Randy Weston Headlines Visual Art & Jazz Fair in Harlem, 9/8

On Saturday, September 8th, 11am - 7pm, Artist and Curator Gwendolyn Black continues her annual Visual Arts and Jazzfest 2012 with the 1st Annual Visual Arts and Jazz Outdoor Art Fair headlined by Guggenheim Fellow and NEA Jazz Master Pianist Randy Weston.

The fair is scheduled to take place at the Jackie Robinson Park Bandshell in Harlem at 147th Street and Bradhurst. The event will include art and photography for sale, food tastings, performances, live art, arts and crafts, along with health and wellness information. The fair will feature some of today's outstanding visual artists who are dedicated to supporting and preserving jazz music through their work. The fair will also include performances by many popular local jazz artists and poets.

After contributing six decades of musical direction and genius, Randy Weston remains one of the world's foremost pianists and composers today, and is a true innovator and visionary. Encompassing the vast rhythmic heritage of Africa, his global creations musically continue to inform and inspire. "Weston has the biggest sound of any jazz pianist since Ellington and Monk, as well as the richest most inventive beat," states jazz critic Stanley Crouch, "but his art is more than projection and time; it's the result of a studious and inspired intelligence...an intelligence that is creating a fresh synthesis of African elements with jazz technique".  

Visual artists include Sir Shadow whose "one line-one flow" jazz drawings continue to captivate audiences everywhere and artist and author Timothy D. Bellavia whose book "We Are All the Same Inside" is making an international buzz along with acclaimed artists Tafa, Sadikisha Collier, Carol Weaver, Joan Chiverton, Daren Chambers, Alfred Weeks, Frank James, James Gethers, John Van Means, Jackie Hicks, Grace Derrick, photographer HuBert Williams, jeweler Ali, wearable arts by Debra Lynn White, producer/art consultant Loris Crawford of  "Off The Main" and others.    

Performers included are The Bill Saxon Quartet and Atiba Kwabena's BeFo Quotet both whose musical artistry and legacy has been an important part of the New York and Harlem landscape; blues guitarist Meyer Rossabi has performed at B.B. Kings Blues Club and his debut CD "Blues Is The Color" has been played on FM radio across the US; native Pittsburgher'sRochelle Thompson and Anthony Thompson. MS. Thompson, who is a familiar face on the arts and culture scene here in New York, has performed internationally and throughout the NYC area and has opened for such artists as Joe Williams, David Sanborn, Ahmad Jamal, Danny Mixon and others. Anthony Thompson, who is an award winning actor, is best known for his Langston Huges' Jesse B. Semple Blues and Jazz Alive in Harlem series which debuted here in New York at Jazz @ Lincoln Center along with Brooklyn based singing sensation Mekka Timberlake; Poets included are Layding Kaliba andTony Mitchelson of the Linyak Project with guest poets David Mills, Lora Renee Tucker, Tanya Tyler, Tom Mitchelson, E.J. Antonio, and Gary Johnston along with poet/artist Nikki Williams who is currently touring her exhibition, Be autiful, Also, are the Souls of My People."     

On hand will be Harlem Hospital's Stop Smoking Program and MetroPlus Healthcare who will provide health and wellness information along with Countee Cullen Library who will be sharing books on jazz for young people. Families can join us in the arts and crafts tent where they can explore their own creativity and create their very own project dedicated to jazz.    

Artist and curator Gwendolyn Black was inspired to create Visual Arts and Jazzfest, now in its 10th year, to further bring to the public's eye the importance of so many visual artists who are dedicated to preserving jazz through their work. "Displaying the artists' work through public venues such as this increases the economic base for artists as well as enables the public to connect one on one with them states Black. Looking back it is amazing how far we have come and how important it is for this event to continue in our community and internationally."      

Sponsors include WABC-TV, who has been a supporter for the past 11 years,  along with MetroPlus Healthcare. Community support has also been provided by the Citibank Financial Group at 144th Street along with K&R Realty who has been a sponsor of the jazz exhibition series since 2004.

Additional events will continue until November include an exhibition of works on jazz, in conjunction with AHRC NY,featuring a 20ft long mural dedicated to the hit tune "A Night in Tunisia" created by adults with disabilities from the AHRC day program along with community residents and artists; a Taste of Art and Jazz Gallery and Restaurant Crawl and other planned events.