48 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • SEPTEMBER 2, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
buzz
JCAL announces residency by homegrown artist
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
For the start of its 50th annual season,
Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning
(JCAL) announced a residency by
acclaimed painter, author and poet Danny
Simmons, a Jamaica native and Tony
Award winner.
Entitled “Homecoming” and presented
Tennis fans return to Queens for US Open
BY REUTERS AND JOE PANTORNO
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e U.S. Open welcomed fans back
for the fi rst time since 2019 when Day
One of the crown jewel of American tennis
started in warm and sunny weather
at Flushing Meadows on Monday at the
Billie Jean National Tennis Center.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka began her title
defense to kick off the primetime session
on Arthur Ashe Stadium, while Russian
Daniil Medvedev, the runner-up in 2019,
faced France’s Richard Gasquet.
In early action, former champion
Sloane Stephens took down fellow
American Madison Keys in straight sets,
6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7) to start the tournament
off on a dramatic note — especially
for stateside supporters. Th e meeting
between the two Americans was a
rematch of the 2017 U.S. Open fi nal,
which Stephens won.
It was a return to normalcy, as she
embraced seeing friends and family back
in the stands in Queens.
“It’s been a really diffi cult 18 months
for us,” she noted aft er the match.
“Everyone’s going through something
and it’s a struggle. I think my tennis is my
outlet. It’s where I can go and I can compete
and I can just be myself and be free.”
Britain’s three-time Grand Slam winner
Andy Murray — who tumbled down to
No. 118 in the world rankings and gained
entry into the qualifying fi eld of the U.S.
Open via an invite — was greeted harshly
into the main draw by world No. 3
Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, who is bidding
for his maiden major title.
Th e year’s fi nal Grand Slam has been
stripped of some of the sport’s marquee
names, with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal
and Serena Williams injured, but still
promises to be a major draw aft er playing
to empty stands a year ago, as Novak
Djokovic bids to complete the calendaryear
slam.
Th e Serb needs a New York triumph
to become the third man, and fi rst since
Rod Laver in 1969, to accomplish the
feat.
Fans were required to bring proof of
their COVID-19 vaccination in order to
enter the facility, aft er a change in policy
was announced before the Open began.
in association with KMW Studio,
Simmons’ residency will span eight
months and include a jazz and spoken
word performance with legendary musician
and recording artist Ron Carter, a
major retrospective of Simmons’ work,
artists talks and more.
In spring 2022, Simmons’ residency will
culminate with a reunion performance
of the original cast of HBO’s “Def Poetry
Jam,” and a 50th Annual Gala for JCAL
with Simmons as the artist honoree.
“If you’re an artist from Queens, particularly
southeast Queens, and you say
you’re hosting a residency for Danny
Simmons, the excitement starts to build,”
JCAL Interim Artistic Director Courtney
Ffrench said. “Our community has long
been blessed by extraordinary artists, but
only a special few can legitimately be
called a ‘legend.’ Danny Simmons is a legend.”
“Homecoming” will offi cially kickoff
JCAL’s 50th anniversary year with a performance
at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Oct.
2, at the Jamaica Performing Arts
Center, located at 153-10 Jamaica
Ave. — pairing Simmons with
legendary two-time Grammywinning
bassist Ron Carter, whose
appearances on 2,221 recording sessions
make him the most-recorded jazz bassist
in history.
Joining Simmons and Carter will be
host and guest performer Lezlie
Harrison, Ron Carter’s Golden
Striker Trio and spoken-word
artists Ursula Rucker, Derick
Cross and Bonafi de Rojas.
JCAL Interim Executive
Director Leonard Jacobs
explained that the idea for
the residency arose a year ago
when COVID-19 prevented
in-person meetings
but off ered time to
dream.
“Danny has
been a visionary
for the
scope of his
r e s i d e n -
cy but also
for what
it means
for JCAL,
w h e r e
D a n n y
has had so much history,” Jacobs said.
“2022 marks a half-century since a group
of visual artists forged an arts institution
in a shuttered Jamaica Avenue landmark,
motivated by the belief that arts
and culture is the birthright of everyone
in our community, borough and
beyond. Danny is the living embodiment
of this spirit, what it means to live
the artists’ life, and of the importance of
giving back.”
JCAL has numerous “Homecoming”
performances over the winter and spring
leading up to the much-anticipated June
reunion of the beloved original cast of
“Def Poetry Jam,” the critically acclaimed
show co-created by Simmons that aired
on HBO from 2002 to 2007.
JCAL will then hold its 50th anniversary
gala at JPAC, with Simmons as the artist
honoree of the evening.
“His contributions to art and performance
are only equaled by his stature as
one of our industry’s great philanthropists,”
Ffrench said. “He’s the pride of
Queens. Welcome back, Danny. We’re so
honored to return you to JCAL as a resident
of our Golden Anniversary season.”
For more information, visit jcal.org.
Photo courtesy of JCAL
Jamaica native and legendary
artist Danny Simmons will mark
Jamaica Center for Arts and
Learning’s golden
anniversary
with a yearlong
residency.
Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters
Tennis fans, who are required to show proof of vaccination against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) stand in a long line to enter the grounds of the
USTA Billie King National Tennis Center on the fi rst day of the 2021 U.S. Open tennis tournament, in the Queens borough of New York City, New York, U.S.
Aug. 30, 2021. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)
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