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Release Date: May 25, 2004

POPULAR "JAZZ IN THE GARDEN" RETURNS FOR FOURTH YEAR
IN NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART SCULPTURE GARDEN
EVERY FRIDAY, 5 - 8 P.M., JUNE 4-SEPTEMBER 3, 2004

Origem performing Brazilian Jazz. Photo by Dean Beasom, © National Gallery of Art.
(Click here to order this image)

Washington, DC - An eclectic mix of jazz from swing and blues harmonica to Brazilian can be heard in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden every Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., June 4 through September 3. Top local and regional artists perform in front of the Pavilion Café, next to the grand fountain and reflecting pool. Visitors can enjoy cool jazz during warm summer evenings while enjoying a snack and beverage inside or outside.

Visit www.nga.gov/programs/jazz.htm for up-to-date information on the Jazz in the Garden concerts series. The schedule for this season is:

June 4
Dave Kline, Latin jazz

June 11
Jerry Gordon, jazz guitar

June 18
Latin Jazz All-Stars , Latin jazz

June 25
Bruce Ewan, blues harmonica

July 2
Federal Jazz Commission, classic jazz

July 9
The Grandsons, roots and swing

July 16
Perry Conticchio Quartet, jazz saxophone

July 23
Thad Wilson Quintet, jazz trumpet and flugelhorn

July 30
Baile del Mundo, Brazilian and Cuban jazz

Aug. 6
Nicki Gonzalez Band, jazzy pop

Aug.13
Gypsy Strings, world music

Aug. 20
Raggs & the All Stars, big band swing

Aug. 27
Trio Balanca, Brazilian and jazz classics

Sept. 3
Joshua Bayer Quartet, jazz guitar

Situated at a preeminent location on the National Mall, the 6.1-acre Sculpture Garden is planted with perennials, ground covers, shrubs, and flowering trees, and provides a distinctive setting for 17 major works of 20th-century sculpture by internationally renowned artists. The sculptures range in size from a few feet to nearly 20 feet high and are constructed of a variety of materials from bronze to concrete block. For detailed information about the Sculpture Garden, visit www.nga.gov/exhibitions/sculptureinfo.htm.

The hours of the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden from Memorial Day through Labor Day are Monday through Thursday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Pavilion Café stays open until 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and until 6:00 p.m. the rest of the week.

Admission to the Sculpture Garden and jazz performances is free of charge. The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is located at Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW, on the National Mall, in the block adjacent to the West Building of the Gallery. The nearest Metro stations are Archives/Navy Memorial (Green/Yellow lines), Smithsonian (Blue/Orange lines), and Judiciary Square (Red line).

The Friday night jazz series is sponsored by Guest Services, Inc., and the National Gallery of Art. The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was given to the nation by The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation.

For specific information about the Pavilion Café Jazz in the Garden concerts, call (202) 289-3360.

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