Join us for a joyous evening of jazz!
Universal Temple of the Arts Staten Island JAZZ Festival has become one of the most anticipated events of the New York City holiday season. Universal Temple of the Arts has long embraced the American-born music genre of jazz and has presented the Staten Island JAZZ Festival for over three decades with the intent of preserving and amplifying this national treasure. As we continue to celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary, the Staten Island JAZZ Festival highlights the vibrant spirit and history of jazz music, and its unique cultural heritage and artistic influence.
This year’s lineup features gifted musicians: GRAMMY® Award-winning vocalist and pianist Nicole Zuraitis; incredible trumpeter and vocalist Jumaane Smith; “Queen of the Violin” Kersten Stevens; and The Dal Segno Trio featuring guest vocalist Jazzmeia Horn.
The 38th annual celebration of jazz will be held at the majestic St. George Theatre, 35 Hyatt Street, Staten Island, NY, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Dr. Darrell Smith, distinguished educator, bandleader and Staten Island native, serves as Musical Director of one of NYC’s longest-running community festivals, which will be hosted by Sheila E. Anderson, of WBGO, 88.3 FM.
““The Staten Island JAZZ Festival brings joy to the community, stands as a beacon for the borough’s rich artistic spirit and for those who seek both tradition and innovation, the festival provides an immersive experience that bridges generations through the universal language of jazz,” states Rashida Ladner-Seward, Artistic-Executive Director of Universal Temple of the Arts (UTA), successor, the 2nd generation heir apparent of the Staten Island JAZZ Festival, founded by her mother, Sajda Musawwir Ladner, in 1988.”
Secure Your Spot for a Night of Joyous, Unforgettable Jazz!
General Admission Tickets are $38 and can be purchased online via Ticketmaster or at the St. George Theatre Box office Tuesday through Friday from 12:00pm-5:00pm.
Golden Circle Tickets are $138 and offer an exclusive experience, including VIP seating, an intimate cocktail reception, and invitations to special cultural partner events. To purchase Golden Circle Tickets contact Todd Seward, Director of Community Engagement at tseward@utasi.org.
Universal Temple of the Arts promotes the Staten Island JAZZ Festival with images by Romare Bearden, America’s preeminent African American visual artist, signifying the special relationship between Universal Temple of the Arts with iconic cultural creators and innovators since its inception in 1967 as an art, cultural and educational nonprofit organization.
A Stellar Lineup Ignites the Stage
Nicole Zuraitis
Nicole Zuraitis is a 2X GRAMMY®-winning and 4X GRAMMY®-nominated jazz singer songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader, and winner of the prestigious American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal.
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As a recording artist, Nicole Zuraitis has released seven albums as leader, and her sixth album How Love Begins, co-produced with nine-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride, features all original music and was awarded the 2024 GRAMMY for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM. Nicole is the only artist ever to have won this award who wrote and arranged the entire album herself. In addition to leading her quartet, Nicole performed and recorded with the Birdland Big Band as premier vocalist before taking off as a large ensemble leader of her own, co-producing the Dan Pugach Big Band and guesting for major European big bands. She has headlined at Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival, and Tanglewood, along with iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle, 54 Below and the late, great 55 Bar. She wrote the closing track “Always” on Teyana Taylor’s 2025 album Escape Room (Def Jam Records).
Nicole is a featured artist and producer on her husband, renowned drummer, bandleader, and composer Dan Pugach’s 2025 GRAMMY-winning album, “Bianca Reimagined: Music for Paws and Persistence” (Best Large Ensemble) for which they composed the GRAMMY-nominated song, “Little Fears” (Best Jazz Performance). Nicole is a vocalist on the GRAMMY-winning “Last Sunday in Plains: A Centennial Celebration” alongside Jon Batiste, Keb’ Mo’, and LeeAnn Rimes. In 2024, Broadway World honored Nicole with the “Best Big Band Show” Award. Nicole's arrangement of Dolly Parton's Jolene, co-written with renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach, was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY®, springboarding her career and making her a household name in the modern-day jazz landscape. Nicole has collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries, including Christian McBride, Larry Klein, Tom Scott, Keyon Harrold, David Cook, Gilad Hekselman, Donny McCaslin, Veronica Swift, Benny Benack, Stephen Feifke, Cyrille Aimee, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Omar Hakim, Rachel Z, Helen Sung, Melanie, Morgan James, Scott Sharrard, Darren Criss, Livingston Taylor, and Bernard Purdie. She is a proud educator and currently vocal faculty at NYU.
