTock: @ moamen_hemaid_

Robert Lind grew up in southern New Hampshire, near Boston and took piano and music theory lessons at the New England Conservatory Preparatory Division. After majoring in music at Amherst College, he pursued advanced degrees in composition at the University of California at Berkeley and Brandeis University. Robert spent time as music director of summer stock theater companies, where he was accompanist for opera workshops. Non-music jobs then took over for several years but since retirement, he has returned to performing and composing.

Alejandro Acosta started his musical training at a early age, studying in both his native city of Bogotá and the town of Cota, where he spent his formative years. At the age of 8, he enrolled in the Music Conservatory preparatory program of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and later continued his studies at Oklahoma City University and Syracuse University. Subsequently, he became cello and chamber music professor at Universidad de Cundinamarca and performed regularly with the Bogotá Chamber Orchestra, Ensamble Barroco de Bogotá, Cuarteto Efferus, and Cuarteto Hadaly, among others. Having since returned to the States, Alejandro now works as a freelance musician in New York City.