Berkshire Bank Salt City Summerfestwill blanket downtown with the arts

Pop up arts festival will enlivendowntown Syracuse through September

It’s going to be a long, hard summer in Syracuse. The remainder of the summer months will present an unprecedented challenge for the culture and economy of the city’s downtown business district. The benefits of the many free outdoor cultural celebrations that provide excitement and economic activity for residents, visitors, small business, restaurants, and local musicians and freelance artists of all kinds throughout the summer – festivals, concerts, special events, and fairs – are largely absent from the urban scene. The hundreds of thousands of festival goers whose spending generates significant sales tax income throughout the summer will be reduced to near zero. A second summer with no significant cultural activity is a major concern for all who depend on the vibrancy and vitality of our urban center to attract and retain employees, residents, and businesses. To meet this unique and unprecedented level of need, CNY Jazz has createda unique festival – a new, innovative, and comprehensive cultural model that changesthis paradigm completely. The “Berkshire Bank Salt City Summerfest” will deliver small, acoustic, mobile cultural content in multiple locations chosen for their proximity to key business clusters – a model with little or no need for infrastructure yet deliver the same excitement and attraction of the arts, safe, compliant, and without public health risk. “We are uniquely positioned to successfully deliver this model for Syracuse,”, said Larry Luttinger, founder and Executive Director of CNY Jazz. “Among other annual celebrations like Jazz in the Square, Jazz in the City, the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival, the 2009 Healthy Buildings International Conference, and others, we’ve presented the only festival of this kind in Syracuse’s history, the 2013 CRAVE festival and state conference, which provided downtown with a weekend with dozens of pop-up arts engagement activities. We’re really excited at being able to blanket downtown with performances for the rest of the summer and into the fall.” The event would not be possible without the strong support of a team of New York State legislators that believe in the value of the arts. Assembly members Al Stirpe, co-chair of the state’s economic recovery task force, Bill Magnarelli, and Pam Hunter have all provided support for the fest, as well as title sponsor Berkshire Bank and corporate supporters National Grid, Lockheed Martin Employees Federated Fund, C&S Companies, OneGroup, Fust Charles Chambers LLP, Bousquet Holstein, Bond Schoeneck & King, Washington Street Partners, and Critical Link. “The summer festivals, music events and cultural celebrations we have all grown to know and love were stifled by the COVID-19 pandemic. The residual effects still impact our local artists, businesses and economy even as we are in the midst of recovering,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “The idea to offer pop-up performances to help sustain Syracuse’s entertainment industry is one that I fully support. I am grateful that the CNY Jazz Arts Foundation continues to advocate and innovate in this space, and I look forward to the Salt City Summerfest reviving our community in a much-needed way.” Al Stirpe commented, “I’m thrilled that Salt City Summerfest will fill the streets with music this summer. It’s critical that we support our local artists, restaurants and small businesses and make this a summer of revival for all. Salt City Summerfest is a cornerstone of that vision and will provide a wide variety of regular pop-up performances and activities to entertain residents and visitors alike. I want to thank CNY Jazz for organizing this innovative event series, as well as the corporate sponsors and my fellow CNY legislators, and also for helping reinvigorate our local arts community.” Bill Magnarelli echoed that sentiment, saying “Celebrating summer with the arts is a wonderful way of investing in the economic and cultural environment of Central New York. As we recover from the pandemic, Summerfest offers a unique opportunity to draw people to our parks and landmarks, while also exposing them to the vast array of the arts and artists in our community.” Pam Hunter added, “I welcome the innovative approach Salt City Summerfest is taking to bring events back to Syracuse for the summer of 2021. Their dedication to planning events in a responsible and safe manner will bring back summer activities for our community and will reengage our local businesses and artists who have had so many challenges throughout the last 15 months. I look forward to seeing which local artists will be participating.” Chris Papayanakos, regional president of Berkshire Bank, said “Berkshire Bank is excited to support this new initiative by CNY Jazz. As the title sponsor of the annual CNY Jazz Festival over the last several years this city-wide summer long event is a terrific way to celebrate the local arts as we all emerge from the pandemic.” The festival will present musicians, dancers, actors of all stripes on downtown sidewalks, in locations including Hanover Square, Armory Square, Perseverance Park, the Marriott Downtown, and Salt City Market, plus strolling musicians visiting sidewalk dining areas across the 13202 zip code. A weekly schedule will present talent on Wednesday lunch hours and Fridays and Saturdays during weekend dining times, starting Friday July 23rd during Syracuse Artsweek, and continuing through Saturday September 11th, taking the week leading up to Labor Day off. A region-wide call for talent has already been announced, and a full schedule of performances will be announced at a later date. “The element of surprise will always be in the air during these days, “explained Luttinger about the dozens of pop-up performances scheduled. “You could turn a corner or take a seat and be serenaded by a singing guitarist, a bluegrass trio, a barbershop quartet, a dance routine, a jazz group, a Shakespeare soliloquy, or a soul doowop group. Expect the spontaneous, as if you were walking New York City streets or traveling the subways. We’ll turn downtown into a street level mecca for the arts, while providing paid employment for our area’s struggling gig workers when they need it most.” All details and the ongoing festival schedule will be posted at  www.saltcitysummerfest.org, and interested artists may still register at that web site.

