Garvin Blake performing
at the Sugarcane Restaurant last Sunday
New York - Pan Jazz is moving uptown, literally, to the Uptown Renaissance Restaurant in Harlem on Sunday May 1. Making the move for the day, or rather the evening, are Garvin Blake and Friends who received critical acclaim at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Father’s Day last year and wowed the audience with their performance. The Garvin Blake ensemble also received a standing ovation for their performance at Lincoln Center. A couple of the musicians who were part of that ensemble - Frankie McIntosh on keyboards and Calvin Jones on bass, are also scheduled to be on the card this Sunday. World-renowned percussionist Damon Duewhite joins Garvin, who will of course be featured on double seconds, completing the quartet for Sunday’s exclusive event at the Uptown Renaissance Restaurant. Garvin and friends perform regularly at Brooklyn’s famed Sugarcane Restaurant in Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York.
Rene and Claudia Calliste, owners of The Uptown Renaissance Restaurant
News of Garvin Blake and Friends’ upcoming appearance at Uptown Renaissance has led to advance ticket sales, as music lovers move to secure their spots at the exclusive event, with seating limited to just over sixty. Owners and operators of the Uptown Renaissance restaurant, the husband and wife team of Rene and Claudia Calliste, are excited about and looking forward to, welcoming their clientele as Pan Jazz makes what could very well be, its first appearance on the Harlem music scene. Although there is a variety of traditional and contemporary jazz shows to be enjoyed around the area, Claudia proudly noted that Pan Jazz at Uptown Renaissance would be catering to the musical palate of an exclusive and previously untapped audience. It would be also the first time that there would be a musical performance at the restaurant on a Sunday evening. There have previously been gospel and regular jazz performances on Thursdays and Fridays.
Uptown Renaissance restaurant opened its doors a little over a year ago on April 9, 2004. The establishment astutely recognized the importance of their community, and therefore remained sensitive to its needs. Subsequently the Callistes have opted to carry on in the tradition of the preceding establishment, and ensure that clientele from their surrounding community continue to feel welcome, while simultaneously catering to consumers from all areas.
The Uptown Renaissance Restaurant,
Harlem, New York
Describing itself as “the Ultimate Blend of Steaks, Soul Food and Salads” the restaurant boasts a delectably comprehensive menu from breakfast through dinner. Hearty and tasty servings are the order of the days, and nights, with customers coming back for more. The Callistes pride themselves on an all-Halal meat service, complimented by healthful whole wheat breads as staples or accompaniments to respective dishes. From Monday through Thursday, the doors of Uptown Renaissance open from 7:00 AM to Midnight. On Friday and Saturday, they are open around the clock. For this Sunday evening in particular, a special Caribbean-tinged menu is planned, as Uptown Renaissance welcomes Garvin Blake and Friends and Pan Jazz lovers from all over, to Harlem.
There will be two performances between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM. The Uptown Renaissance restaurant is located at 108 West 116th Street, between Lenox and Seventh Avenues in Harlem, New York, with easy access to the Nos. 2 and 3 trains. Contact Claudia or Eleanor at 1 (212) 280-2224 for tickets to Sunday’s Pan Jazz performances, and additional information. Pan Jazz is slated to become an exclusive monthly “fare” at the restaurant.