Jazz in the City to open concert series in Kirk Park

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Syracuse Community Health Jazz in the City summer concert series begins Thursday, June 9 at 6 p.m. in Kirk Park, located at Argyle Terrace and West Borden Ave in Syracuse.

Urban Jazz Coalition — a funk and smooth jazz sextet — will performance between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., surrounded by arts and crafts and soul food vendors, per the announcement. The event is free and open to the public.

A health-care village and the health center’s mobile unit will also offer counseling, COVID testing, vaccinations and screenings, awarding lottery scratch-off tickets as incentives.

In addition, organizers will distribute the first batch of “free goodie bags” full of health-care information and test kits to all attendees.

“This kickoff event will set the bar for the rest of the summer, and Kirk Park near the Seals Community Center is the perfect place to do it,” Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz director and series organizer, said. “We’ve been presenting this series since 2003, and we’re achieving somewhat of a record as an urban outreach concert series. This is an extraordinary civic and corporate partnership for American cities, and we’re proud to carry this banner. We have to get ahead of the curve and control this virus, as well as continue to address current health needs caused by the pandemic. These are the only neighborhood festival concerts our city will see this summer, so let’s all come out and party with a purpose.”

About the Urban Jazz Coalition

Urban Jazz Coalition is one of the Midwest’s most prolific contemporary jazz groups, having appeared at the Capital Jazz Festival, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, and many more throughout their nearly three decades of existence. Regularly charting on jazz radio, the group has been featured on network-television programming and film soundtracks.

A sought-after backup group as well, they last appeared in Syracuse for CNY Jazz in 2015 with Elan Trotman, and at the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival in 2012 backing Jessy J.

The 2022 Jazz in the City series will be held every other Thursday through Aug. 18, according to the Syracuse Community Health Center website. The next event is June 23 at Skiddy Park.