JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl
The all-star jazz series will be broadcast to the homes and hearts of viewers nationwide.
Faced with cancelling an all-star jazz series due to the pandemic,
the Village of Pinecrest in Miami-Dade County, Florida reimagined ‘JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl’ to both
help feed America and bring jazz masters to the homes and hearts of viewers nationwide. A generous percentage of
the proceeds from the COVID-19 relief fundraiser will go directly to World Central Kitchen, an organization that
uses the power of food to heal and strengthen communities through times of crisis and beyond that was founded in
2010 by Chef José Andrés.
“We are determined to keep the music alive this season by using technology to broadcast our stellar lineup of worldfamous jazz musicians directly into the homes of everyone across the globe,” said Pinecrest Gardens Executive
Director Alana Perez. “By fundraising for World Central Kitchen, we are able to serve a dual purpose, which is to
also provide food relief for those communities and individuals that have been impacted the most by the coronavirus
pandemic. We encourage music lovers of all ages to buy a single show or purchase the series and share these
wonderful concerts with friends and family in the safety and comfort of their own homes.”
Now in its 11th year, Pinecrest Gardens’ popular jazz series has brought some of jazz music’s hottest and biggest
names to South Florida. The series sells out year after year as a result of a thriving community of local music lovers.
Perez adds, “Historically, with nearly all of our seats sold to season subscribers each year, many fans are forced to
miss seeing some of their favorite performers live. Now, everyone will be able to catch the shows while supporting a
worthy cause.”
JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl will be filmed by a professional, five-camera concert production crew on site
at Pinecrest Gardens’ Banyan Bowl, which is nestled inside of one of Florida’s most beloved botanical gardens and
tourist attractions, the former Parrot Jungle. The open-air amphitheater traditionally seats 530 people and has been
the site of countless world-class musical performances. But with the pandemic and social distancing requirements,
the upcoming 2020-21 concert season will be made available instead through pay-per-view, livestream. Each twohour show will take place over the span of seven months and will include two 45-minute sets by each artist with an
intermission.
Click here to purchase a subscription to JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl.
2020-21 ‘JazzAid Live from the Banyan Bowl’ Concert Series Schedule:
Jon Secada
An Evening with Jon Secada
Saturday, October 17, 2020, 8:00 p.m. EST
With a career spanning over two decades, two Grammy Awards, 20 million albums sold, and starring roles on
Broadway, the acclaimed, Jon Secada established himself as one of the first bilingual artists to have international
crossover success. Adored by millions around the world, he is recognized as an international superstar by both fans
and peers alike for his soulful and melodic voice. His hits include “Angel,” “I’m Free,” and “Do You Believe In Us”
and “If You Go.” Beyond his own music, Secada is widely recognized for his impeccable producing and
songwriting skills. One of his first major breaks came from collaborating with Gloria Estefan in the late 1980s,
which led to him co-writing her #1 single, “Coming Out of the Dark.” Since then, Secada has gone on to pen
countless popular songs for superstars such as Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin.
Three-Time Grammy Award Winner
The Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet
Saturday, November 14, 2020, 8:00 p.m. EST
Over the course of a multifaceted career spanning four decades, Grammy and Tony Award-winning Jazz
icon Dee Dee Bridgewater has ascended to the upper echelon of vocalists, putting her unique spin on
standards, as well as taking intrepid leaps of faith in re-envisioning jazz classics. Ever the fearless voyager,
explorer, pioneer and keeper of tradition, the three-time Grammy-winner most recently won the Grammy for
Best Jazz Vocal Album for Eleanora Fagan (1915-1959): To Billie With Love From Dee Dee.
As a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Bridgewater
continues to appeal for international solidarity to finance global grassroots projects in the fight against
world hunger. She is currently on tour worldwide in support of “Memphis,” her new CD, and in April of this
year was the recipient of an NEA Jazz Masters Fellows Award with honors bestowed at the Kennedy Center
in Washington, D.C.
Grammy Award Winning Jazz Vocalist
Kurt Elling
Saturday, December 12, 2020, 8:00 p.m. EST
Renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, GRAMMY winner Kurt Elling has
secured his place among the world’s foremost jazz vocalists. Declared “the standout male vocalist of our time” by
the New York Times, Elling has garnered unprecedented accolades, including a 14-year run atop the DownBeat
Critics Poll, a dozen GRAMMY nominations, and eight Jazz Journalists Association awards for “Male Singer of the
Year.”