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse NY 13202

315.479.5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

Syracuse Community Health Center & 100 Black Men of Syracuse announce major vaccination effort for urban neighborhoods

Syracuse NY – Urban Syracuse is facing a critical public health challenge. Resistance to vaccination is persistent. Positive test rates for Central New York are nearly twice the state average, and in our city’s neighborhoods even higher, while restaurants and retail businesses are reopening rapidly. Fear of vaccination is deeply ingrained in America’s minority community. Communications with isolated residents lacking computers and transport is difficult. Something must be done.

Building on the success of last summer’s “COVID: Don’t Bring It Home” campaign, a broad community partnership led by the Syracuse Community Health Center and 100 Black Men of Syracuse has answered the call. They are mounting an innovative and ambitious public health effort called the “Syracuse Community Health Family Health Picnics”. These Sunday afternoon events will tour city parks throughout the summer months to pursue multiple goals: overcome fear, fight misinformation, provide equitable health care access, bring isolated urban residents together, lift spirits, provide family health service information, and most importantly, vaccinate urban residents.

The series will travel with a mobile vaccination and testing unit and feature exciting live music by national and regional acts, a health care village, inspirational speakers, and minority arts & crafts vendors. Major prizes, raffles, and other incentives will be offered to those being vaccinated, and every family in attendance will receive a goodie bag filled with public health information and incentives. Families will be able to bring blankets, lawn chairs, baskets, and coolers, and enjoy their afternoons in individually marked lawn spaces.

“The best way to give people the protection they need from COVID-19 is to bring information and services to where they are. The Syracuse Community Health Center Family Health Picnics are just the kind of partnership we need to increase vaccination rates and keep people in the city healthy,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “I thank Syracuse Community Health, CNY Jazz, 100 Black Men of Syracuse and all the other sponsors for helping us beat back COVID-19.  And I encourage all of Syracuse to enjoy these great events in our city parks this summer.”

A robust media campaign utilizing all traditional and social media, flyers in all Syracuse Housing Authority village and high-rise properties, geotargeted social media ads, and bulk mailings will cover Syracuse’s urban neighborhoods throughout the summer months. An informational campaign led by local media personality George Kilpatrick will blanket the airwaves and internet all summer.

Schedule:

All events are Sundays 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

June 13 Skiddy Park with Alex Torres y su Orquesta

June 27 Schiller Park with Jeff Kashiwa

July 11 Jubilee Park with U.A.D. Kings of the Fall with the Black Lites

Aug 1 Sankofa Park with the C-Jack Run Showcase and Brownskin

Aug 15 Leavenworth Park with Will Holton

Aug 22 Thornden Park Amphitheater with Eric Darius

All events are free and open to the public.

