Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook Southampton is collaborating with The Jazz Loft to present "The Jazz Loft @ Southampton Concert Series," a series of concerts taking place in spring and summer. The events will feature acclaimed jazz musicians, including Grammy Award recipients Dan Pugach and Nicole Zuraitis.

The concert series is curated by Thomas Manuel, the founder of The Jazz Loft and a fellow at Stony Brook University's Jazz Department. According to Manuel, "This is a collaboration that our artists and musical community at large are very excited about."

The performances aim to explore the various facets of jazz, both historically and in contemporary terms, fostering both entertainment and education. This aligns with The Jazz Loft’s mission of preserving, educating about, and performing jazz. Wendy Pearson, the vice president for strategic initiatives and executive director of Stony Brook Southampton, expressed enthusiasm for the series, stating, "The Jazz Loft @ Southampton is part of a vibrant spring and summer season that brings together our community, faculty, staff, and students around powerful themes."

Four out of the five planned performances will be held at the Avram Theater on the Stony Brook Southampton campus. The fourth event will take place in a large tent on the athletics field.

The series will include concerts such as “Jazz As Democracy,” featuring music from figures like Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington, and “The Art of New,” showcasing original compositions by contemporary jazz artists, including Dan Pugach and Nicole Zuraitis.

Other concerts will celebrate Long Island's jazz legends, the spirit and soul of Latin jazz, and the intersection between visual art and jazz music.

Tickets for the series are priced at $36 per concert for general admission, with discounts available for seniors and Stony Brook students. An all-series pass costs $144, with tickets available for purchase online.