Opening reception: Harlem Blues and Jazz Band exhibit

The Suffolk County Historical Society Museum will host a three-month exhibit detailing the history of the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band.

Harlem Blues and Jazz Band was formed in 1973, when a passionate music aficionado, Dr. Al Vollmer, recognized that a significant pool of the great NYC jazz musicians of the 1920s and 30s had retired as musicians. Motivated to revive their talents, Vollmer encouraged these talented artists to pick up their instruments once again, and Harlem Blues and Jazz Band was formed. The band was established not only to honor the legacy of the country’s greatest jazz ensembles but also to pay homage to the genre’s roots: The Blues.

The public is invited to an opening reception and a meet-and-greet with the band on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 1 to 3 p.m. Admission is free for members of the Suffolk County Historical Society and $5 for nonmembers. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP at 631-727-2881 x100.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS FEATURING the HARLEM BLUES AND JAZZ BAND:

— Women’s History Month –“Women in Jazz” – Lecture and performance featuring Ladies Have Chops, led by pianist Bertha Hope – Saturday, March 8, 1 – 3 p.m. $5 non-member admission fee, RSVP at 631-727-2881 x100

— “Blues Concert Live Performance” featuring Bernice Brooks and Friends — Saturday, March 22, 1 – 3 p.m. RSVP at 631-727-2881 x100.

— Jazz History Month Concert, “Harlem Blues and Jazz Band,” Jazz Concert – April date to be announced.

The Suffolk County Historical Society Museum  is located at 300 West Main St.  Riverhead, NY 11901 and on the web at

https://suffolkcountyhistoricalsociety.org