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:

Larry Luttinger

441 E Washington St.

Syracuse NY 13202

315-479-5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

Nancy Kelly mentors aspiring vocalists at Jazz Central

Pandemic protocols in place

Syracuse NY – Nancy Kelly, Upstate New York’s jazz vocal treasure, continues to pay it forward for young and aspiring vocalists at her Vocal Jazz Jam and Stars of Tomorrow Cabaret events, scheduled for Saturday April 24^th and Sunday April 25^th at downtown’s Jazz Central theater. Her unique program has been providing singers with valuable coaching in a master class setting and an opportunity to perform in public with a professional trio since 2005.

On Saturday from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. she will work with vocalists in a friendly, supportive master-class environment, accompanied by Rick Montalbano, former Music Director for Lou Rawls, on piano. Singers of all ages are encouraged to prepare any song from the Great American Songbook, the jazz and blues lexicon, or pop titles. They must bring sheet music.

Then at 7:00 pm the next evening, the singers from the Saturday workshop are invited back to perform their song with the CNY Jazz Trio at the “Stars of Tomorrow Cabaret”.

COVID protocols will be stringent. Each singer will be given a unique time slot and sing in a plexiglass booth which will be sanitized for each performer.

All performers will receive a video clip of their performance for self-study.

“These sessions are invaluable at a time when in-school instruction has been dramatically curtailed,” said Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz founder. “They’re informal and fun. Professionals including Scott Dennis, Will Gorman, and Anna Vogel have come from the ranks of this program. We can’t wait to see who comes out of this program next.”

To sign up for coaching, singers must visit https://www.cnyjazz.org/nancy-kelly-vocal-jazz-jams-stars-of-tomorrow/ to register, and call 315-479-5299 to receive a coaching and performance time slot.

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse, NY 13202

315-479-5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

CNY Jazz brings L.A. to Syracuse for Black History Cabaret

Dr. Sharon Brangman to receive Pioneer Public Service Award

Syracuse NY – What do you do when you can’t fly the best in entertainment to Syracuse to celebrate Black History Month? You go to them, to produce a unique and personal virtual show for the thousands who have flocked to the Marriott Syracuse Downtown for over 10 years to experience your sold-out live shows. CNY Jazz and Brackens Financial Solutions Network will bring west coast saxophone superstar Eric Darius back to Central New York via cyberspace to close Black History Month 2021 with a single show scheduled for 5 p.m. Sunday February 28^th. Tickets are available now for $15.00 at TIX.COM.

Eric Darius has become well known to the Syracuse smooth jazz community, having performed here multiple times under the auspices of CNY Jazz. He will produce a full-length intermission concert especially for local audiences, including sponsor, patron, and fan shoutouts. During intermission, this year’s Pioneer Public Service award will be presented to the groundbreaking medical gerontologist Dr. Sharon Brangman, Chair of Geriatrics at Upstate University Hospital,  former president of the American Geriatrics Society, Director of the new Nappi Longevity Institute, and a subject of the book Triple Triumph, an account of her path to national distinction, published by the S.U. “Syracuse Unbound” imprint.

This year, patrons are encouraged to plan home viewing parties with takeout cuisine from a select group of standout local soul food, ethnic, and BBQ locations, to support restaurants hard hit by the pandemic and minority-owned businesses, including Winnie’ Soul Delicious, Creole Soul Café, Mi Casa Grande, and other select locations. These eateries will all be providing discounts on takeout orders the day of the event to ticketholders who call and order using a promo code given to them at tix.com. The list of select locations and their ordering information is available at cnyjazz.org.

This year’s musical guest artist is a giant in the jazz world. Of Haitian and Jamaican descent, Eric Darius started his stellar career as a child star, touring internationally with Sonny LaRosa’s “America’s Youngest Jazz Band.” After releasing his debut album as leader at the ripe old age of seventeen, he studied at the University of South Florida before fully launching a successful career as a leading figure in contemporary jazz. A former Smooth Jazz News Debut Artist of the Year with a No. 1 single on the Contemporary Jazz Charts, he will self-produce his upcoming virtual cabaret concert with his entire west coast band.

