SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — The music from the Cavalier Room in the Mariott of Downtown Syracuse on Wednesdays draws a crowd from locals to tourists for the weekend. Executive director of CNY Jazz, Larry Luttinger, said this is one of their “incubator events,” bringing in people who haven’t heard of the organization before.
“It proves to them that jazz is welcoming and a lot of fun,” said Luttinger.
The Jazz at the Cavalier lineup purposely presents local jazz musicians from the quad city area of Rochester, Utica, Binghamton and Syracuse. The mission of CNY Jazz includes giving employment to gig musicians like these because Luttinger believes music is at the heart of a city.
“Every society has two things, a culture and an economy,” said Luttinger. “Everything that is not the economy is culture, and the key to making a healthy culture is arts education.”
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: CNY Jazz makes music accessible to everyone with their ongoing arts education programs
Nester: If you pass by the Mariott Hotel in Downtown Syracuse on Wednesdays at 6 p.m., you can hear music coming out of the Cavalier Room. Executive director of CNY Jazz Larry Luttinger says this is one of their “incubator events,” bringing in people who haven’t heard of the organization before.
Luttinger: It proves to them that jazz is welcoming and a lot of fun.
Nester: The Cavalier lineup purposely presents local jazz musicians because to Luttinger, music is the heart of city.
Luttinger: Every society has two things, a culture and an economy. Everything that is not the economy is culture, and the key to making a healthy culture is arts education.
Nester: CNY Jazz is committed to hosting events accessible for the whole community, with no cost of entry and free valet parking. But Jazz at the Cavalier hosted at the Mariott here is not the only event they hold throughout the year.
Luttinger: For Jazz in the City, we’re teaming up with the Lead Safe CNY Coalition because, like many other older rust belt cities, we have a giganitc lead toxicity program in our water supply.
Nester: The organization also hosts a youth orchestra to train high school and college aged students who want to pursue a career in the arts.
Luttinger: We raise money so no student in need has to pay tution to go to any of our educational programs.
Nester: But his favorite part is the outdoor concerts they play during the summer, where they gear the style of jazz to the neighborhood they play in and prove that music is the universal language.
Luttinger: It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had to watch people walking into these concerts with their 10×10 tents and a cooler to enjoy this music as a family. Houses in urban neighborhoods are like fortresses and this brings neighborhoods together like no other.
Nester: Reporting in Syracuse, Jessica Nester NCC News
CNY Jazz is committed to hosting events accessible for the whole community, with no cost of entry and free valet parking for Jazz at the Cavalier, but this isn’t the only performance they hold throughout the year.
“For Jazz in the City, we’re teaming up with the Lead Safe CNY Coalition, because, like many other older rust belt cities, we have a gigantic lead toxicity problem in our water supply,” said Luttinger.
The organization also hosts a youth orchestra to train high school and college aged students who want to pursue a career in the performing arts.
“We raise money so no student in need has to pay tuition to go to any of our education programs,” said Luttinger.
His favorite part is the outdoor concerts they hold in different areas in Syracuse over the summer, where they gear the style of jazz to the neighborhood they play in.
“It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever had, to watch people walking into these concerts with their lawn chairs or 10×10 tents and a cooler to enjoy this music as a family,” said Luttinger. “Houses in urban neighborhoods are like fortresses, and this brings neighborhoods together like no other.”
CNY Jazz has a rehearsal space downtown that is open for local musicians to use. For more information on upcoming performances or educational panels, interested participants can visit their website.