Tag: arts brookfield

Silent Films/Live Music Series Returns to Brookfield Place

Post author By Downtown Magazine
Post date January 26, 2019

The acclaimed Silent Films / Live Music series, curated by WNYC’s John Schaefer, returns to the Winter Garden at Brookfield Place (BFPL) for three nights from Wednesday, January 30 through Friday, February 1 starting at 7:30 p.m. The winter film series includes three unforgettable evenings filled with classic silent film screenings accompanied by live music. Presented by Arts Brookfield, these performances will bring new life to films with scores performed under the glass atrium at BFPL, the shopping, dining and cultural destination along the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan.

The series will kick off with renowned American guitarist and composer Marc Ribot’s sound accompaniment to 1920s classic, ‘The Kid.’ Next on the roster is the U.S. premiere of Nosferatu by Irish composers Irene Buckley and Linda Buckley. Alloy Orchestra concludes the series by bringing the the world’s first gangster film, Underworld, to life with a new score. Popcorn will be given away starting at 5:30 p.m. and will be available while supplies last.

FILM SCHEDULE:

January 30: The Kid (1921) with Marc Ribot – “The Kid” is an American silent comedy-drama film written by, produced by and starring Charlie Chaplin, and features Jackie Coogan as his adopted son and sidekick.

January 31: Nosferatu (1922) with Irene and Linda Buckley – Irish composers, sisters Irene and Linda Buckley present a reimagined score to the gothic classic Nosferatu for organ, electronics, viola and cello.

February 1: Underworld (1927) with Alloy Orchestra – “Underworld” was the film that launched Josef von Sternberg’s very successful career. A favorite of audiences and critics alike, Underworld is credited as the first gangster film, and the model for the popular genre.

“Arts Brookfield is excited to present a timeless collection of films by award-winning directors to Lower Manhattan, ” said Elysa Marden, Vice President, Arts Brookfield. “We are delighted to provide a space for visitors to enjoy music and film in an inspired environment.”

Tags alloy orchestra, arts brookfield, Brookfield Place, Family, irene buckley, linda buckley, Live Music, marc ribot, movie, Movie night, movies, nosferatu, orchestra, silent movies, the kid, underworld

Culture Entertainment Events Lifestyle Living Movies News

Arts Brookfield Presents Animation Block Party

Post author By Alyssa Bajek
Post date July 30, 2015

Animation Block Party, the premier East Coast film festival, will be taking place this week at Brookfield Place.

Animation Block Party will begin on Thursday, opening night, with a collection of animated short films, including a special clip from Dreamworks TV. Screened films include Almost There (Julia Glassman), Meanwhile (Stephen McNally), Beach Flags (Sarah Saidan), Aubade (Mauro Carraro), Little Doorman (Matt Marblo) Stella Nova (Ted Wiggin), Positronic (Ryan Mauskopf), Itch (Su-An Ng), Harvey Beaks (C.H. Greenblatt), and sneak peaks from Dreamworks TV.

The following night will feature a special sneak preview of the environmental documentary Racing Extinction, directed by the Academy Award winning filmmakers of The Cove. Racing Excitation is an exposé piece on the black market endangered species trade; Racing Extinction will be broadcast worldwide in 220 countries and territories on Discovery Channel later this year.

The festival will close Sunday with a screening of the academy award winning documentary Stop Making Sense on the New Wave pop-rock group The Talking Heads.

All festivities are hosted by Arts Brookfield and Rooftop Films. The screenings will take place at Brookfield Place.

“Arts Brookfield has been tremendously supportive of Rooftop Films these past three years, collaborating with us for several very popular and memorable events with us,” said Dan Nuxoll, Program Director of Rooftop Films. “Brookfield Place has been a beautiful venue for our screenings these last few years, and we are thrilled to be co-presenting another batch of exciting, independent films with them”.

More information is available here.

-by Alyssa Bajek

Tags Animation Block Party, arts brookfield, Rooftop Films

Culture Entertainment Events Music

“Summer Session” Concert Series

Post author By Alyssa Bajek
Post date June 1, 2015

Summer Session Julia Easterlin — “Summer Session” performer Julia Easterlin. Photo courtesy of PatrickPKPR.

