An All-Stars Lineup of Jazz Musicians Will Take Center Stage at Flushing Town Hall

On Wednesday, July 12 at 7:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall will host its Third Annual Jazz Jam All-Stars Concert, honoring the musicians and audiences who regularly attend its in-person and virtual Jazz Jams. For the first time since the pandemic, the All-Stars concert will be held in Flushing Town Hall's theater.

A committee selected a stellar lineup of ten musicians to perform at the July 12 concert—ranging in age from 20 to 80+.  Frank Bergamini, Mimi Block, David DiTrapani, Keith Jordan, Sharif Kales, Glen Lowe, Denzel McKenzie, Naomi Okai, Frank Rosati, and Sarah Turkiew will be performing alongside the amazing house band led by Carol Sudhalter, who is also Master of Ceremonies and plays sax and flute. The band also includes Joe Vincent Tranchina on piano, Scott Neumann on drums, and Eric Lemon on bass. 

“Louis Armstrong's community spirit lives on at our monthly Jazz Jams,” says Director of Education & Public Programs, Gabrielle M. Hamilton. “We are thrilled to celebrate Flushing Town Hall’s jazz community, especially this year’s ten All-Star musicians.” 

The wildly popular Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in October 2021, began in collaboration with the Aaron Copeland School of Music at Queens College as an educational program providing a platform for young jazz musicians to play music together. The monthly jam later was opened to amateur and professional musicians and public audiences under Queens Jazz OverGround, a collective of Queens-based jazz musicians. 

Long-time big band leader Carol Sudhalter, who is well-versed in the Armstrong repertoire, took over the monthly jam as leader of Flushing Town Hall’s house band in 2016. Under her creative guidance, the program has paid homage to the great Louis Armstrong every month since—including 17 months of virtual jams during the pandemic. These virtual performances attracted more than 7,000 viewers and 200 musicians Zooming in from over a dozen countries worldwide, including New Zealand, Italy, and South Africa. Sudhalter, who turned 80 earlier this year, celebrated this special occasion with an “Octogenarian Women in Jazz” concert” on Flushing Town Hall’s stage in March 2023.

“It's so great to see participants returning month after month and year after year, and see them perfecting the art and craft of jazz,” says Carol Sudhalter. “And having a way to acknowledge and thank them is the best!”

The concert will begin at 7:00 PM on July 12 with a Louis Armstrong tune played by the jazz house band. After that, each All-Star will perform two tunes with the band. The evening will close with everyone on stage to perform another Armstrong masterpiece. 

Unlike the regular Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jams, where any musician is welcome to participate and play, only selected invited musicians may perform at the Jazz Jam All-Stars concert. 

Audiences are welcome to listen to the honorary jammers on Wednesday, July 12th at 7:00 PM ET. In-Person Tickets are $25, $20 for members, and $15 for students with ID. Ticket sales help keep our monthly Jazz Jams free for musicians and members!

This program is supported in part by a grant from The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Inc.

For the venue’s full summer 2023 schedule, visit https://www.flushingtownhall.org/fth-presents