Release Date: April 18, 2012
Twelfth Season of Jazz in the Garden Concert Series Begins on May 25 at the National Gallery of Art
Visitors to Jazz in the Garden relax around the grand fountain in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.
Washington, DC—The Jazz in the Garden concert series, the National Gallery of Art's beloved summer tradition, begins its 12th season on Friday, May 25, with weekly performances through Friday, August 31. The free concert series features an array of jazz artists performing a wide variety of styles—including salsa, blusion, vibraphone, and Afrofunk—every Friday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Mark Prince's performance on June 8 marks the sixth year of Jazz in the Garden's collaboration with the DC Jazz Festival.
Guests may purchase food and beverages from the Pavilion Café and its carts located around the Garden or bring their own picnics. Alcoholic beverages may not be brought to the premises from outside and are subject to confiscation. Security officers reserve the right to inspect all items brought into the Sculpture Garden. For the safety of visitors and works of art, access to the Sculpture Garden will be limited if the space becomes too crowded.
Concerts take place amid the Gallery's collection of large-scale sculpture by such modern and contemporary artists as Louise Bourgeois, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, and Roxy Paine.
The relaxed garden setting and friendly cultural atmosphere has made Jazz in the Garden a favorite Friday evening destination for Washingtonians and visitors of all ages. Musicians perform in front of the Pavilion Café while visitors sit around the grand central fountain or relax on a blanket, enjoying the beautifully landscaped grounds.
Jazz in the Garden is sponsored by Guest Services, Inc., and the National Gallery of Art.
Performances
Concerts may be cancelled due to excessive heat or inclement weather. The schedule for this season's Friday evening concerts is as follows:
May 25: The Tom Principato Band (blues)
June 1: Deanna Bogart Band ("blusion," blues fusion)
June 8: DC Jazz Festival presents Mark Prince (progressive jazz)
June 15: Great Time Jazz Band (Dixieland)
June 22: John Lee (jazz rock fusion guitar)
June 29: George V. Johnson Jr. (jazz vocalist)
July 6: Afro Bop Alliance (Afro-Cuban jazz)
July 13: Juanita Williams (jazz vocalist)
July 20: Ruthie and the Wranglers (country and rockabilly)
July 27: Incendio (Latin guitar world fusion jazz)
August 3: Chris Vadala (jazz saxophone)
August 10: Dave Wright (jazz ensemble)
August 17: Susan Jones (jazz violinist)
August 24: Tony Nalker (jazz pianist)
August 31: Dixie Power Trio (zydeco, Cajun and Louisiana funk)
To learn more about Jazz in the Garden concerts and performers, visit www.nga.gov/jazz or call (202) 289-3360.
Refreshments from the Pavilion Café
A special menu of appetizers, sandwiches, pizzas, and salads is available inside the Pavilion Café, while an outdoor grill provides barbecue pork sandwiches, jerk chicken sandwiches, and Italian sausages. A gelato cart is also conveniently located near the fountain. A variety of beverages, including beer, wine, sangria, and soda, are sold onsite. View the full Jazz in the Garden menu at www.jazzinthegarden.com.
National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
Designed to offer year-round enjoyment to the public in one of the preeminent locations on the National Mall, the 6.1-acre National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden opened on May 23, 1999. The richly landscaped setting provides a distinctive backdrop for 17 monumental works of 20th-century sculpture by internationally renowned artists. Visitors may enjoy spacious seating and walking areas amid the native American canopy and flowering trees, shrubs, ground covers, and perennials. The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was given to the nation by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation. More information about the Sculpture Garden is available at www.nga.gov/exhibitions/sculptureinfo.shtm.
When visiting the Sculpture Garden, please do not touch the works of art. Tables are not permitted. Do not ride bicycles or use in-line skates and skateboards inside the Sculpture Garden; either walk beside your bicycle or secure it in bicycle parking, available near the garden entrance on Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive. Only service animals are allowed.
Hours and Location
The summer hours of the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, from May 25 through September 3, are as follows:
Monday through Thursday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Pavilion Café remains open until 8:30 p.m. on Fridays during the Jazz in the Garden concert series and until 6:00 p.m. the rest of the week.
Located on the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, on the block adjacent to the West Building of the Gallery, the Sculpture Garden is accessible to visitors with disabilities.
The nearest Metro stations are Archives/Navy Memorial (Green/Yellow Lines), Smithsonian (Blue/Orange Lines), and Judiciary Square (Red Line). The DC Circulator Bus stops at 4th Street and Madison Drive NW and on 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.
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