New Orleans Inspired Music Festival to Be Held in Central Park on June 25

On Saturday, June 25, a day-long blowout celebration of New Orleans-inspired jazz commences at CENTRAL PARK SUMMERSTAGE with the debut of the NEW YORK HOT JAZZ FESTIVAL ALL-STARS under the direction of multi-award winning trumpeter / vocalist BRIA SKONBERG. The All-Stars band features New York Hot Jazz Festival alumni including multi-reed virtuoso ANAT COHEN; Grammy-winning big band leader VINCE GIORDANO (as heard on Boardwalk Empire), on double bass and tuba; drummer JOE SAYLOR (member of Jon Batiste's Stay Human, the house band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert); stride and ragtime specialist DALTON RIDENHOUR on piano; banjo and vocals by bluesman and hot-jazzer BLIND BOY PAXTON; plus a SURPRISE SPECIAL GUEST on trombone as well as other guests to round out the ensemble.

The All-Stars will be followed by THE HOT SARDINES. The Sardines are among the top breakout acts of the Nu Hot Jazz movement. With vocalist and co-founder Miz Elizabeth Bougerol singing both in English and her native French, co-founder Evan "Bibs" Palazzo directing the band from his spot at the piano, and the flying feet of tap dancer "Fast Eddie" Francisco, whose dance moves provide both a visual element and a unique form of percussion, this 8-piece band will excite audiences with a fusion of traditional and cosmopolitan styles.

Headliners BUTLER, BERNSTEIN & THE HOT 9 are the exciting fusion of New Orleans and New York jazz innovators. New Orleans piano legend HENRY BUTLER tells stories through swing, channeling sounds as diverse as his Louisiana birthplace: jazz, Caribbean, classical, blues, and R&B, among others. STEVEN BERNSTEIN is a trumpeter/slide trumpeter, arranger, composer, musical director, and bandleader of multiple ensembles. Together with the fiery unit known as the Hot 9, Butler and Bernstein use a traditional New Orleans palette as a launching point, exploring everything from early 20th century blues to thoughtful and exhilarating improvisations from the Crescent City canon.

Central Park SummerStage: www.cityparksfoundation.org/summerstage