“Superb…a natural entertainer…commanded the stage from start to finish!”
- The NYC Jazz Record
“Supreme talent… a first-rate songwriter, powerhouse vocalist, and grade A pianist!”
- ALL ABOUT JAZZ
“Nicole Zuraitis re-defining what, exactly, it is that the human voice can do… it is possible to gaze, spellbound by Nicole Zuraitis, as she turns her entire being into an instrument. It is as fascinating to watch as it is magnificent to hear.” Broadway World
“With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” Jazz Police
Jumaane Smith
Jazz trumpeter, vocalist, and composer Jumaane Smith has performed on 5 GRAMMY® Award-winning records (selling more than 60 million copies), 2 Emmy® Award-nominated TV performances, the GRAMMY® Awards with Stevie Wonder, in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story (trumpet solo actor), at The White House, on the Today Show, Tonight Show, Oprah, Good Morning America, and American Idol.
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Jumaane Smith has toured with his own band to such world-class venues as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland Jazz Club, The Blue Note, Tanglewood, Jazz Alley, Vail Jazz Festival, Java Jazz Festival, North Star Festival, Ronnie Scott’s, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Southbank Centre, Catalina Island Jazz Festival, and many more.
Musical legends that Jumaane has worked with include Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Christian McBride, Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Alicia Keys, Jon Batiste, Kamasi Washington, Theo Croker, and Michael Bublé (as featured trumpet/vocals soloist). As a full scholarship recipient at the Juilliard School of Music’s Jazz Studies program, Wynton Marsalis was Smith’s primary trumpet teacher.
“Whenever Jumaane Smith performs, it’s a celebration... such ferocious skill, emotion, and chemistry, you’ll be crying for an encore!” - Alexa Peters, DownBeat Magazine **** (4 Star Review)
“If Sam Cooke and Louis Armstrong had a baby and put him in a snazzy suit you’d start to get the picture. HIGHLY recommend. He’s incredible!" - Jordan Hoffman (Writer, Vanity Fair, Vulture & more).
Kersten Stevens
Kersten Stevens—Queen of the Violin—is a genre-defying artist and composer whose electrifying, luminous performances turn every stage into a sanctuary. A Yale alumna and six-time winner of Amateur Night and Showtime at The Apollo, she has shared the stage with Christian McBride, Faith Evans, Regina Carter, Kim Burrell, and Keyon Harrold. Her performances have moved icons like President Barack Obama, Angela Bassett, Babyface, Usher, and Denzel Washington.
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Kersten Stevens’ journey began at age three, when she first picked up the violin. By twelve, she had discovered jazz—unlocking a lifelong passion for improvisation and genre-bending expression. Her early talent earned top honors from the NAACP ACT-SO Awards and the Hal Jackson’s Talented Teen competition. A graduate of Yale with dual degrees in Music and African American Studies, she went on to study under legendary jazz violinist John Blake, Jr., honing a sound that is technically masterful, spiritually rooted, and creatively boundless.
Her latest album, QUEEN RISING—co-produced with 9x GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride—debuted in the JazzWeek Top 40. The project features McBride on all tracks and showcases reimagined classics like Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Fantasy” and Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free,” alongside bold originals like “You’ve Been Crowned” and “Beginnings and Endings.”
A cultural force and spiritual presence, Kersten has been featured in Vogue, WBGO, All About Jazz, and The Black Gospel Blog. She is a voting member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMY Awards), and her performances—whether in concert halls or sacred spaces—invite audiences not just to hear, but to feel.
