Annual All-Stars Concert Comes to Flushing Town Hall

On Wednesday, July 10 at 7:00 PM, Flushing Town Hall, a Smithsonian affiliate, will host its fourth annual Jazz Jam All-Stars Concert and honor the musicians who regularly attend its monthly Louis Armstrong Legacy Jazz Jams.

The stellar lineup of musicians to perform at the July 10 concert ranges in age from 22 to 80+. Naomi Okai (vocals), Mimi Block (vocals/violin), Rich Braithwaite (tenor sax), Keeley Mitchell (vocals), Frank Bergamini (soprano sax/vocals), Victor Acosta (alto sax), Jose Luis Armengot (trumpet), Frank Robinson (vocals), Gerald Thomas (bass/piano/sax) and Tony Campo (piano), were selected by a committee.  These All-Stars will be performing alongside the amazing FTH house band led by Carol Sudhalter, the Master of Ceremonies who also plays sax and flute. The house band includes Joe Vincent Tranchina on piano, Scott Neumann on drums, and Eric Lemon on bass. 

“Our Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jams have been building community for more than 10 years now,” says FTH Director of Education & Public Programs Gabrielle M. Hamilton. “The annual All-Stars concert is one of my favorite jazz events every year, as we get to celebrate the next generation of passionate and highly talented jazz musicians in a borough that the great Louis Armstrong himself called home.” 

This year for the first time, the annual Jazz Jam All-Stars concert will honor All-Stars who participated in three annual concerts and are now allowing new talented musicians to take their place in the All-Stars lineup. On July 10, Sarah Turkiew, Keith Jordan, Sharif Kales, and Glen Lowe will be presented with a plaque to acknowledge their high-caliber musicianship, spirit of collaboration, and loyal participation in Flushing Town Hall's Louis Armstrong Legacy Jazz Jams. The musicians will play a tune together towards the end of the show.

The wildly popular Louis Armstrong Legacy Monthly Jazz Jam, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in October 2021, began in collaboration with the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College as an educational program to provide a platform for young jazz musicians to play together. The monthly jam later 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 Jazz 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 more than a dozen countries worldwide, including New Zealand, Italy, and South Africa. Since the monthly Jazz Jam returned to in-person performances in 2022, it has attracted dozens of musicians who welcomed the warm, inviting, and collaborative atmosphere as an opportunity to perform in front of audiences and jazz lovers.

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

“I love our annual Jazz Jam All-Stars concert. It's a great way to celebrate participants who return month after month and year after year and have demonstrated their incredible talent and dedication. This year, it was a particularly difficult decision to narrow it down to only 10 All-Stars...out of at least 20 faithful and eligible musicians.,” says Carol Sudhalter. “I am especially excited as we have, for the first time, a group of “alumni” and honorees: four outstanding musicians who have graduated from the All-Stars Concert! Congrats, Sarah, Keith, Sharif and Glen!”

The concert will begin with a Louis Armstrong tune played by the jazz house band. After that, each All-Star will perform two tunes with the band. The four All-Star honorees will be presented with their awards and play a tune together towards the end of the show. The evening will close with all the musicians on stage to perform another Armstrong masterpiece. 

In-person tickets for the concert on Wednesday, July 10th, at 7:00 PM ET. are $25, $20 for FTH members, and $15 for students with ID. Ticket sales help keep our monthly Jazz Jams free for musicians and members!