The Barlett Contemporaries, a legendary urban contemporary group, will perform at the Southeast Queens Jam on Saturday, July 22.
Courtesy of JCAL
The fourth edition Southeast Queens Jam Festival will take place on Saturday, July 22 at Rufus King Park in Jamaica bringing together some of the community’s best talent for a free day of live music and entertainment.
The event, organized by the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) and financed by national gridwill begin at 3 p.m. at Rufus King Park located at 150-29 Jamaica Ave.
Having grown since its inception in 2020 – when it was the first public arts event in Queens to take place in person (but outdoors) after the COVID lockdown – the Southeast Queens Jam Fest has moved to the Rufus King Park to welcome the expected public.
The festival is the culminating event of JCAL’s Riddim section, a celebration and exploration of diaspora music, according to JCAL Executive Director Leonard Jacobs.
“Every month since winter, JCAL has had the honor of presenting so many artists, gifted in so many styles and approaches to their music, to incredibly diverse audiences throughout Southeast Queens. So when you think about it, the Jam Fest all-day concert at Rufus King Park is also a tribute to the vibrancy of our audience,” Jacobs said.
This year’s festival lineup includes Steven Kroon, the electrifying Latin jazz musician who has performed with artists such as Luther Vandross, Ron Carter, Aretha Franklin and Lady Gaga.
JCAL also brought back some favorites from the Riddim Section’s 2023 season lineup to perform.
The members of the Angels Caribbean Band hail from and blend styles from various Caribbean islands. Famed jazz musician and Southeast Queens’ Kofi Hunter will provide an exciting comeback show. The lineup will be rounded out by the Barlett Contemporaries, a legendary contemporary urban group with a fresh and explosive sound.
The Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL), founded in 1972, is a multidisciplinary arts center based in the diverse community of southeast Queens. Our mission is dedicated to providing quality visual, performing, and literary arts, as well as providing accessible educational programs to encourage participation in the arts.
For more information, call JCAL at 718-658-7400 or visit JCAL.org.
