Jazz Festival Jams in Jamaica on Thursdays

Jamaica has been a jazz mecca for about 100 years. Count Basie, John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Lena Horne are among the legends who have lived in the Southern Queens area. This tradition will be live and direct for the next seven weeks, as performers of this American genre will jam at the Jamaica AirTrain station’s concourse level every Thursday until November 20th. Greg Mays from A Better Jamaica, a cultural nonprofit that is organizing the promotion with the Sutphin Boulevard Business Improvement District, said that he hopes to create similar experiences to those in Caribbean countries, where musicians greet travelers in airports.

The Eric Lemon Trio (above) opened the series last Thursday. The remaining schedule is as follows: Bayo Fayemi Group, October 9th; Mambo Negro, October 16th; Freddy Dugard’s Hit Squad, October 23rd; Sage All Women’s Jazz Ensemble, October 30th; The Bill Jacobs Ensemble; November 6th; The Bartlett Jazz Ensemble, November 13th; and Michelle Marie, November 20th.

Details: The AirTrain Jazz Festival, Jamaica AirTrain Station’s concourse level (near the Air Bar  at 93-40 Sutphin Boulevard), every Thursday through November 20th, 6 pm to 8 pm (two sets with a break in between), free.

Photo: Sutphin Boulevard BID