Printer Friendly Version - COVID-19 Cancels Branford's Summer Jazz Series

Shown here in 2018, a capacity crowd stretches to the edge of the Branford green to hear one of the free shows presented by the Branford Summer Jazz Series. Due to COVID-19, the series has been canceled for 2020 and will return in the summer of 2021.File photo by Susan Lambert/The Sound

While summer storms and even extreme heat have canceled one or two shows in past years at Branford's annual summer jazz series on the green, this year, COVID-19 has brought down the curtain on the 2020 series; which has been canceled until next year.

In a letter sent to jazz festival supporters and fans on May 18, Branford Parks and Recreation Director Alex Palluzzi Jr. and Assistant Director Dale Izzo announced the decision of the jazz series committee to cancel the free summer series of live jazz performances which had been planned to run Thursday evenings through the summer months. The 2020 program of nine shows had been set to kick off beginning Thursday, July 2 and ending Thursday, August 27.

"Over the past several weeks, the Jazz committee has been faced with the most difficult decision of suspending the Branford Summer Jazz series concerts for this year," the letter noted, in part, adding, "... this decision was painful and not easy for all involved. We are deeply saddened, but the health and safety of the community, artists, concert goers and volunteers has been in the forefront with the utmost importance in this decision. In accordance with state and local guidance regarding public gatherings, the Branford Jazz Series committee has concluded that at this time we risk too much in having a gathering of our size, not only for the concert goers, but also the artists that would be traveling from near and far to provide us with their music."

Branford's summer jazz concert series has drawn thousands to the Branford green for over a decade, to spread blankets or set up lawn chairs, snacks and even entire picnic dinners while listening to some of the best and most promising artists from across all genres.

Palluzzi and Izzo's letter also expressed their belief the festival will "....bounce back greater and as energetic as ever in 2021. Our artists are excited to know that they will be a part of next year's lineup."

The letter concluded, "...we welcome the days when we can all gather in a safe manner, while jazz music fills the air. We pursue our mission through collaborative partnerships with local businesses and sponsorships to enhance the quality of life for all. It is the Branford Jazz Concert Series motto for good reason and is the echoed sentiment of our Jazz family. The Branford Jazz community is unlike any other in the jazz music industry and we believe that we can emerge from this adversity stronger and better connected than ever before. We wish you the best of health during these challenging times and anxiously look forward to when we can all be together again."