Tony’s Thoughts
This Father’s Day weekend, while visiting my daughter in Nashville, I found myself watching an outdoor Big Band Dance in the heart of downtown.
What struck me wasn’t the music—although it was wonderful.
It was the people.
Young adults dancing to songs written decades before they were born. Families gathered together. Couples smiling. Friends sharing an evening.
It reminded me that music isn’t simply entertainment.
At its best, music creates connection. It creates a sense of belonging.
It gives us a reason to gather, to share experiences, and to create memories.
As I watched, I couldn’t help but think about Buffalo and the opportunities we have this summer to create those same moments together.
Perhaps that’s one of the greatest gifts jazz and the Great American Songbook continue to offer us—a chance to gather around something that brings joy, meaning, and community into our lives.
JazzBuffalo: Where Buffalo Gathers for Jazz.
With gratitude,
Tony Zambito
Executive Director, JazzBuffalo
What We’re Building
Growing Buffalo’s community around jazz and the Great American Songbook.
That sense of gathering around music is something we’re seeing more and more in Buffalo.
Jazz Lounge: A Midnight in Paris sold out weeks before the event. More than 100 jazz and Great American Songbook music lovers have already reserved their Jazz at Kleinhans 2026-2027 season packages. JazzMondays continues to bring people together through the timeless songs and stories of the Great American Songbook, and on July 12th, we’ll launch the Summer of Jazz Series on Ellicott Street with the Anderson Big Band.
Each event is different.
Yet together they represent something larger: a growing community of people who believe Buffalo deserves to be a premier destination for jazz and the Great American Songbook.
Thank you for helping make that vision a reality.
This Week’s Featured Event
As we approach Independence Day, Ladies First Jazz Big Band reminds us that big band music remains one of America’s great musical traditions!
Let Freedom Swing!
Friday, June 26 @ 7:00 pm – 10:00 pmNiagara Regional Theatre Guild 550 Ellicott Creek, Tonawanda, New York, United States
Ladies First Jazz Big Band is gearing up to Let Freedom SWING! Come celebrate our country’s 250th year of Independence with WNY’s premier all-women jazz big band! Ladies First will be playing some incredible jazz tunes and patriotic music, featuring the vocal styling of the incredible Donna Delano-Kerr! Reserve your seat for this wonderful concert today…
Great American Songbook Spotlight
Harold Arlen • Let’s Fall in Love
One of the beautiful things about the Great American Songbook is that some songs seem to smile the moment they begin.
Let’s Fall in Love is one of those songs.
Written in 1933 by Buffalo’s own Harold Arlen with lyricist Ted Koehler, the song has become a jazz standard recorded by artists ranging from Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald to Diana Krall and John Pizzarelli.
What makes Let’s Fall in Love so enduring is its sense of optimism. The melody seems to dance, while the lyrics invite us to embrace possibility, romance, and the simple joy of being alive. Even nearly a century later, it still feels fresh.
For Buffalo, the song is also a reminder of the extraordinary legacy Harold Arlen left to American music. Long before he wrote Over the Rainbow, Arlen was already creating songs that would become part of the soundtrack of generations.
As we continue celebrating the Great American Songbook at JazzBuffalo, JazzMondays, and Jazz at Kleinhans, Let’s Fall in Love is a perfect reminder that great songs don’t merely survive—they continue to invite new audiences to discover them.
Here, in my opinion, is the swingiest version of Let’s Fall In Love by the great Anita O’Day:
From JazzBuffalo.org – Stories Worth Reading
Three stories that explore the themes of community, music, and Buffalo’s future.
We’re Building Something Special at Jazz at Kleinhans
Posted on by Tony Zambito
Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing something special happen at Jazz at Kleinhans. We’ve seen audiences fill Kleinhans Music Hall for memorable performances by artists such […]
The Power of Gathering Around Jazz and the Great American Songbook
Posted on by Tony Zambito
This Father’s Day weekend, while visiting my daughter in Nashville, I had the opportunity to witness something special. In the heart of downtown, a Big Band Dance was taking place […]
Summer of Jazz Signals an Exciting New Chapter for Downtown Buffalo
Posted on by JazzBuffalo
From resilience to revitalization, JazzBuffalo and its partners are helping create a vibrant future for downtown Buffalo through music, community, and collaboration. This summer marks more than the return of […]
Congratulations to Emmet Cohen and Buffalo’s Place in International Jazz
Congratulations to Emmet Cohen on being featured on the cover of DownBeat Magazine—a well-deserved honor for one of the most influential and inspiring artists in jazz today.
At JazzBuffalo, we’ve had the privilege of witnessing Emmet’s remarkable journey and artistic growth over the years. Through his musicianship, leadership, innovation, and passion for music, he has become a genuine North Star for jazz, helping to inspire a new generation of musicians and audiences around the world.
This past May, Buffalo was honored to be part of that journey when Emmet Cohen Presents Miles & Coltrane at 100 came to Jazz at Kleinhans, at Kleinhans Music Hall, for a sold-out performance. The concert enabled our city to join, and to hold a special place in the international celebration taking place across the globe, marking the 100th Centennials of two of jazz’s most transformative figures—Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
Howdy, Tony Zambito
It was more than a concert.
It was a milestone moment for Buffalo. A sold-out audience gathered to celebrate the enduring legacy of these jazz giants while experiencing the artistry of one of today’s most important ambassadors for the music.
Moments like these continue to elevate Buffalo’s profile as a premier destination for jazz and demonstrate what is possible when a community comes together to celebrate this extraordinary art form.
Congratulations, Emmet. We are grateful to have shared in this special chapter of your journey and look forward to many more.
Check Upcoming Jazz at JazzBuffalo.org
As we enter the summer season, Buffalo comes alive with jazz performances and concerts. Be sure to visit the Upcoming Events section on JazzBuffalo.org to stay current on all the live jazz and other music taking place throughout the city and region. With many unique events submitted weekly, we encourage you to visit the website regularly to discover where jazz is happening. Click here to view all the upcoming events!
https://jazzbuffalo.org/upcoming-event
Every week, thousands of readers, audience members, musicians, and supporters help strengthen the jazz community that makes Buffalo special. Thank you for being one of them.
Become a JazzBuffalo Patron
Many thanks to those who have explored and contributed via Patreon. JazzBuffalo grows and supports the need to enrich our community through jazz. Will you consider becoming a JazzBuffalo Patron to continue the development of JazzBuffalo as an integral part of what makes our city one of the best for arts and culture in the country? Click on the Become A Patron link below and become a supporting patron for as little as $1/month.
