Jazz and Colors at Central Park

Yesterday was the first Annual Jazz & Colors Event held in Central Park. Imagine, thirty different bands playing at thirty different sites in the park but with one playlist for all bands. I wanted to enjoy all the bands but that is just impossible unless I could fly from one site to another. Besides, I had a birthday celebration to attend around 4pm and I know I can be at the Park for only the first half of the performances. Still, listening to and enjoying six bands out of thirty play the setlist is good enough for me.

When I arrived at the Park's Artists Gate, the Kimberly Thompson Quartet was setting up their equipment near the Jose Julian Marti statue. It was 10 minutes before 12 noon, the start time of the performances.

From the Jazz & Colors website .. 

30 Bands. 30 Locations. 1 Setlist.

You’ve never experienced autumn in Central Park like this before. Brilliant with the colors of fall and more alive with great jazz than ever before, for one afternoon Central Park will be teeming with talent, as artists perform in every corner of this great urban oasis.

From the shadow of Duke Ellington’s statue to the hum of Columbus Circle – and virtually everywhere in between – the Park will be filled with music. Enter anywhere you like, linger as long as you like. Stop in at an information center if you need directions or mementos. Let the music and this map be your guide.

Thirty ensembles will be interpreting a single list of songs as they perform at some of Central Park’s most beloved sites throughout the afternoon. Each will use the setlist to paint the aural landscape in their own style. Find new favorite artists, songs, and places as you explore Central Park in a whole new way — and enjoy.

As I went down the stairs towards The Pond, I saw these yellow flowers. I don't know the name but I seldom pass up the opportunity to take a picture of pretty flowers.

Inspite of the damage caused by hurricane Sandy and the nor'easter Athena, the area around The Pond was as colorful as the autumns of previous years.

There were a couple of people painting when I passed by. The Pond area is a good place to prop an easel and capture the colors of the landscape.

By the time I reached the area near the Gapstow Bridge, the Bob Stewart Quintet was ready to play. The first number on the playlist was Straight No Chaser.  

The rest of the setlist had titles referring to the autumn season or to New York, the city has always been a magnet for jazz musicians then and now.

Then I'm off to the next band, the Jacques Schwartz-Bart Quartet who was performing with special guest Stephanie McKay, with the Central Park Dairy House providing a nice backdrop.

The Olmsted Bed on The Mall was just a short walk from the Dairy House where the JD Allen Quartet was playing.

New York is really a diversified place. If jazz music is not your cup of tea, just around the corner from the quartet at The Mall, this dance group was performing to a different kind of audience.

When I reached the Naumburg Bandshell, the Mingus Big Band was well into Autumn Serenade. I stayed there for Goodbye Pork Pie Hat, impressive solos from some of the band members.

On my way to listen to the next band, I passed by the Bethesda Fountain, the heart of Central Park.

I also passed by the Bow Bridge, it's so pretty seeing it always makes me smile.

I then turned towards Cherry Hill where The Klezmatics were playing. Their trumpet player was very young, and it was a joy to hear him play.

By then the band announced that it was break time and they will be back after an hour. I hurried to Azalea Walk in the hope that the Doug Wamble Quartet was still playing. No such luck, the band has taken a break, too.

I still have some time before I leave for the birthday party I had to attend so I went to the area by The Lake to take more pictures of the fall foliage.

The buildings of midtown Manhattan are reflected on The Lake.

Then I proceeded to the Oak Bridge, it has great views of midtown Manhattan, too.

From the bridge, you can see One57 Building minus its crane which collapsed during hurricane Sandy.

The other side of the Oak Bridge has great views of the fall foliage around Bank Rock Bay. The colorful leaves which fell on the water made an interesting picture.

As I was taking pictures of the leaves, I noticed some people beside me had their attention on the rocks near the water. It was then that I saw them .. raccoons!

Pretty soon another head poke out, there were three of them! And I saw another one running around the area but too far to take a pic with the others.

There are no raccoons in my home country, it was my first time to see them so I was excited and a little bit fascinated. I didn't realize I had spent nearly an hour being entertained by these critters. By the time I left the Park, the Doug Wamble Quartet was already playing the first tune of the second set, Scrapple from the Apple.

 

By that time I really needed to leave, I wished the bands would still be there the following day to play but I guess this was just for the day.  If I had the rest of the afternoon free I could have covered a lot more bands, but then, family always comes first. 

So I left the park to go to the nearest subway station. New York is always a haven for aspiring musicians and this violinist was there, playing at the 81st St. subway station when I came down.

I got off at the 59th St.-Columbus Circle station and there, another aspiring musician was playing a steelpan.

Coming out of the subway, I walked east and passed by Carnegie Hall,

one of the most prestigious venues in the world for both classical music and popular music.

Have the bands and aspiring musicians I heard today ever performed in Carnegie Hall? I have no idea, but if they haven't yet I think they've dream of performing there one day. 

I heard so much music that day and loved every moment.  Thank you to Jazz & Colors and to Central Park for an amazing collaboration.  I look forward to next year's performances. I hope I get to listen to more artists and enjoy their music.

