Ron Carter Celebrates Jamaica Center’s 50th Anniversary

By DownBeat I Sep. 14, 2021

Ron Carter will perform at the Jamaica Center on Oct. 2.
(Photo: Jamaica Center)
Artist Danny Simmons will serve an eight-month residency to celebrate the 50th anniversary of JCAL.
(Photo: Jamaica Center)

Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning will commemorate its 50th anniversary season with a residency by acclaimed painter, author and poet Danny Simmons. Entitled “Homecoming” and presented in association with KMW Studio, Simmons’ residency will span eight months and include a jazz and spoken-word performance with bassist Ron Carter, a major retrospective of Simmons’ work, artist talks and more. In spring 2022, Simmons’ residency will culminate in a reunion performance of the original cast of HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and a 50th Anniversary Gala for JCAL with Simmons as the artist honoree.

“Homecoming” will officially kick off JCAL’s 50th anniversary year with a performance at 8 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center (153-10 Jamaica Avenue) pairing Simmons with Carter, who has appeared on more than 2,000 recording sessions. Also joining Simmons and Carter will be host and guest performer Lezlie Harrison, Ron Carter’s Golden Striker Trio and spoken-word artists Ursula Rucker, Derick Cross and Bonafide Rojas. For tickets, contact the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. DB