The weather outside has been frightful, but online it’s so delightful…and now the sun is out. I hope everyone is safe and dry and getting whatever help they may need after yesterday’s visit from Ida, and that this week’s picks will offer a pleasant diversion!

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy
Now streaming on-demand
Purchase College alum Stanley Tucci travels across Italy to discover the secrets and delights of the country’s regional cuisines.  We’ve seen him in foodie films such as  Julie and Julia and Big Night –now he gets to explore his real-life love of food.
Watch on HBO Max

Live at BBC Proms: Chineke! Orchestra
Now streaming on-demand
Hear Britain’s only majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra with conductor Kalena Bovell and pianist Jeneba Kanneh-Mason.
Program
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast – Overture
Fela Sowande: African Suite
Florence Price: Piano Concerto in One Movement
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor: Symphony in A minor
Listen on the BBC website

Live at BBC Proms: Joshua Bell directs the Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Now streaming on-demand
Hear Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons and Astor Piazzolla’s The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
Listen on the BBC website

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater presents: Ella and Mass
Streaming until September 7 at 7pm
In celebration of Robert Battle’s 10th anniversary as Artistic Director, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is resuming Ailey All Access programming with two of his audience favorites: Ella, a quirky duet set to music by the legendary Ella Fitzgerald, and Mass, a percussive work inspired by the stage movement of a choir.
Stream Full-Length Dance Performances | Ailey All Access (alvinailey.org)
Robert Battle 10th Anniversary Program – YouTube

The Detroit Jazz Festival
Streaming Friday, September 3 – Monday, September 6
The world’s largest free jazz festival announced a pivot to a virtual format that will be streamed and broadcast “live” for free this Labor Day weekend. Jazz enthusiasts will be able to view or listen to performances for free in a number of ways: on the Festival’s social media channels and web page; on public radio and television stations; and on the DetroitJazzFest LIVE! app.
Home – Detroit Jazz Fest

Carnegie Hall Selects presents Berg’s Wozzeck
Streaming from Friday, September 3 – Friday, September 10
Staged by William Kentridge at the Salzburg Festival in 2017.  Matthias Goerne is featured in the title role with Asmik Grigorian as Marie and Vladimir Jurowski leading the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
Carnegie Hall Selects: Vienna: City of Dreams | Sep 3, 2021 at 12 PM | Carnegie Hall

Arts for Labor: Celebrating New Haven’s Helping Hands
New Haven Town Green
Saturday, September 4 and Sunday, September 5
Free & open to the public
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas (Arts & Ideas) celebrates the end of summer Festival-style with two evenings of programming and a vaccination clinic.  This Labor Day Weekend, join us in celebrating frontline workers, honoring New Haven artists, and encouraging public safety. The Festival is encouraging audiences to protect our whole community the best way we can – by getting vaxxed for FREE at a mobile clinic on the Green, in partnership with the City of New Haven. Connecticut artists Dawn Tallman, the Tines, DJ Fire, and others will perform.
See the Labor Day weekend line-up

Arts for Labor: AnUrbanNerd (Josh Brown) & Darlene Kascak
Streaming starting Sunday, September 5, 4pm
Watch on YouTube

Arts for Labor: Mulan Art Dance Ensemble & Team Leggoo
Streaming starting Sunday, September 5, 5pm
Watch on YouTube

ArtsWestchester, the City of White Plains, and the White Plains BID present JazzFest White Plains
Thursday, September 9 – Sunday, September 12
Live and live stream
For its tenth year, the JazzFest remains true to its roots, presenting music from an outstanding roster of Westchester and NYC musicians. See established jazz greats, as well as rising stars who are carrying jazz in new directions. 2021 programs will be presented in-person and streamed live!
Highlights include performances by 2019 American Pianists Award winner Emmet Cohen, Anaïs Reno with the Pete Malinverni Trio, and Samara Joy, winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal  Competition.
View the JazzFest schedule, get ticktets

Jazz at Noon: Anaïs Reno with the Pete Malinverni Trio
Friday, September 10, 12-1pm
Free and outdoors
White Plains Public Library Plaza, 100 Martine Ave.
In case of rain, this event will be live-streamed.
Performing with highly acclaimed jazz artists since the age of 10, Anaïs Reno has had a rapidly growing career as a singer with a love for jazz and the Great American Songbook.  Reno will attend Purchase College in the fall as an Ella Fitzgerald Scholar. Pete Malinverni is Head of Jazz Studies at the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College. He has been a fixture on the New York City jazz scene since moving there in the early 1980s.

Emmet Cohen Trio 
Friday, September 10, 7:30pm and 9pm
Grace Church, 33 Church Street, White Plains
Recognized as a prodigy who began playing at age three, multifaceted American jazz pianist and composer Emmet Cohen is in the vanguard of his generation’s advancement of jazz. During the 2020 lockdown, Cohen developed “Live From Emmet’s Place,” a series of weekly performances by his trio and special guests live-streamed from his New York apartment, recalling the Harlem rent parties of yesteryear.

White Plains Jazz Culminating Event
Sunday, September 12, 1-6:30pm
Court Street (between Main St. and Martine Ave.)  Rain or shine.
**Tickets Required for Admission**

Ray Blue Quartet with Special Guest Samara Joy
Sunday, September 12, 5:35–6:30pm
Ray Blue is a soulful and tender saxophonist, composer, and music educator. Ray has toured extensively both nationally and internationally. He has seven releases with his most recent project, Jazzheads. His newest recording, which features Kenny Barron on piano, is scheduled to be released this fall. Purchase College alum Samara Joy, winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, has a voice as smooth as velvet. In her self-titled debut album (Whirlwind Recordings), she is backed by guitarist Pasquale Grasso, bassist Ari Roland, and drummer Kenny Washington.

###

Culture Picks is a weekly feature celebrating the performing arts. The arts are back and there is so much to take in, both live and virtual. PAC staff member Coni Guhl is here to help you sort through it all. Each week we will post her curated selection of events featuring the artists you know and love from The PAC Center Series, plus a sampling of stellar local experiences. Enjoy!

All times are EDT unless otherwise noted.

Photo: Anaïs Reno, image courtesy of the artist