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Faced with cancelling an all-star jazz series due to the pandemic, the Village of Pinecrest reimagined “JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl” to both help feed America and bring jazz masters to the homes and hearts of viewers nationwide.
A generous percentage of the proceeds from the COVID-19 relief fundraiser will go directly to World Central Kitchen, an organization that uses the power of food to heal and strengthen communities through times of crisis and beyond that was founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés.
JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl will kick off with a live performance by international superstar Jon Secada, broadcast from the acoustically magnificent Banyan Bowl at Pinecrest Gardens at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. Additionally as part of the extraordinary eight-show COVID-19 relief concert series, jazz fans will enjoy performances by 10-time Grammy Award winner Arturo Sandoval, guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli Trio, the world-renowned Glenn Miller Orchestra, award-winning trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, acclaimed saxophonist, singer and composer Grace Kelly, child prodigy Joey Alexander, and multi-Grammy Award winning The Manhattan Transfer.
“We are determined to keep the music alive this season by using technology to broadcast our stellar lineup of world famous jazz musicians directly into the homes of everyone across the globe,” said Pinecrest Gardens executive director Alana Perez. “By fundraising for World Central Kitchen, we are able to serve a dual purpose, which is to also provide food relief for those communities and individuals that have been impacted the most by the coronavirus pandemic. We encourage music lovers of all ages to buy a single show or purchase the series, and share these wonderful concerts with friends and family in the safety and comfort of their own homes.”
Now in its 11th year, Pinecrest Gardens’ popular jazz series has brought some of jazz music’s hottest and biggest names to South Florida. The series sells out year after year as a result of a thriving community of local music lovers.
Perez added, “Historically, with nearly all of our seats sold to season subscribers each year, many fans are forced to miss seeing some of their favorite performers live. Now, everyone will be able to catch the shows while supporting a worthy cause.”
JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl will be recorded by a professional, five-camera concert production crew on site at Pinecrest Gardens’ Banyan Bowl, which is nestled inside of one of Florida’s most beloved botanical gardens and tourist attractions, the former Parrot Jungle. The open-air amphitheater traditionally seats 530 people and has been the site of countless world-class musical performances. But with the pandemic and social distancing requirements, the upcoming 2020-21 concert season will be made available instead through pay-per-view, livestream. Each two-hour show will take place over the span of seven months and will include two 45-minute sets by each artist with an intermission.
Early bird tickets go on sale starting today. The cost is $15 for an individual performance and $100 for the eight-show jazz series, with a portion of ticket sales being donated to the World Central Kitchen. Since the start of the pandemic, World Central Kitchen has mobilized in cities across America to help feed vulnerable communities and brave medical professionals on the front lines of the health crisis, as well as support the distressed restaurant industry. To purchase a subscription to JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl, visit www.pinecrestgardens.org/jazzaid.
Thank you to sponsors including Midtown Video and Steinway & Sons. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Learn more by contacting Alana Perez at 305-669-6990 or email asperez@pinecrest-fl.gov.
Pinecrest Gardens, South Florida’s Cultural Arts Park, attracts over 160,000 visitors each year. Formerly Parrot Jungle, one of America’s most beloved tourist attractions, the Village of Pinecrest purchased this property in 2002, and in October 2011, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Pinecrest Gardens is a premier venue for the arts, education and environmental conservation and preservation.
On any given day, one can experience a live performance livestreamed from a 530-seat amphitheater, tour the 14 acres of botanical beauty that includes native forested wetland, tropical hardwood hammock and cypress slough or participate in a horticulture or conservation workshop.
For more information, follow @PinecrestGardens on social media or visit www.pinecrestgardens.org.
2020-21 JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl Concert Series schedule: (Saturdays, 8 p.m.)
Oct. 17 — Jon Secada;
Nov. 14 — Arturo Sandoval;
Dec. 12 — John Pizzarelli Trio;
Jan. 16, 2021 — World Renowned Glenn Miller Orchestra;
Feb. 13 — Wycliffe Gordon;
Feb. 27 — Grace Kelly;
Mar. 13 — Joey Alexander Trio, and
Apr. 10 — The Manhattan Transfer.