“Eric has graciously agreed to put in the time it takes to turn out what will be a production worthy of network TV, and it’s all for us, exclusively on our private channel,” said Larry Luttinger, director of CNY Jazz. “We weren’t about to let this pandemic slow us down when it comes to delivering America’s urban music to our loyal fans. We’re counting on their involvement to help us make this year’s event a strong bridge to better times. We’ve even got a section of our web site dedicated to how to hook up your laptops to your home TV to make this gig the centerpiece of the home watch party of the year, in celebration of Black America’s musical contribution to world culture. Like Dizzy Gillespie said, ‘No America, no Jazz.’ This is the perfect time in our history to enjoy this cultural heritage and look forward to a more unified America. This is the power of jazz in a nutshell.”

The event is underwritten by perennial title sponsor Brackens Financial Solutions Network, along with Wegmans, National Grid, Visions Federal Credit Union, and WAER FM-88.

IF YOU VIEW

What: CNY Jazz Black History Month Cabaret with Eric Darius

Where: home viewing

When: Sunday February 28^th 5 p.m.

Cost: $15.00 at TIX.COM – links sent one hour before showtime

Discount Takeout Restaurants: https://www.cnyjazz.org/promotion/eric-darius-bhm-cabaret/

TV Hook Up Tips: https://www.cnyjazz.org/hook-up-hints/

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PRESS RELEASE

Contact:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse NY 13202

315-479-5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

Young lions invade Jazz Central for virtual concert

Syracuse NY – CNY Jazz continues to supply music hungry Central New Yorkers with cutting edge jazz in their next Jazz Central Production of the season. Emerging national trumpet talent Tom Iandolo will bring his sextet into Jazz Central to record a concert for streaming on multiple nights in February spanning the Valentine’s Day weekend. Showtimes are scheduled for Friday February 12^th at 7 p.m., Saturday February 13^th at 7 p.m., and Sunday February 14^th at 4 p.m. Tickets are available now at TIX.COM for $10.00. Links will be sent one hour before showtimes.

A native Syracusan, Iandolo is a graduate of Jamesville-Dewitt High School and Ithaca College. A protegee of jazz greats Scott Wendholt and Marvin Stamm, he had become active in the New York City club scene when the pandemic shut down music venues everywhere. For his upcoming show, he has assembled a top-flight sextet of young lions from across New York State including Dunham Hall on tenor sax, Oliver Scott on piano, Joey Arcuri on bass, Drew Serafini on guitar, and Ian Cummings on drums. Viewers can expect swinging renditions of Great American Songbook repertoire, jazz standards, and music for lovers as well, in keeping with the Valentine’s Day tradition.

“These young players will be the ones keeping the flame of America’s music alive for the future,” commented Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz Executive Director. “It’s great to see them go from dropping in our jams and workshops to emerging as adult professionals. Your tickets to this show will amount to more than admissions. They are investments in the future of the art form, plain and simple.”

Tips on how to enjoy CNY Jazz shows by home viewing on flat screen televisions can be found at https://www.cnyjazz.org/hook-up-hints/

IF YOU VIEW

What: The Tom Iandolo Sextet: A Jazz Central Production

Where: home viewing

When: Friday February 12^th 7 p.m., Saturday February 13^th 7 p.m., Sunday February 14^th 4 p.m.

Cost: $10.00 at TIX.COM – Links will be sent one hour before showtimes

PRESS RELEASE

CONTACT:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse, NY 13202

315-479-5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

10^th Anniversary January Jazzfest now a weekend affair

Virtual festival and VIP watch party options

Syracuse NY – Serious fans of America’s music will be relieved to know that the Seneca Savings January Jazzfest will be back for its 10^th Anniversary at Mohegan Manor in Baldwinsville, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday January 30^th and 31^st. A double bill featuring nationally recognized acts will appear each day of the virtual event. Private VIP dinner watch parties will take place at Mohegan Manor through the weekend as well. Tickets are on sale now at tix.com for $15.00 per day or $25.00 for the entire event, and all details about the shows and watch parties may be found at www.cnyjazz.org.

Saturday’s show kicks off at 7 p.m. with the eclectic blues, funk, roots music and Americana of Mark Nanni & The Intention, followed by the horn-driven neo-soul and blues of Miller & The Other Sinners expanded band. Sunday’s double bill opens at 5 p.m. with pianist Chuck Lamb of Brubeck Brothers fame, topped off by KJ Denhert’s unique brand of funky “urban folk”.

