Season 2, Episode 5: Behind every summer is a community that keeps Fire Island alive. This episode explores the history of the beloved Pines Pantry through the eyes of its iconic Pantry Girls, alongside the volunteer firefighters of The Pines and Cherry Grove who protect the island from fires, hurricanes, beach erosion, and an uncertain future.
Photos: Sam First Honors Jazz Icons Herbie Hancock and Darlene Chan
The benefit featured performances from prominent LA jazz musicians and speakers including the honored guests.
By: Rachel Stone
Sam First, the Los Angeles jazz venue and nonprofit organization, held a benefit titled 'It Takes A Village' honoring two figures of the city's jazz scene, Herbie Hancock and Darlene Chan.
The evening featured performances from a lineup of prominent jazz musicians, along with remarks from the honorees and other speakers.
Featured Performers
Seamus Blake, Justin Brown, Billy Childs, Gerald Clayton, Brandon Coleman, Devin Daniels, Emma Dayhuff, Adam Hersh, Jon Hatamiya, Larry Klein, Julien Knowles, Michael Mayo, Nicole McCabe, Gretchen Parlato, John Patitucci, Jonathan Pinson, Kendrick Scott, Luciana Souza, Helen Sung and Ben Williams.
Featured Speakers
Darlene Chan, Herbie Hancock, John Clayton, Billy Childs, Larry Klein, Paul Solomon and David Robaire.
Sam First expressed gratitude to GRoW @ Annenberg Foundation for providing support at the Performance Sponsor level. GRoW @ Annenberg Foundation is a philanthropic initiative led by Annenberg Foundation Chairman and Director Gregory Annenberg Weingarten that supports a range of projects and organizations addressing social and cultural issues, meeting community needs, and fostering inspiration and collaboration, with the goal of improving quality of life in communities around the world.
Sam First also thanked the Clarke Family Foundation for support at the Reception Sponsor level, along with its Friends of Sam supporters: Alison and Richard Crowell, Charles Gaines, Christopher Godwin & Katrina Mohn, Karen Hohman Almeida, Joel McKuin, Paul Solomon & Kate Lally. Additional thanks went to its With the Band supporters: Peter Davidson, Susan Genco, Pam Grissom, Lauren Halsey, Hen House Studios, Joel McKuin, Anne Akiko Meyers, Kelly Peterson, Monica Shilling, Paul Solomon & Kate Lally, and Akio Tagawa.
About Sam First
Sam First is a unique venue (and 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) dedicated to supporting and expanding jazz as a musical form and tradition. Its mission is to provide a vibrant center for regional, national, and international practitioners of jazz and to foster the growth and engagement of the jazz community in Los Angeles. As a space designed without an elevated stage, Sam First removes the boundary between performers and audiences to promote in-person collaboration, the formation of new relationships, and the creation of original music that takes risks and pushes boundaries.
Writer, pianist and friend of Sam First, Gary Fukushima, wrote an article for DownBeat recapping the evening.
For more information on Sam First, visit www.samfirstbar.com.
Luciana Souza with Devin Daniels and Larry Klein at the culminating performance
Gretchen Parlato at the culminating performance
Michael Mayo (and Devin Daniels) at the culminating performance
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