Library Jazz Band
The Yonkers-based Library Jazz Band has been awarded funding through ArtsWestchester to support its 2024-5 season, consisting of two musical programs offered in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025. The programs will be offered free to the public, in partnership with the Yonkers Public Library and other Yonkers-based organizations.
LJB has been awarded both an Arts Alive Community Project grant and a Yonkers Arts Initiative Project Support grant. Arts Alive is a regrant program of ArtsWestchester with support from the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature, and the New York State Council on the Arts; Yonkers Arts Initiative Project grant is made possible through funding from the Westchester County Executive and the Board of Legislators.
“This is a huge help for our young organization,” said Nancy Maron, co-founder and artistic director of the 17-piece jazz orchestra, which is based in Yonkers. “This support gives us the ability to develop a full season of programming to share widely throughout the community.”
“The YPL has seen audiences continue to grow for this exciting new band; we are looking forward to their new musical season,” said Jesse Montero, Library Director. “Making new cultural experiences available to all is a key part of YPL’s mission.”
The 2024-5 season will include these two thematic programs:
FALL 2024: It’s Showtime! LJB Takes on Broadway
Sunday, November 24 at 2pm
Grinton I. Will Branch/1500 Central Park Avenue
A salute to music from the Broadway stage including tunes from West Side Story, Chicago, Pippin, Gypsy, Porgy & Bess. As always, LJB programs highlight the work of the best bands and arrangers including Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Buddy Rich, Chico O’Farrill as well as original compositions and arrangements by members of the band. For this show, we are delighted to be joined by vocalist Amy London.
SPRING 2025: Hitting the Low Notes
April 2025 [Date TBD]
This concert will feature instruments many audience members may not have seen in this setting before: the tuba and the baritone and bass saxophones. Joining us for this show will be tuba and baritone horn virtuoso Joseph Daley, veteran of Liberation Music Orchestra and band member of so many adventurous greats including Sam Rivers, Carla Bley, Gil Evans, Charlie Haden, Muhal Richard Abrams, Taj Mahal and many more.
In addition to two performances at YPL branches, funding from ArtsWestchester in 2024 will support additional LJB events in partnership with local partners, including Yonkers Paddle and Rowing Club, Yonkers Arts, and Make Music Yonkers.
Extending an idea begun in early 2023, LJB rehearsals take place at the Will LIbrary are advertised and open to the public. The band encourages music enthusiasts of all ages to come hear how the band rehearses. Please see the YPL calendar for performance and rehearsal dates.
About the Library Jazz Band
Library Jazz Band is a 17-person jazz orchestra based in Yonkers, New York. We perform throughout Westchester and beyond, in venues – like libraries and festivals – that make our music available to all. Our musical selections are a mix of classics performed by the greatest jazz bands (Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Stan Kenton, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, and terrifically creative new compositions and arrangements by members of our band. Our members are outstanding jazz professionals who come together to celebrate and share a love of America’s original music. All are working musicians, and many are teachers, as well.
Library Jazz Band was launched in December 2021 when two friends – Nancy Maron and Sarah Cion – noticed how few big bands there were and decided to start their own, with the goal of bringing America’s own music – jazz – to as many people as possible.
