There’s a lot to love about summer Fridays in #HRPK—extended daylight to enjoy activities on our piers, warm nights to savor along the riverfront, the whole weekend stretching ahead—and, of course, celebrating it all at Sunset on the Hudson. This popular musical performance series, featuring local artists in free Friday evening concerts on Pier 45 (cross at Christopher Street), returns for our 20th Anniversary Summer of Fun on June 29 and it is the perfect way to kick off summer weekends all season long.
Our series opener on June 29 features the High and Mighty Brass Band, who will return for a second performance on August 10. Combining classic New Orleans Funk and R&B with more modern Afro-Beat and Hip Hop influences, HMBB is often referred to as a “a party in progress”—and we can’t wait to bring this party to your Park!
On July 6 and August 24 Manhattan Samba, NYC’s longest-standing Brazilian bateria, a high-energy samba drum ensemble, will bring the rhythm to Pier 45. According to Time Out New York, Manhattan Samba “bombards your brain and booty with a battery of bumpin’ Brazilian batucada beats,” so get ready to move!
Is swing dancing more your jive? Baby Soda Jazz Band joins us on July 13 and August 17 featuring a dance-friendly repertoire that will get you on your feet. Formed by a group of traditional jazz musicians who met while performing in Washington Square Park and on the NYC subways, the group features a fantastic assortment of local musicians with a passion for performance. Bring your dancing shoes and get moving in your west side backyard.
On July 20, Brooklyn-based singer song-writer Jenna Kyle brings her unique electro-pop—hailed as simultaneously soulful and ethereal—to our riverfront stage. With childhood influences that range from Nina Simone to Pink Floyd, Kyle’s dynamic, dream-inspired sound will find a complementary venue at the beautiful Pier 45. K. Marie Kim, a classically trained musician, will open for Jenna, corporealizing her electro-soul pop confections on a lovely Friday evening.
The Chuck Braman Jazz Band—a longtime HRPK favorite—plays Pier 45 on July 27 and August 3. Led by jazz drummer and bandleader, Chuck Braman, this quintet of musicians brings the audience through ingenious arrangements and bold improvisations drawing inspiration from classic Blue Note recordings of the 1960s.
We can’t wait to bring this talented lineup of local musicians to Pier 45 on Friday evenings all summer long. Bring a blanket and get ready to dance or kick back as you welcome the weekend with fantastic live music in your beautiful west side backyard!