Event Archives

Wednesday, Aug 6, 2008 • Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks • Old Westbury

Wednesday, August 6

Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks—20s & 30s Dance—In 30 years as a bandleader, Vince Giordano has become the authority on recreating the sounds of 1920s and ‘30s jazz and popular music. “I just love the energy of the early jazz,” says Giordano. “I wanted to recapture some of that.” Early appearances with Leon Redbone and on Prairie Home Companion and lending his talents to Francis Ford Coppola’s film The Cotton Club, led to working with Dick Hyman’s Orchestra in half a dozen Woody Allen soundtracks then as a bass player in Sean Penn’s band in Woody’s Sweet and Lowdown. He and band were featured in Gus Van Sant’s film Finding Forrester, in Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, Robert DeNiro’s film, The Good Shepherd and most recently in Sam Mendes’ upcoming film: Revolutionary Road. Also a big-band historian and collector, Giordano has more than 30,000 scores in his collection. Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks are renowned on the New York scene for their commitment to preserving and authentically presenting 1920s jazz and popular music.

Old Westbury Gardens (Old Westbury)

Old Westbury Gardens, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is the former home of John S. Phipps, his wife, Margarita Grace Phipps and their four children. Completed in 1906 by the English designer George A. Crawley, the magnificent Charles II-style mansion is nestled amid 160 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes. Westbury House is furnished with fine English antiques and decorative arts from the more than fifty years of the family’s residence.

Today, Old Westbury Gardens welcomes visitors of all ages for guided tours of Westbury House and Gardens, in-depth tours of the formal gardens, school visits, children’s programs and events, family programs, museum exhibits, classic car shows, indoor and outdoor classical concerts, summer concerts, slide lectures, book signings, horticultural demonstrations and workshops, Scottish Games, botanical arts and gardening classes, and Master Gardener- and Educator-led Talks & Tours of topics relating to horticulture, art, history, design and architecture.

Every summer, Old Westbury Gardens has their Picnic Pops 2007 Summer Concert Series on the great lawn. An area in front of the bandstand is reserved for dancing!

Old Westbury Gardens
71 Old Westbury Road
P.O. Box 430
Old Westbury, NY 11568

Phone: 516-333-0048
Fax: 516-333-6807
Web: oldwestburygardens.org

Old Westbury Gardens

Old Westbury Gardens

Old Westbury Gardens is located at 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury, New York, between the Long Island Expressway (I-495) and Jericho Turnpike (New York Route 25), approximately 20 miles east of New York City.

DIRECTIONS

Directions from New York City

From the Long Island Expressway: Take the LIE (I-495) to Exit 39 (Glen Cove Road). Follow the service road east for approximately 1.1 miles, turn right onto Old Westbury Road and continue 0.4 miles. The Gardens’ gate is on the left.

From the Northern State Parkway: Take the Northern State to Exit 32 (Post Avenue). Bear left at end of exit ramp and turn left onto Post Avenue heading north. Turn left onto Jericho Turnpike (Route 25) and turn right at the first light onto Old Westbury Road. The Gardens’ gate is on the right.

Directions from Eastern Long Island

From the Long Island Expressway: Take the LIE (I-495) to Exit 39. Turn left onto Glen Cove Road (Garden City) at end of exit ramp, cross over expressway, and immediately turn left onto the service road. Follow the service road east for approximately 1.1 miles, turn right onto Old Westbury Road and continue 0.4 miles. The Gardens’ gate is on the left.

From the Northern State Parkway: Take the Northern State to Exit 32 (Post Avenue). Turn right at the end of the exit ramp (Old Westbury) onto Post Avenue heading north. Turn left onto Jericho Turnpike (Route 25) and turn right at the first light onto Old Westbury Road. The Gardens’ gate is on the right.

By Train

Take Long Island Rail Road to Westbury Station, then a taxi to Old Westbury Gardens approximately 2.5 miles from the station).

Wednesday, Aug 6, 2008 • Ray Abrams Big Swing Band at Greis Park, Lynbrook • Not a SDLI Event

THE LYNBROOK RECREATION DEPARTMENT’S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT GREIS PARK,

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008 FROM 8 TO 9:30 PM

The Ray Abrams Big (17-PC) SWING BAND,

IN A PROGRAM OF SWING DANCE MUSIC, AUTHENTICALLY PLAYED IN THE STYLE OF THE GREATEST BIG BANDS OF THE ‘40’S AND 50’S, SUCH AS, COUNT BASIE, DUKE ELLINGTON, LIONEL HAMPTON, ETC.

ADMISSION IS FREE

BRING CHAIRS, AND/OR BLANKETS, ALONG WITH YOUR SWING-DANCING SHOES ARRIVE EARLY FOR BEST PARKING AND SEATING

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CALL THE LYNBROOK RECREATION CENTER, 516-599-8000

LOCATION OF GREIS PARK venue, GREIS PARK’S ENTRANCE IS AT 55 WILBUR STREET, (opposite the toyota dealer), SOUTH OF MERRICK ROAD, in LYNBROOK

Ray Abrams Big Swing Band

This highly professional swing band, which actually started in the 50’s, under the vision of Hank Dougherty, was acquired by Brooklyn’s famous jazz saxophonist and prolific arranger, Ray Abrams. Ray passed on in 1997, but the band continues to entertain lovers of swing and classic-jazz. The 17 members of the band consistently recreate the unforgettable hard swinging, finger-snapping, toe-tapping sounds of the greatest swing-bands of the 40’s and 50’s. Our musical arrangements feature many of the band’s exceptional soloist, as well as swinging vocals and a fine selection of love ballads, uniquely sung by our featured vocalist, Tulivu-Donna Cumberbatch.

The band’s library of musical arrangements, is lengthy and well rounded, ranging from the still modern sounding charts created by founder, Ray Abrams, to the swinging big-band charts from the minds of arrangers like Sam Nestico, Quincy Jones, Sy Oliver, Neal Hefti, and so many others. This valued musical library supports the bands ability to create a well-rounded program of classic-jazz as played by the bands of Basie, Ellington, Hawkins, Foster, Hampton, etc.

The band’s unique ability to perform to the spirit of the music and to swing at the drop of a hat, is consistently nourished by the very dedicated skills of the band’s leader, Ervin Simpson, who has led the band since 1998. No doubt, this ability to swing the most beloved songs from The Classic American Jazz Songbook, explains why the band continues to maintain a growing presence on LI and in the tri-state area.

Band Contact:

Frank Barbuzza
Email:
Phone: 516-680-7670

This is not a Swing Dance Long Island Event (Not a SDLI Event)

The listed event is NOT sponsored by Swing Dance Long Island, Inc. This event was thought to be of interest to our SDLI’s members. Before traveling, always verify the event information directly with the organizer’s website, since things change and events do get canceled.

Free