Gotham Jazz Fest and the 3rd annual New York Hot Jazz Camp

The 3rd annual New York Hot Jazz Camp, which took place during the first week in April, culminated in the Gotham Jazz Festival from noon on Sunday, April 8 until 1 am Monday, with only a hiatus from 5:15 to 6:30, during which time the venue was closed. Everyone, including people who had bought full-day tickets, had to leave, then wait in line to re-enter the building. The Festival was held at the Players Club, a historic mansion on East 20th Street facing Gramercy Park, and is run by Patrick Soluri’s Prohibition Productions. Patrick is a drummer who attended last year’s Camp. He produces a number of jazz and swing events throughout the year at various venues, mostly in Manhattan. The festival occupies three rooms at the Club: the ballroom and Kinstler Room on the first floor, and the library on the second floor. The ballroom accommodates the largest crowd and has a dance floor, which saw much use during most sets. The solo pianists played in the Kinstler room, which had ample space for the number of patrons who attended. Unfortunately, at times the sound from the larger ensembles in the ballroom filtered into Kinstler, detracting from the experience. There is one room between the two, where a bar and the merchandise sales table were set up. That also contributed to the noise interference. This issue also occurred in previous Hot Jazz Festivals that were held at the Players Club