“You feel the funk in her playing. You feel the soul. You feel the gospel, the Latin.
She has it all.” WBGO Gary Walker
"Breathtaking pyrotechnics that burst with pure joy." - All About Jazz
“I am so impressed by Kersten. She has a fantastic talent. I watch her play the violin, and I am like, wow - each time is a discovery. This girl is bad. You need to listen to this album, and you need to listen quickly!" - CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE 9x GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING BASSIST.
Dal Segno Trio
The Dal Segno Trio is comprised of Darrell Smith (Drums/Band Leader), Santiago Vazquez (Piano) and David Kingsnorth (Bass). Performing across New York City and the Tri-State area since 2010, the Dal Segno Trio has recorded numerous albums and been featured as a resident band at many local jazz institutions.
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New York-based composer, educator, and musician Julie Maniscalco draws inspiration from the world around her. Her debut project, Terroir: Music for Jazz Orchestra, features compositions that incorporate her myriad influences growing up in her native Staten Island and New York City surroundings.
Intended for music fans of all genres, Maniscalco’s often genre-fluid compositional style, marries Western classical instrumentation and orchestration with jazz. It sheds light on the evolution of the traditional big band into today’s jazz orchestra.
Beginning her journey at the College of Staten Island, she went on to continue her studies at William Patterson University earning a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies and Music Management. She earned an Advanced Certificate in Music Education and a master’s degree at Brooklyn College.
Julie Maniscalco has been a music educator in the New York City Public School System for almost ten years, teaching in programs for elementary and middle school age students. She credits working with her younger students and exploring music to finding her own identity as a composer.
Dr. Darrell Smith
Musical Director of Staten Island JAZZ Festival 38
The festival’s captivating musical journey is curated under the expert direction of Dr. Darrell Smith, a distinguished Staten Island native, educator, composer and bandleader, ensuring a program that resonates with both jazz aficionados and newcomers alike.
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Dr. Darrell Smith DMA (jazz percussion, music director, band leader, composer, producer) is a jazz percussionist and composer endorsed by Canopus Drums. He has performed in numerous festivals both nationally and internationally including the Montclair Jazz Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, the Bern Jazz Festival (Switzerland), the Mumbai NCPA Jazz Festival (India). As a band leader, he has led his original trio (Dal Segno Trio) in local performances at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Smoke Jazz and Supper Club, The Jazz Standard and Gotham. As a composer, Dr. Smith co-wrote an original off- broadway show entitled “Interludes” that features New Orleans themed music. “Interludes” was featured in the San Diego International Fringe Festival and the New York Fringe Festival. Dr. Smith has also performed in off-Broadway productions of “West Side Story”, “The King and I”, “Pearl”, and “Magdalene”. Since 2018 Dr. Smith has been the music director of the Staten Island JAZZ Festival (via Universal Temple of the Arts). Dr. Smith is a board member of The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook, Long Island. He has just started his own non-profit organization “3 Degrees” to build an arts center on Staten Island. He is currently the Director of Education for Jazz House Kids under the artistic direction of bassist Chrisitian McBride. Dr. Smith serves on the faculties of the New School University and the College of Staten Island, CUNY.
Sheila E. Anderson
Host of Staten Island JAZZ Festival 38
Sheila E. Anderson joined the staff of WBGO-FM, in 1995, where she has hosted Weekend Jazz Overnight and NightByrds (with co-host Awilda Rivera).
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Sheila Anderson joined the staff of WBGO-FM, in 1995, where she hosts Weekend jazz Overnight. From 1995-2002 she hosted the award-winning TV show “The Art of Jazz” on Manhattan Neighborhood Network. She authored four books: The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac (2003), How to Grow as A Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed (2005) (both published by Allworth Press) The Little Red Book of Musicians Wisdom (Skyhorse Press, 2012) and in 2019 the 2nd edition of How to Grow as A Musician (Skyhorse Press.) As a producer, for eighteen years, Ms. Anderson curated Jazz in the Garden at The Newark Museum of Art (NMOA) and she continues to curate the Central Jersey Jazz Festival (CJJF).