Beginning June 2 and running every Tuesday through the month of June, Arts Brookfield will be presenting a series of free musical performances, open to the public. Branded as “Summer Sessions,” each concert will feature either an emerging or established indie pop act.

“Summer Sessions is an opportunity for New Yorkers to experience an outstanding live music set against one of Lower Manhattan’s most stunning backdrops,” said Debra Simon, vice president and artistic director of Arts Brookfield. “We invite fans to discover an eclectic mix of original and exciting musical artists.”

The series begins with Body Language, an experimental pop quartet that blends electric takes on soul, R&B, and disco into their future-shocked music. Rolling Stone has called their music “soulful dance-worthy grooves.” The next weekend will feature singer/songwriter Margaret Glaspy, who has performed alongside Rachael Yamagata, Ricky Skaggs, John Scofield, Del McCoury, and many others.

Banda Manga will be featured on June 16. The group draws on their band members’ international backgrounds to include Brazilian, French, Greek, Columbian, and Afro-Peruvian influences. The group’s founder Magda Giannikou’s film scoring music has caught the attention of everyone from the Kronos Quartet to Louis CK. The following week, Julia Easterlin will be performing. Easterlin has performed at locations ranging from Lollapalooza to TEDxWomen to SXSW. She has been recognized by the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts in Miami and has traveled to Havana where she collaborated with Cuban performers to premiere a piece at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

The series closes with Superhuman Happiness, an act which features a cast of various New Yorkers of different backgrounds performing both composed and improvised music.

The concerts will take place at the Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place. Each concert will begin at sunset.

by Alyssa Bajek

Tags arts brookfield, Band Manga, Body Language, Brookfield Place, Julia Easterlin, Margaret Glaspy, Waterfront plaza

Culture Music

Lower Manhattan’s 4th Annual Blues Festival

Post author By Mike Hammer
Post date July 22, 2014

Festival attendees admire the waterfront views while listening to their favorite blues artists.

Downtown Manhattan’s got the blues…or at least it did last week during Arts Brookfield’s fourth annual Lower Manhattan Blues Festival. The two-night affair attracted blues fans from all over the Tri-state area, and featured bands and artists like Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The Robert Cray Band, and John Hiatt. DOWNTOWN had the opportunity to attend the event held at Brookfield Place, a beautiful waterfront plaza peppered with restaurants, bars, and skyline views.

The setup of the festival was basic; rows of chairs sat at the edge of the plaza facing the stage, and guests had the opportunity to sit up close for the show, or enjoy the outdoor concert from afar. The stage was equipped with microphones, a blue drum set, and an arsenal of electric guitars. In between acts, guests could glance across the water for a distant view of the Statue of Liberty.

The Robert Cray Band was a crowd favorite.

A festival favorite was The Robert Cray Band, who took the stage at approximately 8 p.m. on the second night of the event. Cray’s soulful vocal performance was perfectly paired with the band’s classic, rhythmic bass progressions. The set list showcased some of the group’s best tunes blending originality with familiar blues melodies. Robert Cray contorted his face with emotion as he bellowed passionate lyrics telling stories of heartbreak and betrayal. “She’s gonna lose the man who really loves her,” he sang. “And it’s all because of me.” Donning denim and drinking from red plastic cups, it was clear that the band was performing purely for the music, rather than for recognition or stardom. The group finished their set just as the sun began to set, shining hints of orange and pink highlights on the sailboats floating behind the stage.

Overall, the event was a hit. It was clear the music was enjoyed, not only by the audience members, but also by the musicians. The Blues Festival is just another one of the countless cultural perks Downtown Manhattan has to offer. We’re counting down the days until the Blues Festival returns next year.

-Linda Tell

– Photographs by Blair Kwon

James Carter woos the crowd with his soulful saxophone solo

Tags arts brookfield, blues, blues festival, blues music, Brookfield Place, hudson blues, hudsonblues, John Hiatt, Lower Manhattan, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The Robert Cray Band