16 JULY 12, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
City set to rename F.H. corner for Steely Dan co-founder
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
EDAVENPORT@QNS.COM
@QNS
A Rock andRoll Hall of Fame
member with Queens roots will
be posthumously honored for
his contributions to the music industry
during his lifetime.
Walter Becker, a Forest Hills native
and co-founder of the band Steely Dan,
will have his memory honored by
co-naming the corner of 112th Street
and 72nd Avenue, the street where
Becker grew up, as “Walter Becker Way.”
The unveiling will take place on Oct. 28.
Becker and his partner, Donald
Fagen, formed the jazz-rock band
Steely Dan in 1971. He released many
albums with Steely Dan and on his
own, and performed with Steely Dan
when the band reformed. Becker died
of esophageal cancer on Sept. 3, 2017,
at the age of 67.
Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz,
who represents Forest Hills, co-sponsored
the “Walter Becker Way” renaming
as part of a bill that passed
the City Council on June 28.
WAXQ-FM radio will host the
renaming ceremony, which will
include special guests, remembrances
from Becker’s friends
and colleagues, and giveaways.
Festivities will be planned by
Becker’s fans.
“Walter’s fans have decades of
experience holding ‘Danfests’
throughout the country,” said Delia
Becker, Becker’s widow. “And
they always find innovative and
eclectic ways of celebrating. It will
undoubtedly be a fun and free gathering
to honor and commemorate
Walter as only they can!”
For additional updates and announcements
about the ceremony,
visit walterbeckerway.com.
Photo: Wikipedia Commons/Arielinson
Popular concert series returns to LIC's Gantry Park
BY JENNA BAGCAL
JBAGCAL@QNS.COM/ @JENNA_BAGCAL
Get ready for a summer fi lled
with free, local music in Long
Island City.
The Kupferberg Center for the Arts’
Live at the Gantries concert series
returns tonight at Gantry Plaza State
Park. Every Tuesday at 7 p.m. during
the months of July and August, a different
local artist will showcase music
from diff erent genres, including jazz,
rock, hip-hop, folk and pop.
In the past Live at the Gantries
has featured seven acts, but due to
an increase in attendance this year’s
concert series will have eight acts.
The weekly concert series will continue
with seven other local acts:
July 17: Lindsay Lou: Americana,
Folk and Bluegrass Ensemble
July 24: FDR Drive: Classic Hits of
Rock n Roll
July 31: Valerie Green/ Dance Entropy:
Modern Dance with a Splash!
Aug. 7: Maestro Khan, “East Meets
West”: Classical Indian Music and
dance ensemble.
Aug. 14: The Barlett Band with The
Next Generation Sound: The hits from
Bebop to Hip Hop
Aug. 21: The Chuck Braman Quintet:
Reimagining the jazz classics from the
famed Blue Note Recordings.
Aug. 28: Supermambo: A Vibes
Tribute to Tito Puente
The concert series is cosponsored
by the New York State Offi ce of Parks,
Recreation and Historic Preservation,
Queens Theatre and Councilman Jimmy
Van Bramer.
Attendees can take the 7 Train to the
Vernon/Jackson stop in Queens and walk
west toward the river on 50th Avenue
or take the East River Ferry to Hunters
Point and walk north on Second Street.
For more information on the
Live at the Gantries concert series,
visit kupferbergcenter.org/
live-at-the-gantries/ or call the
box of fice at 718-793-8080. The
Photo by Arianys Wilson/www.nanynany.com
box office is opened Tuesday
through Friday from noon to 6
p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2
p.m., and up to one hour prior to
all performances.
link
/
/www.nanynany.com
