White Plains Jazz & Food Festival 2018

White Plains Jazz & Food Festival 2018: The 2018 White Plains Jazz Festival, presented by ArtsWestchester, features 20+ free and affordable concerts at a variety of up close and personal venues throughout the city from September 12-16. From Grammy-Award-winning pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill to DownBeat Magazine’s Alto Saxophonist of the Year for six of seven years running Rudresh Mahanthappa to young groundbreaking artists and composers Emmet Cohen, Veronica Swift and Marquis Hill, the White Plains Jazz Fest is a treat for jazz lovers or the jazz curious.

This year’s headlining performers reflect a broad range of styles, from straight ahead to post-bop. While over half the performers have roots in Westchester, the festival features the sounds of jazz traditions from around the world including Brazil, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Chicago, Philly, and New York.

ArtsWestchester will host three of the most intimate performances in its gallery, located at 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains. Other White Plains venues include Grace Church, Court Street Farmers Market, the White Plains Library, The Galleria at White Plains, Morton’s Steak House, Sofrito, Ron Blacks Beer Hall and Mediterraneo.

The festival concludes on Sunday, September 16 with the White Plains Jazz & Food Festival. At this free event, four acts will perform from noon to 5:30pm including headliner Marquis Hill Blacktet, winner of the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition, vibraphonist Jay Hoggard, Samba New York and saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin & Soulsquad who has shared the stage with Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys. Five White Plains restaurants will provide fest fare including Gaucho Burger, Buffalo Wild Wings and Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza. Here’s each day’s headliners:

Thursday

The Emmett Cohen Trio, ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, Thurs, 9/13: 7p.m: A 2008 Downbeat Award-winner as an Outstanding Jazz Soloist, pianist Emmet Cohen was later chosen to play in the 2008 GRAMMY Jazz Combo, the 2008 Jazz Band of America and the Monterey Jazz Festival’s 2008 Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Christian McBride has referred to him as “one of the most dynamic young musicians on the scene today.” He has already shared the bandstand with Joshua Redman, Patti Austin, Maceo Parker, Billy Hart, Anat Cohen, Christian McBride and others.

Veronica Swift with The Emmett Cohen Trio, ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, Thurs, 9/13: 8:30pm: Veronica Swift, a 2015 winner of the Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, was a guest artist with Michael Feinstein at Lazz at Lincoln Center. The 23-year old bebop and traditional swing vocalist, recently performed with Johnn Pizzarelli at at Manhattan’s famed Birdland Jazz Club, where she performs every Saturday night.

Friday

The Rudresh Mahanthappa Trio, ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, Fri, 9/1414: 8 p.m. Rudresh Mahanthappa, named Alto Saxophonist of the Year in DownBeat Magazine’s International Critics’ Polls for six of the past seven years, is widely known as one of the premier voices in jazz of the 21st century. A Guggenheim Fellow, he was named Alton Saxophonist of the Year for three consecutive years by the Jazz Journalists Association. Here, he plays with Francois Moutin on bass and Johnathan Blake on drums.

Saturday

Arturo O’farrell Sextet, White Plains Performing Arts Center, 11 City Pl., White Plains, Sat, 9/15: 8pm: Pianist and Artistic Director of the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, Arturo O’Farrill is a 3-time GRAMMY Award-winner for Best Latin Jazz Album. One of the most important figures on the current Latin Jazz scene, O’Farrill received a 2018 GRAMMY for Best Instrumental Composition for “Three Revolutions” from the album Familia: Tribute to Chico and Bebo. He has performed with with Dizzy Gillespie, Lester Bowie, Wynton Marsalis and Harry Belafonte. His Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and Boss Level Sextet have performed worldwide.

Sunday

Marquis Hill Blacktet, White Plains Jazz & Food Festival, Outside of ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains, Sun, 9/16, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Trumpeter and composer Marquis Hill is recognized as one of the preeminent jazz voices of his generation. Winner of the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Trumpet Competition, The New York Times described Hill as “a dauntingly skilled trumpeter”. The Chicago Tribune said his “music crystallizes the hard-hitting, hard- swinging spirit of Chicago jazz.” As a composer, he builds upon his distinctive sound to craft arresting original compositions that embrace post- bop, hip-hop, R&B and spoken word.

Visit artsw.org/jazzfest for the full 2018 JazzFest in White Plains lineup and to purchase tickets. Please note that seating at the ArtsWestchester events are extremely limited. Please visit artsw.org/jazzfest to purchase tickets today.

More What To Do: In & Around Town

Sign up for the What To Do Email Newsletter … carefully curated for townies, foodies, culture-vultures & locavores.