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FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM JUNE 15, 2017 • BUZZ • THE QUEENS COURIER 65 buzz Jackson Heights Jazz Festival hopes to highlight local musicians BY ANGELA MATUA fi nd venues that suit each act. [email protected] “I kind of have a running list of who’s @AngelaMatua in the neighborhood or at least close by and I try to look for an opportunity that Jazz guitarist and Jackson Heights would be right for each one,” he said. resident Joe Knipes has been helping to On the fi rst day, the trio Jazz Triangle showcase the talents of neighborhood 65-77 will perform at Espresso 77 starting musicians since 2015. at 9 p.m. Th e cafe is located at Knipes, who has been playing music 35-57 77th St. and hosts several shows for 30 years, moved to Jackson Heights a week. Th e trio includes fl utist Haruna in 2000. He began noticing that many Fukazawa, guitarist Shu Odamura and jazz musicians lived in Jackson Heights bassist Akihiro Yamamoto, and they and surrounding neighborhoods and combine jazz music with a “chamber wanted to highlight their talents. Th e ensemble approach.” guitarist then founded the Jackson On July 8, composer and saxophonist Heights Jazz Festival. Javier Arau will play at the Queens “They were all performing in Library at 35-51 81st St. starting at 2:30 Manhattan and going out on tour p.m. Arau is the founder and executive around the country and I thought it director New York Jazz Academy, would be really cool if they could play in which has several locations, including the neighborhood where people would one in Sunnyside. be able to appreciate them,” he said. On the same day, the Ed Fuqua Trio Th is year, the festival will run from will play Espresso 77 at 9 p.m. Bassist July 6 through July 9 in local venues. Ed Fuqua, Arau and drummer Pete Th e venues range from a local coff ee Zimmer will make their debut performance shop to a park. Knipes, who organizes as a trio that night. the festival by himself, said he tries to For the last day of the festival, Knipes Celebrate Dad at Family Days This Weekend at the LIC Flea Looking for a great way to celebrate with dad this weekend? Th is Saturday and Sunday LIC Flea is celebrating Dad and Family at their monthly Family Days weekend. Th e Flea will have their beer garden open for Dad to enjoy with all beers brewed locally in Queens. Th ere will also be a wide variety of food and sweets available from local vendors for the family to fuel up on as you shop the Flea for those last minute Father’s Day gift s. One of the Flea’s newest vendors, Emithnic, will have hand craft ed cork cuffl inks available for Dad. Pun Food Feast is a greeting card vendor that will have a great selection of pun-tastic cards for Father’s Day. Th e kids can spend the aft ernoon jumping around in the bounce house or playing games. Th e Flea will have ping pong, corn hole and a basketball game that the whole family can enjoy. Even Fido can enjoy the fl ea! Be sure to bring the pup by to visit another of the Flea’s newest vendors, Purpose Pet Food, who will have a watering station and sample treats for them to enjoy. If you’re looking for a family friendly car, Subaru will be on site this weekend with a car for you to tour and information about their newest models. Subaru was named one of Kelly Blue Book’s 12 best family cars of 2017. Wouldn’t that be a fabulous Father’s Day gift ? LIC Flea’s Special Events make a great gift for Dad (and yourself). Grab a ticket to one of the upcoming events like the Wine & Sweets Festival on July 22-23 and he can enjoy unlimited wine tastings and lots of sweets. If wine is not his thing you can grab a ticket to the International Beer & Food Festival on August 12-13 where he can enjoy unlimited samples of beers from around the world and his pick of global eats. Visit www.licfl ea.com/special-events to grab your tickets now! Attached photos: Hand craft ed cork cuffl inks by Emithnic, freeze dried pet food by Purpose Pet Food, greeting cards by Food Pun Feast, and Wine & Sweets Festival fl yer teamed up with the Jackson Heights Beautifi cation Group to get a rising star in the jazz world to perform in the neighborhood. Th e show will be a part of the Summer Sundays in the Park series at Travers Park. King Solomon Hicks, who is not a Queens resident, will perform on 78th Street starting at 4 p.m. He has been called ‘Lil’ B.B. King and has been the lead guitarist and performer of a 13-piece band since he was 13 years old. At 14, he recorded his fi rst album. Th ough Knipes acknowledges he “bent the rules” by adding a non- Queens resident, he said, “Hicks is a star that’s rising so I’m glad I was able to grab him.” Knipes hopes to add more venues and performers in the coming years and has been able to add several sponsors this year including Food Town, Global Wine and Sac’s Place. “Jazz is alive and well in Queens and we’re excited to showcase the artists we have right here in local Jackson Heights,” he said. Photo courtesy of joeknipes.com The Jackson Heights Jazz Festival will take place July 6 through July 9.


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