Viewers will have the option of saving their ticket cost and viewing either or both days for free by attending VIP dinner watch parties at Mohegan Manor, the festival’s traditional host venue, where the shows will be cast to big screen TVs with enhanced audio. Table reservations for parties of up to four may be made by calling the Manor at 315-935-6866 or emailing moheganmanor@yahoo.com to reserve a table and choose menu selections for a fixed price of $45.

“We’re full speed ahead and presenting fine music for everyone at a time when we all need its communal, healing power the most,” said Larry Luttinger, Director of CNY Jazz. “We realize that everyone is in a unique situation, so we’ve built maximum flexibility into this year’s fest. Each day’s schedule is a little over two hours long, to fit a home watch party dinner or the private dinners at Mohegan. Whatever your comfort level or cuisine of choice, it’s here for you to mix and match. Go all virtual, all live to enjoy the Manor’s high-end cuisine, or choose a combination of the two. Add four nationally respected acts that we’ve presented on our major festival stages in the past, and you’ve got a party for sure. So buy local, support the arts, and have a ball watching this festival.”

Mohegan Manor has designed a special prix fixe festival menu including prime rib, pork osso bucco, wild mushroom ravioli, baked salmon, and chicken marsala for the private parties, which will be seated at large, well-distanced banquet tables with a maximum groups of four. A 100% mask requirement when not seated and dining will be in effect, and the facility will be disinfected daily.

Virtual tickets will only be available until 75 minutes before showtimes, with links sent one hour before show times.

IF YOU VIEW OR ATTEND

What: The Seneca Savings January Jazzfest

Where: home viewing or private watch parties at Mohegan Manor in Baldwinsville NY

When: 7 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. Saturday January 30^th, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday January 31^st

Tickets: $15 per day or $25 full festival at tix.com available until 75 minutes before showtimes, links sent one hour before showtimes

Dinners: Call 315-935-6866 or email moheganmanor@yahoo.com for reservations and menu selections in advance (no walk-ins), prix fixe $45 includes salad and breads

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse, Ny 13202

315-479-5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

CNY Jazz gathers heavyweight talent for New Year’s Eve special

Syracuse NY – While nesting safely at home, area music fans who usually go out won’t be deprived of local music to ring in the New Year. To alleviate their isolation and provide a dose of family-friendly excitement, CNY Jazz will present a celebration by the region’s top jazz and cabaret talent in a virtual New Year’s Eve Special featuring a lineup of major artists known across upstate New York. The show is scheduled to go live at 7 p.m. December 31 and will stay accessible through the next day, for those on the front lines who may have to work the night before. Tickets are available now at tix.com for $19.95. Purchasers will receive a private link one hour before showtime.

Standout artists of all stripes, from career veterans to newcomers, will share their interpretations of holiday songs in performances recorded live at Jazz Central.  Ronnie Leigh, Nancy Kelly, Scott Dennis, E.S.P. with Vanessa Vacanti, the heavyweight vibes trio of Joe Carello, Jimmy Johns, and Tom Brigandi, and pianist Dan Pugh will all contribute their unique takes on a wide range of holiday repertoire to the show.

“What’s the showbiz term for this kind of thing, a cavalcade of talent, perhaps?” commented Larry Luttinger, CNY Jazz Executive Director. “We’ve had so much fun putting this together. I can’t thank these artists enough for coming in to donate their talent. This show is all about how generous and resilient artists are, and how much they are moved to share the joy and inspiration of their songs with everyone, at a time when we need it most. I’m not mincing words when I say that artists are in the struggle of their lives right now. When the smoke clears and we can meet in person again, remember the heart that they put into this show and everything they do, and support our efforts, now and going forward.”

The presentation will also include retrospective video from the CNY Jazz Orchestra, recorded live at the Persian Terrace of the old Hotel Syracuse, and selections by the CNY Jazz Vespers Quartet. Of note is the professional debut of Vanessa Vacanti, daughter of E.S.P. founder and bassist Matt Vacanti, who will contribute a special tune for all those who can’t be together and for members of the armed forces everywhere.

