Tony’s Thoughts
The Best Communities Aren’t Built Overnight
A few years ago, if someone had asked me what I hoped JazzBuffalo might become, I probably would have talked about presenting great jazz.
Today, I would answer differently.
I would say I hope we’re creating a community.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve found myself reflecting on how much has changed.
The response to the Jazz Lounge experience over the past few months has been truly inspiring. JazzMondays has become a place where people gather each week to celebrate the Great American Songbook. More than 100 people have already chosen to become part of our Jazz at Kleinhans season before a single concert has taken place.
Now, with Summer of Jazz just ten days away, we’re preparing to welcome even more people to downtown Buffalo.
None of this happened overnight.
Communities never do.
They’re built one conversation at a time.
One performance at a time.
One friendship at a time.
One gathering at a time.
I’m grateful to everyone who has chosen to become part of what we’re building together.
Because what excites me most isn’t simply the music.
It’s seeing familiar faces return…and watching new faces become part of our growing community.
That’s how something special begins.
JazzBuffalo: Where Buffalo Gathers for Jazz.
With gratitude,
Tony Zambito
Executive Director, JazzBuffalo
What We’re Building
Creating Experiences Worth Gathering For
One of the ideas we’ve embraced is beautifully simple: people love gathering outdoors when music gives them a reason to come together.
They remember experiences.
That’s the inspiration behind every Summer of Jazz experience beginning July 12.
Every gathering has its own personality.
A Big Band Dance with the Anderson Big Band.
A Taste of Paris with Hot Club of Buffalo.
Latin Rhythms with the Wendell Rivera Latin Jazz Ensemble.
Voci d’Amore, inspired by the music of Andrea Bocelli.
A Taste of New Orleans with the Fredtown Stompers.
And finally…
Brazil Comes to Buffalo as Tres Mais featuring Karrin Allyson headlines the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival.
Each event celebrates a different musical tradition.
Each offers a different experience.
Yet together they create something much larger—a summer where downtown Buffalo becomes a place to gather, discover, celebrate, and create memories through music – especially jazz and the Great American Songbook.
That is what we’re building together.
This Week’s Featured Event
As the weather warms up and we get into the heart of summer nights, be sure to make time to experience the welcoming tradition of JazzMondays on the Tappo Rooftop Patio. Now entering its 11th year, join us and My Cousin Toné as we celebrate the Great American Songbook every Monday through Labor Day!
JazzMondays with My Cousin Toné at Tappo Rooftop Patio! Celebrate the Great American Songbook!
Featured Monday, July 6 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm Tappo Restaurant 330 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, NY, United States
Join Us for the 11th year of JazzMondays with My Cousin Toné at Tappo Restaurant Rooftop Patio and Celebrate the Great American Songbook! Presented by JazzBuffalo! For the past decade…
Free
Great American Songbook Spotlight
Frank Sinatra • Come Fly With Me
Some songs invite us to dance.
Others invite us to dream.
Frank Sinatra’s Come Fly With Me does something even more remarkable—it invites us to take a journey. And few recordings capture that sense of adventure more brilliantly than Sinatra’s magnificent collaboration with arranger Billy May.
Written in 1957 by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, the song became the title track of one of Sinatra’s most celebrated albums. While the melody and lyrics captured the romance of travel, it was the spectacular arrangement by Billy May and his orchestra that helped make the recording captivating. From its soaring brass fanfare to its exhilarating swing, Billy May’s masterful orchestration transformed Come Fly With Me into one of the defining recordings of the Great American Songbook era.
Over the decades, the song has been interpreted by artists ranging from Tony Bennett and Michael Bublé to Diana Krall, each bringing their own sense of adventure to this timeless classic. Yet Sinatra’s original recording, propelled by Billy May’s exuberant arrangement, remains one of the finest examples of how a great song, an inspired arranger, and an extraordinary orchestra can create musical magic.
As we prepare for this year’s Summer of Jazz, Come Fly With Me feels especially fitting.
Over the next two months, downtown Buffalo becomes a musical passport to the world. We’ll swing with the Anderson Big Band, stroll through the cafés of Paris with Hot Club of Buffalo, celebrate Latin Rhythms with the Wendell Rivera Latin Jazz Ensemble, experience Voci d’Amore, inspired by the timeless music of Andrea Bocelli, visit A Taste of New Orleans with the Fredtown Stompers, and conclude our journey with Brazil Comes to Buffalo at the 5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival, headlined by Tres Mais featuring five-time Grammy nominee Karrin Allyson.
One of the enduring gifts of the Great American Songbook is its ability to transport us. Sometimes it’s to another place. Sometimes it’s to another time. And sometimes it simply reminds us that music has the power to broaden our horizons while bringing us closer together.
This summer…come fly with us.
This Week on JazzBuffalo.org
Take a deeper dive into two of our Summer of Jazz experiences and discover why Grammy-winning artist Nicole Zuraitis will make Jazz at Kleinhans one of this fall’s must-attend musical moments.
When the Street Becomes the Dance Floor: The Anderson Big Band Opens Summer of Jazz
Posted on by JazzBuffalo
The timeless joy of big band music comes to downtown Buffalo on Sunday, July 12. There is something magical that happens when a big band begins to play. The first […]
Voci d’Amore: Timeless Songs. Extraordinary Voices. One Special Summer Afternoon.
Posted on by JazzBuffalo
A special ArtsBuffalo and JazzBuffalo celebration, in partnership with Tappo Restaurant, celebrating the music of Andrea Bocelli, featuring internationally acclaimed tenor Jay Dref, Buffalo favorite Carolyn Lansom, and an exceptional […]
A Special Moment for Buffalo: When Creative Partners Share the Stage
Posted on by JazzBuffalo
Grammy winners Nicole Zuraitis and Dan Pugach open the 2026-2027 Jazz at Kleinhans season with one of today’s most inspiring musical partnerships. One of the great joys of jazz has […]
Nicole Zuraitis and the Rise of the Modern Songbook
Posted on by JazzBuffalo
From Harold Arlen to Nicole Zuraitis: celebrating the enduring power of song and the artists shaping its future. When we think of the Great American Songbook, names such as Harold […]
Celebrating the 4th of July and Our Country’s 250th!
Our good friend, Toni Ruberto from the Buffalo News, compiles a host of Things To Do this 4th of July weekend. You’ll even find plenty of jazz among the many celebrations taking place throughout Western New York.
Things to Do: Celebrating the Fourth with fireworks, rides and a really big duck
Carnival rides, live music, beer tents, fireworks, and a gigantic duck are part of festivities planned for the upcoming long holiday weekend. Here’s a quick look including some of the many community events…
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. Every patron helps JazzBuffalo continue creating experiences, supporting musicians, strengthening our jazz community, and bringing more people together through the joy of music. 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.
