Members of the Dynamic Approach Marching Band parade down Front Street to the Jazz Series stage.
By Nancy Peckenham
People headed to dinner at the restaurants on Front Street had a surprise on Wednesday evening as a long line of Newburgh youth danced down the sidewalk, driven by the pulse of marching drums toward Unico Park at the opening night of the Newburgh Jazz Series. (Get the schedule here.)
Aquanettta Wright, aka the Ferry Godmother, led the procession of dancers in black and drummers in blue as they headed toward the stage to perform for a crowd of 100 or more. Proud parents, friends and fans came to see the Dynamic Approach Marching Band take over the waterfront, a fitting opening for an eight-week jazz series that occurs under the watchful wand of the Ferry Godmother.
The Street Ministry singers opened the Gospel series.
The action really got going the day before, on Tuesday evening, when the first-ever Newburgh Gospel series was launched. Aquanetta Wright dreamed up this new series this year and invited some of the best church choirs around to perform. The Street Rock Ministries kicked off the gospel concert, followed by members of the House of Refuge choirs.
Bishop Woody and Aquanetta Wright share a love of gospel music.
Bishop Woody who directs the choirs said that some thirty singers are in three choirs, the church choir, the young adults and the praise singers, and many of them were on hand Tuesday night.
A new and bigger crowd returned on Wednesday to be blessed by Father Bill Scafidi in “the space of music, the space of fellowship, the space where a community grows, a place where Aquanetta puts a smile on your face.”
Mayor Valentine cheers on the Dynamic Approach Marching Band.
Mayor Valentine was on hand as well, praising the marching band as one of the prides of Newburgh. Derrick Waters of the city recreation department said that most of the guys and gals on drums had no experience playing before. “We may have a little bit of an image problem in Newburgh, but we got some great talented youth with a lot to offer, ” he said
The Marching Band's percussion section.
Once the “dancing divas” had exited with the marching band close behind, the stage of the festival was re-set for a drum and dance performance by Chikwu Ayali, a group of young musicans and dancers from Rockland County who performed amazing ancestral tunes from Guinea and elsewhere in West Africa.
Drummers with Chikwu Ayali.
The Newburgh Jazz Series will feature performers on Wednesday and Thursday evenings throughout July and August. Both the jazz series and the gospel series that runs through July provide a rare opportunity to draw local residents to the waterfront. Stay tuned for detailed about the Tuesday Doo-Wop Series coming in August.
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