Ms. Anderson is a (2017) Columbia University Community Scholar, an inaugural Dan Morgenstern Fellow at the Institute of Jazz Studies, Rutgers University-Newark (2020,) is a graduate of Baruch College and resides in Harlem, NYC.
Jazzmeia Horn
An award-winning jazz ensemble led by vocalist April May Webb, 2024 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winner, and trumpeter Randall Haywood, named “Male Rising Star” by Hot House and Jazzmobile NYC. The dynamic duo blend jazz, with Country, R&B and Gospel influences – together they create music that inspires.
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Sounds of April & Randall is an award-winning jazz ensemble led by vocalist April May Webb, 2024 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition winner, and trumpeter Randall Haywood, named “Male Rising Star” by Hot House and Jazzmobile NYC. Their musical chemistry, first sparked at a New Jersey jam session. April & Randall blend jazz with Country, R&B, and Gospel influences. April May studied under Mulgrew Miller at William Paterson University, while Randall earned his master’s at Juilliard. In 2023, they were named U.S. Cultural Ambassadors, touring Fiji and Tonga through the State Department. They also received grants from Chamber Music America and South Arts. Their music has earned national acclaim – “Horizon” hit #17 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts, and “Questions Left Unanswered” peaked at #12 on the National Jazz Week charts in 2025. “Everybody Ain’t Gonna Like You” won Gold at the Annual Songwriters Association Competition of Washington. Randall was the youngest Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra member at 15, and April May was the first Black woman to graduate from William Paterson’s Jazz Education program. Together, they create music that inspires.
Honoring Pillars of Jazz, Culture, and Community
In addition to the distinguished musical performances, SIJF 37 will formally honor three outstanding individuals who embody the festival’s spirit of excellence, justice, and joy through their contributions to jazz and community:
The incredible Antoinette Montague, blues and jazz singer, entertainer and educator, aka, “Jazz Woman to the Rescue,” and acclaimed jazz producer and educator, Amilcar Mtu, will both receive the Sajda Musawwir Ladner Jazz Legacy Award.
Edwina Frances Martin, Esq. Commissioner, Public Administrator of Richmond County, honored for her unwavering dedication to civic engagement and advocacy will receive the Community Leadership Award.
“These honorees represent the values our founder, Sajda Musawwir Ladner, stood for: excellence, justice, and joy through culture,” said Rashida Ladner-Seward, UTA Executive Director. “Their contributions are a testament to the enduring power of community and the arts.”
TBD
Sajda Musawwir Ladner Jazz Legacy Award
Antoinette Montague is an incredible Blues and Jazz singer and entertainer. She consistently delivers an amazing experience for audiences to enjoy.
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Sajda Musawwir Ladner Jazz Legacy Award
Antoinette Montague is an incredible Blues and Jazz singer and entertainer. She consistently delivers an amazing experience for audiences to enjoy. Her recent Jazz Journalists Association Heroes Award 2024 is a testament to the many assets she possesses. Antoinette Montague is a proud daughter of the Great City of Newark. Known as Jazz Woman To The Rescue for her stage persona and her humanitarian work with the foundation of the same name, Antoinette lives her big life with jazz in her heart and the blues in her soul. She is multi-talented and has been featured on Vox Humana (Grammy Nominated recording), featured lead Character o the 2025 Emmy Nominated George to the Rescue national television show.
She sings, teaches and has been named the 2025 Educator of the Year Award by The Newark School of the Arts and broke barriers by putting Jazz into the NJPAC Corolla Scholarship of Classical music. in numerous residencies, mentors, advocates, and even has a radio show! She has played the Blue Note, Birdland, The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival, Litchfield Jazz Fest, Ashdod Jazz Fest in Israel, Russia, S. Korea, and many amazing sold out venues. Her dazzling smile, her way with a kazoo, and her deep understanding and love of the music we call the Blues and Jazz. Antoinette Montague can make an audience cry with “I Loves You Porgy” or bring a crowd to its feet with her joyful rendition of “Let The Good Times Roll.” Her vast knowledge of jazz, as Antoinette often quotes Willie Dixon, “Blues is the root; everything else is the fruit,” has secured her place as the 2024 Jazz Journalists Jazz Hero – Antoinette Montague, Jazz Woman to the Rescue!”