World Renowned Glenn Miller Orchestra
The Legend Lives On
Saturday, January 16, 2021, 8:00 p.m.
You spoke to us and we listened. Back by popular demand The Glenn Miller Orchestra “Swings” into Pinecrest for
an encore performance this coming January. The legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful of all
dance bandleaders back in the Swing Era of the 1930’s and 40’s. A matchless string of hit records, the constant
impact of radio broadcasts and the drawing power at theatres, hotels and dance pavilion, built and sustained the
momentum of popularity. Over 18 musicians and singers bring the unforgettable Glenn Miller sound and perform
those songs that everyone remembers. This is a show not to miss for jazz and swing fans alike or the incurable
romantics who want to step back in time.
Eight Time “Trombonist of the Year” and Top Trombonist of his Generation
Wycliffe Gordon
Saturday, February 13, 2021, 8:00 p.m. EST
Featuring Grammy Award Winner Dafnis Prieto conducting the Frost Concert Jazz Band
An Evening of New Orleans Jazz
Musical ambassador and interpreter of America’s music, Wycliffe Gordon performs hard-swinging, straight-ahead
jazz, receiving great acclaim from audiences and critics alike. His unmatched modern mastery of the plunger mute
and his exceptional technique and signature sound has earned Gordon a place in musical history known as one of the
top trombonists of his generation. Gordon was named “Best in Trombone” by the Downbeat Critics Poll three years
running and the Jazz Journalists Association named him “Trombonist of the Year” eight times.
Grace Kelly
Saturday, February 27, 2021, 8:00 p.m. EST
2018 & 2019 John Lennon Songwriting Contest grand prize winner, 13 acclaimed albums and featured artist
with Jon Batiste’s House Band for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”
We have the privilege of welcoming this extraordinary saxophonist, singer and composer to Pinecrest for the first
time. An unequivocal musical prodigy, Grace has rocked the jazz world with sold out concerts and accolades
worldwide.
Joey Alexander Trio
Award-Winning Prodigy and Piano Sensation
March 13, 2021, 8:00 p.m. EST
A funny thing happened to Joey Alexander over the past five years. A whirlwind period during which he became
the most brilliantly precocious talent in jazz history, the youngest musician ever nominated for a Grammy Award in
a jazz category; and a media favorite who’s earned a profile on 60 Minutes, a front-page profile in the New York
Times and other premier coverage. As a pianist, composer, and bandleader, Joey Alexander is enjoying one of the
most ascendant careers in jazz, thanks to his mind-blowing technique, innate musical smarts, and ability to
communicate irresistible joy. His live performances have been equally celebrated. At the 58th Grammy Awards, in
February of 2016, he played during both the pre-telecast and the primetime TV event. That same year, Alexander
also performed with Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding for the Obamas at the White House, as part of a
nationally televised International Jazz Day special. In 2018, Alexander headlined Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose
Theater with a 20-piece string section orchestrated and conducted by Grammy nominee Richard DeRosa. On
October 18, 2019, he made his triumphant Carnegie Hall debut to a sold-out Zankel Hall crowd. Early on in
Alexander’s ascent, the trumpeter and Jazz at Lincoln Center leader Wynton Marsalis said that “there has never been
anyone … who could play like that at his age.” Marsalis, who essentially “discovered” Alexander via his YouTube
videos and invited him to New York, was spot-on in his assessment. And today, with his newest album release,
WARNA, one can say that Joey Alexander continues to perform at the highest level.
The Manhattan Transfer
8 Time Grammy Award Winners
Saturday, April 10, 2021, 8:00 p.m. EST
Celebrating their 48th anniversary in 2020, The Manhattan Transfer continues to set the standard as one of the
world’s most innovative vocal groups with their blend of pop, jazz, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, swing and a cappella music.
Founded by Tim Hauser in 1972, the current group features Janis Siegel (alto), Alan Paul (tenor), Cheryl Bentyne
(soprano), and newcomer Trist Curless (bass), who replaced Hauser following his passing in 2014. The group
remains a cornerstone for great pop and jazz hits, a legacy that the group has cemented since their first recording.
The legendary quartet has been awarded 8 Grammy Awards of 20 nominations and has been inducted into the Vocal
Group Hall of Fame.
