February is Black History Month, and to celebrate, the Stony Brook-based Jazz Loft is featuring a series of concerts during which it will highlight wines from Black winemakers and vineyards.
It’s all part of the venue’s “Acoustic in the Main Room” series. The series showcases small ensembles in the Jazz Loft’s main performance room, which is set up like an intimate living room.
“This theme was chosen in an effort to elevate awareness and support the growth of African Americans in the wine industry,” Laura Landor, the venue’s director of education, said in a statement.
Landor selected the wine pairings.
“Of the more than 11,000 wineries in the United States, less than 1% of them are Black owned or have a Black winemaker,” Landor said. “We are excited to introduce these wines to our Jazz Loft patrons during Black History Month and hope to add a selection of them to our regular list of wines that are available by the glass or bottle.”
Tastings will include a red and white selection, with full glasses available for purchase.
“Our ‘Acoustic in the Main Room’ series is a unique opportunity to hear some of the most talented singers and musicians that perform regularly at the Loft in a relaxed setting, reminiscent of the New York City loft scene of the 1950s, which inspired the Jazz Loft’s name,” Jazz Loft Founder Tom Manuel said in a statement.
“If you don’t know any jazz performers personally to invite into your own living room, then this is the next best thing,” he added.
The series lineup is as follows: Feb. 9 features Mala Waldron on piano and vocals; with Mike Hall on bass; and Tom Manuel on cornet; wines from McBride Sister. On Feb. 10, Houston Person performs on tenor saxophone; Steve Salerno on guitar and Tom Manuel on cornet; wines from Brown Estate. On Feb. 24, Buddy Merriam performs on mandolin; Steve Salerno on guitar and Tom Manuel on cornet; wines from Longevity. On Feb. 25, Grammy-nominated singer Nicole Zuraitis performs, with Steve Salerno on guitar and Tom Manuel on cornet; wines from LVE.
Tickets are $40 each and will be limited to just 85 people and start at 7 p.m. Each concert features two sets with a brief intermission.
