Parrish Art Museum Presents Music, Storytelling for Summer 2015
The Parrish Art Museum is a mecca for the arts on the East End, offering a dazzling array of visual art, outstanding performances and engrossing discussions. There’s something for every patron of the arts this summer at Parrish.
The Sounds of Summer performance series provides a season of al fresco music on the Mildred C. Brinn Terrace (which is covered in case of rain). The series begins on Friday, May 22, with a concert by the New Orleans-style nine-piece band The HooDoo Loungers. On June 5, take part in a contra dance with caller Dave Harvey as part of Southampton’s 375th anniversary festivities. Mambo Loco looks to bring out your inner salsa dancer on July 3. On August 7, blues and country singer Jake Lear makes his Parrish debut, and the series concludes on September 4 with the Ebony Hillbillies. The Golden Pear Cafe will offer local wines and refreshments during the performances, and visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The concerts are free with museum admission.
The Parrish’s Jazz en Plein Air series, curated by Richard Siegler, returns for a third summer of jazz on the Terrace. The program kicks off on Friday, May 29, with a show by Bay Burger’s Thursday Night Jam Session, who perform weekly at the Sag Harbor burger joint. On June 26, Siegler brings his own sound to the museum with the Richie Siegler Quartet. A native of Greenwich Village, Siegler grew up playing drums, swing, bebop and Latin jazz. The Hendrik Meurkens Quartet performs on July 31. The self-taught Meurkens was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany and moved to Brazil to perform legendary harmonica player/composer Mauricio Einhorn. On August 28, the Jazz en Plein Air series wraps up with celebrated trumpeter Alex Sipiagin.
In addition to the robust musical offerings, the Parrish will also present various other unique and exciting events and programs throughout the summer. Buy your tickets early for the June 12 PechaKucha Night Hamptons, Vol. 12. This extremely popular evening of quick presentations explores living creatively on the East End. Each invited presenter shows 20 slides, 20 seconds each, about a specific topic, be it art, food, architecture and other East End topics. On Friday, June 19, check out a screening of Chuck Close, a documentary about the iconic portrait artist. The film is the final work of the late director Marion Cajori.
Watch as adults present their most revealing and embarrassing childhood moments and artifacts on June 20 with The Hamptons Get Mortified. Co-presented by Mortified NYC, this hilarious and heartwarming show features grown men and women reading aloud from their old diaries, letters, home movies and more.
The Parrish also offers programs that are appropriate for the whole family. On Saturday, August 1, the Parrish presents the Best of New York International Children’s Film Festival (NYICFF). And on Sunday, August 2, the Parrish will hold its annual Summer Family Party.
The Parrish Art Museum is located at 279 Montauk Highway, Water Mill. Call 631-283-2118 and go to parrishart.org for tickets and more information.