IF YOU VIEW

What: A CNY Jazz New Year’s Eve Special

Where: home viewing

When: 7 p.m. Thursday December 31

Tickets: $19.95 at tix.com (link will be emailed one hour before showtime)

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse NY 13202

Jazz Central hosts first virtual concert with KennaDee

Syracuse NY – CNY Jazz enters the world of online concert presentation with their debut “Jazz Central Production” featuring acoustic singer/songwriter KennaDee. Multiple virtual showings of the performance are scheduled for Thursday November 19 through Monday November 23. Tickets will go on sale November 11^th at 12:00 p.m. for $10.00 at tix.com. Purchasers will receive email links to the show one hour before performance time, which will allow them to view it on any device.

Kenna’s show is produced by Larry Hoyt, well-known host of then weekly “Common Threads” show on WAER-FM, considers this a long-overdue showcase for KennaDee. “She is one of the most talented singer/songwriters in Central New York. Her voice and songwriting deserve public recognition and appreciation” said Hoyt. 

A native of Alabama, KennaDee has performed at countless venues across Upstate New York.  Raised in a military family and seasoned by stints with multiple country, rock, and blues bands, she now leads a successful career as a solo artist. Songs from her 2019 debut CD, “Gypsy Soul,” have received significant radio airplay and exposure.  She has been featured on WAER’s ‘Common Threads’ and Westcott Radio’s ‘Hit-n-Mix’ as well as ‘CNYLive!’ Vocally, she has been compared to Eva Cassidy, as well as Alison Krauss, Linda Ronstadt, and Bonnie Raitt. 

“We’re extremely pleased that this is our first online production from Jazz Central, at a time when audiences and musicians both need the benefits of personal contact and communication through words and music very intensely,” commented Larry Luttinger, Executive Director of CNY Jazz. “KennaDee bares her soul with her songs. She’s fearless, charming, and talented, a triple threat songwriter.” He added, “The show links will lead to our private channel which can be effortlessly cast to any smart TV.”

IF YOU “ATTEND”

Who: KennaDee – A Virtual Showcase

What: A Jazz Central Production

Where: home viewing

When: 8:00 p.m. November 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23, 4:00 p.m. matinee Sunday November 22

Tickets: $10.00 at www.tix.com

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse NY 13202

larry@cnyjazz.org

315.479.5299

Jazz Central offers streaming services to artists

Syracuse NY – Jazz Central is now Central New York’s newest virtual concert venue, capable of 4K multi-camera audiovisual production for artists in all genres who are now seeking virtual platforms to deliver their content. Shows and promotions of all kinds may be livestreamed or pre-recorded for later release at their newly renovated education facility in downtown Syracuse.

Audiences may not attend sessions, since theaters have not yet been allowed to open across New York State. “The upcoming months will be a survival challenge for musicians and performers of all kinds, and we are serious about doing all we can to help professional artists survive through this long winter,” according to Larry Luttinger, Executive Director of CNY Jazz. “We are also going to help by providing wraparound marketing and publicity for anyone broadcasting from our facility, including ticketing and link distribution. This is a brave new virtual world, and we need to help everyone find new online audiences and retain their core followers until restrictions are lifted, which will most probably not be until late spring or summer of 2021.”All current safety measures will be observed, including distancing on stage between clear plexiglass barriers, air filtration at MERV 11, and temperatures taken at entry.

Offerings will emphasize new and original content including singer-songwriters in all genres and performing artists in all disciplines, including drama, comedy, burlesque, improv, readings, cabaret, and student productions. “The arts help us gain an understanding of the world around us, especially in these chaotic times,” said Luttinger. “Local creators have important things to say, and the public needs to experience this emotionally. We’re here to provide a safe and effective way to provide this for the local performing arts community. Realistically, we’re looking at reopening as a live venue in late spring or summer of 2021, given what Broadway, Lincoln Center, and full-time theaters across the state are now announcing. We’re here for local artists for this long haul. We just hope that audiences understand this and will engage in this new virtual platform for the arts.”

CNY Jazz will also produce annual fundraisers for non-profits for whom streaming platforms are out of reach economically.

