N-Y Historical Society Announces Free Concerts, 4/27-6/1

In the spring of 2012 the New-York Historical Society will present New York Cool, a free concert series highlighting musical history makers, past and present.

Made possible through Bank of America, this seven concert series features hip, well-known and emerging names from across the spectrum of classical, jazz and popular music genres, performing in our Robert H. Smith Auditorium for free on Friday evenings. A unique combination of live music, art, history and culture, New York Cool will attract a young, cool and dynamic new audience to the New-York Historical Society.

This season’s performers include Jay Leonhart, his family and friends, all prominent members of the New York jazz scene; rockers The London Souls; vocal group Just Friends; the Beijing Guitar Duo; Ahn Trio, who blend classical music with a twenty-first century sensibility; and the Ted Rosenthal Quintet, who will perform music from Images of Monk.

With the completion of our new Robert H. Smith Auditorium, the musicians will have the opportunity to perform to an audience of up to 420 in a state-of-the-art facility featuring a 75-foot-long high definition screen. All performances will be first come, first served, and refreshments will be available for purchase. Concertgoers will also have a pre-performance chance to view our Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History, a 3,400 square foot space featuring New York Rising, a permanent installation centered on the themes of America’s and New York’s founding.

Performances

Friday, April 27, 2012, 6:30 PM Jay Leonhart, HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Jazz great Jay Leonhart (bassist) is joined by his family and special friends who are prominent members of the New York jazz scene. Together, they will perform an electrifying program of music from some of New York’s finest jazz composers.

Friday, May 4, 2012, 6:30 PM THE LONDON SOULS
The London Souls (Tash Neal and Chris St. Hilaire) have been nothing short of a best-kept secret among New York City concertgoers since the band’s formation in 2008. Their debut album was produced by Ethan Johns at London’s renowned Abbey Road Studios and captures the spirit of the band, offering an exhilarating fusion of blues and rock and roll. The London Souls’ unique reinterpretation of classic hard-hitting rock and roll recalls elements of the past with a boundless energy that will hypnotize and amaze.

Friday, May 11, 2012, 6:30 PM JUST FRIENDS
Since its inception in 1989, the vocal group Just Friends (Shelton Becton, Gail Blanche-Gill, A. Makea McDonald, Nedra Olds-Neal, Michael Neal and Jamet Pittman) has cultivated an enthusiastic following in the New York area. They have appeared on HBO and at the Riverside Church and have performed with the Dance Theater of Harlem, Alice Parker and Melodious Accord and Canadian Brass.

Friday, May 18, 2012, 6:30 PM BEIJING GUITAR DUO
The Beijing Guitar Duo, composed of Meng Su and Yameng Wang, is widely acclaimed for its outstanding technique and artistic musicality. Their first duo album, Maracaípe, received a Latin GRAMMY nomination for the featured work “Maracaípe,” written and dedicated to them by composer Sergio Assad. In addition to their performances in the United States, the coming concert season takes them to guitar centers in countries such as Holland, Ireland, Croatia and China.

Friday, May 25, 2012, 6:30 PM AHN TRIO
Hailed as “exacting and exciting musicians” by the Los Angeles Times, the three sisters of the Ahn Trio (Lucia on the piano, Angella on the violin and Maria on the cello) have earned a distinguished reputation for embracing twenty-first century classical music with their unique style and innovative collaborations. The Trio has recorded six albums and has performed for President Obama at the White House, in all fifty states and in over thirty countries.

Friday, June 1, 2012, 6:30 PM TED ROSENTHAL QUINTET
The Ted Rosenthal Quintet, with jazz stars Brian Lynch (trumpet), Dick Oatts (saxophone), Martin Wind (bass), Quincy Davis (drums) and Ted Rosenthal (piano), perform music from Images of Monk, Rosenthal’s award-winning album. The suite of Thelonious Monk’s pieces creatively “deranged” by Rosenthal takes a fresh look at Monk with daring arrangements and creative soloing without losing sight of Monk’s swing and wit.

About the New-York Historical Society
The New-York Historical Society, one of America's pre-eminent cultural institutions, is dedicated to fostering research and presenting history and art exhibitions and public programs that reveal the dynamism of history and its influence on the world of today. Founded in 1804, New-York Historical has a mission to explore the richly layered history of New York City and State and the country, and to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history.

New-York Historical is recognized for engaging the public with deeply researched and far-ranging exhibitions, such as Alexander Hamilton: The Man Who Made Modern America; Slavery in New York; Drawn by New York: Six Centuries of Watercolors and Drawings at the New-York Historical Society; Grant and Lee in War and Peace; Lincoln and New York; and The Grateful Dead: Now Playing at the New-York Historical Society. Supporting these exhibitions and related education programs is one of the world's greatest collections of historical artifacts, works of American art, and other materials documenting the history of the United States and New York.