News Briefs: Arts Award Honorees, New Jazz Series at the Emelin and More!

“News Briefs” articles report on recent local arts and culture news stories in bite-sized pieces. The goal of these brief articles is to keep readers informed of new arts developments in their communities.

Emelin Theatre and Birdland Jazz Club Team Up for New Series

Emelin Theatre and the New York City jazz venue Birdland Jazz Club have partnered for new jazz series beginning this spring. The collaboration aims to bring more high-quality jazz performances to the intimate setting of Emelin Theatre’s Mamaroneck stage while showcasing a wide range of styles within the genre. 

Birdland, playfully named for one of the genre’s greats – Charlie Parker, whose moniker was “Yardbird” – has a storied history of exhibiting the top musicians in the jazz world. According to Emelin’s executive director, David Bander, “the partnership with Birdland reinforces [Emelin’s] commitment to world class programming, right here in [its] own community.”

Adds Gianni Valenti, owner of Birdland Jazz Club for over 40 years: “Birdland has always been a space for legendary musicians to shine, and we are excited to extend our reach and share this passion with the great community of jazz lovers in Westchester.”

The series comes when there is a surge of jazz interest coming from Westchester, from year-round venues like Jazz Forum Arts in Tarrytown to anticipated annual festivals like JazzFest White Plains.

The full performance lineup at Emelin will be announced soon, but the series was launched this week by a concert from Grammy Award-winner Alex Cuba. Additional shows will feature everything from rising stars to established names in a full range of styles.

Alfred D’Alessandro Book Party

Writer Alfred D’Alessandro recently released The B-Side of Paradise, a humorous and unconventional coming-of-age memoir set against the backdrop of Princeton University. The book, a response to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel This Side of Paradise, which is also set on the Princeton campus, follows the journey of a high school student whose academic and athletic achievements earn him a spot at the Ivy League school. However, his college experience quickly reveals that he is more suited to the “B-side” of Princeton’s social scene, as opposed to the traditional academic and elite circles of the university.

The narrative is divided into three sections: The Descent, The Rise, and The Crash and Burn. Through episodic stories, D’Alessandro details the protagonist’s misadventures, including pranks, eccentric encounters, and the chaos of college life.

On March 27, New Castle Historical Society presents a book party with D’Alessandro who, after a food and cocktails reception, will read from his newly released book, followed by a book signing.

ArtsWestchester Announces Annual Arts Award Honorees

ArtsWestchester recently announced the honorees for this year’s Arts Award luncheon. The organization is set to present $30,000 in grants to artists and organizations who recognize outstanding contributions to the arts in Westchester County. The annual event, which began in 1976, will take place this year at Sonesta Hotel in White Plains on April 9, presenting seven awards to 11 honorees, including:

• Patron Award: Barbara & Paul Elliot
• Impact Award: Paul Adler
• Artist Award: John Patitucci
• Sophia Abeles Arts Education Award: Bethany Arts Community
• Milestone Award: Tarrytown Music Hall
• Milestone Award: Caramoor
• Larry Salley Photography Award: Kwame Anyane-Yeboa
• Larry Salley Photography Award: Anna Sirota
• Advancing Equity Award: Ballet des Amériques
• Advancing Equity Award: Flor Bromley

The event will consist of a reception, luncheon and award ceremony. This year’s event also coincides with ArtsWestchester’s 60^th anniversary and underscores the organization’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that the arts reflect Westchester’s diverse communities.

Matt Turk Releases In Between

Matt Turk has released his sixth solo studio album, In Between, marking another chapter in his long-standing collaboration with producer Kevin Hupp. The album features seven original tracks written by Turk, with the exception of “Without Her,” which he co-wrote with Hupp. The project came to fruition after a fruitful discussion between the two musicians following a recording session for another project. Turk and Hupp, who have shared a professional relationship for over 25 years, decided to join forces once again to create a new album. Turk contributes vocals, acoustic guitar, mandolin and electric guitar, while Hupp plays drums, percussion, keyboards and background vocals. The album also features bassist David Richards.