TBD
Sajda Musawwir Ladner Jazz Legacy Award
Amilcar (“Al”) Mtu. At the early age of 12, his father took him to see two of the greatest pianists at the time, Oscar Peterson and George Shearing. That experience is when he acquired a love of culture and modern American music, JAZZ. As a teenager, while attempting to become a saxophonist, he remembers that he played his favorite tune “Contemplation” written by Wayne Shorter, performed by the Art Blakely band, every day after school after walking his girlfriend back to her house.
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Sajda Musawwir Ladner Jazz Legacy Award
Amilcar (“Al”) Mtu. At the early age of 12, his father took him to see two of the greatest pianists at the time, Oscar Peterson and George Shearing. That experience is when he acquired a love of culture and modern American music, JAZZ. As a teenager, while attempting to become a saxophonist, he remembers that he played his favorite tune “Contemplation” written by Wayne Shorter, performed by the Art Blakely band, every day after school after walking his girlfriend back to her house. Influenced by jazz greats like John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, the Heath Brothers, Duke Ellington, Benny Golson, and many others, he was inspired to pursue music but ultimately chose to become a producer of the genre. For the past six years, Al produced the Modern American Music Series in Harlem, New York City at the renowned outdoor venue, Grants Tomb. Noteworthy achievements include publishing “Jazz News,” a music journal in the 90’s and early 2000’s and receiving a citation from the NYC Mayor’s office for service to New York City’s music community. He has a talent for recognizing emerging talent, an example is the introduction of jazz vocalist Samara Joy during his Modern American Music series a few years ago. This amazing talent garnered a Grammy, and she continues to perform at famous concerts all over the world!
Al is a graduate of Wingate High School and holds a Bachelor of Science from Ohio State University, where he was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame. Al shares that his love of our music and culture has provided him with the strength and understanding to continue our struggle which has brought him to where he is now. As the great Duke Ellington stated, it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.”
How to Buy Tickets
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Call the St. George Theatre Box Office at 718-442-2900 Tuesday through Friday from 12pm to 5pm. There is a nominal credit card fee but no TM fees to pay.
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Visit the St. George Theatre Box Office, 35 Hyatt Street, Tuesday through Friday from 12pm to 5pm. If paying cash, there are no additional fees.
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For convenience, tickets can be purchased online Ticketmaster.com 24/7. TM fees are applied.
Thank you
UTA’s Staten Island JAZZ Festival 38 is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in Partnership with the City Council. Additional support is provided by the New York State Council on the Arts in partnership with Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
A special thank you to Council Member Kamillah M. Hanks.
FEATURED ON
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SILive.com
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WBGO 88.3 FM
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Around The Island
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Hot House Jazz
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The New York Amsterdam News
• SILive.com • WBGO 88.3 FM • Around The Island • Hot House Jazz • The New York Amsterdam News
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“As we enter our third decade as Staten Island’s oldest continuously run jazz festival, we remain committed to presenting iconic and popular jazz artists as well as showcasing Staten Island performers who stand tall delivering their understanding of this world-wide, cherished music called jazz. Universal Temple of the Arts thinks of JAZZ in all capital letters. We explore every aspect of the art form.”
October 19, 2019: Quote from the late Sajda Musawwir Ladner, who was the Founder of the Staten Island JAZZ Festival and Artistic/Executive Director of Universal Temple of the Arts.
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"The Romare Bearden Foundation shares a part of our mission with Universal Temple of the Arts - the arts education of young people and adults. UTA stays true to the spirit of its founder Sajda Musawwir. The annual jazz festival is also a jewel of the arts in New York City!"
Diedra Harris-Kelley
Co-director, Romare Bearden Foundation