All services will be available for a low fee and artists will retain a majority of streaming income. For more information, contact info@cnyjazz.org or visit https://www.cnyjazz.org/jazz-central/

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PRESS RELEASE

Contact:

Larry Luttinger

441 E. Washington St.

Syracuse NY 13202

315-479-5299

larry@cnyjazz.org

“COVID: Don’t Bring it Home” testing and awareness campaign launched

Syracuse NY – As the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the United States, African Americans are being infected and dying at a disproportionately high rate. A broad ranging partnership led by 100 Black Men, with the help of the Syracuse Community Health Center, CNY Jazz, and a host of area health services and media organizations, will mount a high-profile urban health awareness and COVID testing campaign in August and September to combat this threat. The effort will provide goodie bags filled with masks, sanitizers, and other health awareness information to those being tested at the health center’s drive-through and walk-up testing site at 819 South Salina Street. Called “COVID: Don’t Bring It Home”, the initiative has the primary goals of controlling community spread in urban locations and increased testing by urban residents. George Kilpatrick, media veteran and radio host, will act as spokesperson for an aggressive marketing campaign to attract urban youth.

To bring more urban residents to the testing site, the bags will be given out on four Thursdays from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm starting August 27^th, which will include masks and hand sanitizer, as well as public health information from the members of the healthcare village that has accompanied Jazz in the City urban outreach concerts in the past. The drive-through and walk-through process will be fast and simple, and small groups of sidewalk musicians including Ronnie Leigh, the BlackLites Lite, and Mike Houston & Sam Wynn will serenade those waiting in line.

United Healthcare has taken a significant lead role underwriting the campaign, as well as Syracuse YSAP (Youth Substance Abuse Prevention). Additional sponsors include Tops Friendly Markets, CSEA Local 1000, Geddes Federal Savings and Loan, Circare, the New York State Office of Mental Health, Wegmans, and Molina Healthcare.

PPE supplies, nurse clinicians, and all testing resources will be supplied by Governor Cuomo’s Office, the Syracuse Community Health Center, and Molina Healthcare.

Event volunteers will come from the ranks of 100 Black Men of Syracuse, Omega Psi Phi fraternity, and CNY Jazz.

The campaign will include PSA announcements on WCNY, WAER, Power 620 radio, and social media influencer UrbanTSyr. Boots on the ground will be provided by members of Omega Psi Phi, Chi Pi Chapter, who will canvas surrounding neighborhoods and housing with flyers before each testing week. The Syracuse Housing Authority will post notices in all of their properties across Syracuse.

Drake Harrison of 100 Black Men, commented, “Equal access to health care is an important right for all Americans, and we are very aware of the obstacles that Black, LatinX, and other people of color face in gaining this access. This awareness campaign is meant not only to achieve more complete and accurate testing results for the people of our community but also to educate our community about the vital importance of masking and social distancing. Don’t Bring it Home! Lives are at risk.”

Mark Hall, CEO of the Syracuse Community Health Center, said, “We’re extremely happy to team up with this broad group of stakeholders to mount this effort. We are committed to the safety and well-being of our most vulnerable urban residents, and we welcome all those who are able to be tested and become more aware of how their actions can make those around them safer.”

George Kilpatrick added, “I am honored to be part of the effort to help raise awareness and reduce the morbidity among Black and Brown people who are adversely impacted by the virus. We can and will save lives as a result.”

Masks and sanitizers, goodie bags, and live music will be available at these “Don’t Bring it Home” extended testing hours at the Syracuse Community Health Center, 819 S. Salina St, Syracuse NY 13202. Drive to the parking lot behind the center.

6:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday, August 27^th with the BlackLites Lite

6:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday, September 3^rd with Ronnie Leigh

6:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday, September 10^th with Mike Houston & Sam Wynn

6:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday, September 17^th with the BlackLites Lite

The testing site is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Wednesday, 9:00 am through 8:00 pm on the Thursdays above, Friday 9:00 to 5:00 and Saturday 9:00 to 1:00 pm. For a full schedule and all details visit http://www.cnyjazzinthecity.org/

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