I may sing out of tune most of the time but I do enjoy good music when I hear it. It warms the heart and sometimes heals and gives hope to the weary spirit.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.  ~Victor Hugo

For the rest of my Jazz & Colors at Central Park pics, here's the album on Flickr.

Thank you Central Park! ♥

Before coming to New York to work a few years ago, I had only heard and seen Central Park in print and media.  I liked what I read and saw and decided to explore it in my free time.  Now, my week is incomplete without stopping by and spending some time in the Park.  

I usually take lots of pics when I walk in the Park, and some of those, I tweet to Central Park's twitter handle @CentralParkNYC.  It's always a pleasure to see them retweet my pics, but this tweet absolutely takes the cake!

Thank you Central Park! I am so honored and feel so special!

@CentralParkNYC first retweeted a pic I sent them in November last year, when their twitter handle was still @CentralParkBuzz.

And last January, they put on their Facebook wall a pic of the Bethesda fountain that I twitted them.

Isn't it cool?

Ah, I love this place! It is so magical, and the Park always gives me something to smile about each time I walk there.

So last Saturday, I was there again, walking the Park's length from the southeast edge at 59th Street up to the northwest corner coming out at 110th Street.

At the southeast edge of the park lies The Pond. It is a favorite of many especially the kids who like seeing the ducks and the geese.  These past weeks, I've been following a geese family who live in The Pond. When I first saw them the first week of May, the goslings were still babies ..

Look how they've grown in two months! They were busy preening at The Pond when I passed by last Saturday.

Sometimes, if you're lucky, you can chance upon the great white egret at the Pond.  I've seen it there more than a couple of times stalking fish. It looks so delicate but you could see the hunter in its eyes.

From The Pond, I continued walking towards The Mall. Before I got there, I stopped for a moment and listened to this lady with the violin. She was playing some classics near the Mall entrance.  One time, I had the pleasure of listening to her play Vivaldi's Four Seasons inside the Times Square subway station on a cold winter day.

Then I proceeded to The Mall, the only straight line path in Central Park. The majestic American elm trees were a welcome sight on this hot summer day.

The end of the Mall leads to an open area where the Naumburg bandshell is. The bandshell is often host to concerts and other musical events. Last Saturday, it was the site for Adventures NYC celebrating New York City parks and the great outdoors.  Feel like taking a dip?

From the bandshell area, I stopped next at the nearby Bethesda Terrace which gives you the best view of the Bethesda fountain.  The fountain, featuring the beautiful Angel of the Waters, is the heart of the Park's design. 

That day there were many people at the terrace as free kayak rides at The Lake were offered as part of Adventures NYC activities.  You can also see the Loeb Boathouse in the pic below as people enjoy the free kayak rides as well as the regular boat rides the Park offers.

But who needs a free kayak ride or a regular boat ride when you can enjoy  The Lake in style?

Crossing the Lake via the Bow Bridge leads you to the Ramble.  It was a nice walk around all that greenery.  I took the path that meanders along the Lake and exited the Ramble at the Oak Bridge, which gives you a great view of the buildings of midtown Manhattan and the boats at The Lake.

I then proceeded to walk north, with The North Woods as my final destination.  Passed by one of the Park's bridges, Winterdale.

And walking further north led me to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir, once used to receive water from the Croton Aqueduct for distribution to Manhattan, it is no longer used and was decommissioned in 1993.  Now, it is one of the main ecological sanctuaries in the Park, housing a lot of waterfowl and bird species, and a favorite among runners and joggers for its 1.58 miles track, and great views of the city skyline.

I passed by some flowers blooming along the bridle path going further north.  I don't know what's it called but I've seen it in other colors like red and orange.

Finally, I arrived at The Pool, its a smaller body of water than The Pond but it is also a favorite of ducks and geese, and it seems on hot summer days, of dogs, as well. :-)

The Pool will lead you right to the Pool Grotto, one of the Park's hidden treasures.

Across that waterfall is the Glen Span Arch, it is the southern boundary to The Loch where I am headed. The arch has a grotto and looks beautiful in the afternoon light.

After crossing the arch, I am now in the North Woods, being here is like you're in a different world, far away from the noise and bustle of city life. It is a great getaway place, i love walking here.

 

At the northern end of the Loch is another waterfall, it's so peaceful here, I could stay for hours.

Across the waterfall is another arch, the Huddlestone Arch.  It has stood since 1866 without the use of any binding material, only gravitation and friction holds the stones together.

Going right from the arch leads to the Harlem Meer while to the left are steps leading to the Lasker Pool.  The pool was still closed when I passed but already filled with water in anticipation of the official opening of all NYC outdoor pools last June 28.

I've now reached the northernmost portion of the Park. On the way out, I can see the Charles Dana Discovery Center by the Harlem Meer.

I marked my walk on the Park map.  Here's how the walk went ..

Next time I'll walk the Park the opposite way from what I did on this walk. I'll start at the southwest side of the Park and end at the northeast side. That way I can share with you pics from that side of the Park.

Until then, it's Saturday, and my beloved Park is calling me .. 

For more pics of Central Park, here's my album on Flickr.