Newsday Article Featuring The Jazz Loft
'Swing Into Spring' fest is a 'Dream' come true for jazz fans
The Jazz Loft is celebrating the change of season with its “Swing Into Spring Festival,” which will be held throughout the village of Stony Brook and surrounding areas from Tuesday through Sunday.
“Jazz is the soundtrack of our country,” says The Jazz Loft founder-president Thomas Manuel. “It’s fun to be able to walk around the village and have music everywhere. This is as close as we could get to when there used to be music in every club on 52nd Street.”
Over the course of six days, live jazz will be happening at various locations including The Jazz Loft, local restaurants and even a candy shop.
The Jazz Loft Announces 2nd Annual Douglas Elliman Summer Music Series
The Jazz Loft, the acclaimed museum and music venue that put Stony Brook Village on the map as a destination for Jazz education, performance and preservation, is thrilled to announce the 2022 Douglas Elliman Summer Music Series is back for the second year, featuring world renowned musicians Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, John Pizzarelli and Peter Cincotti. Sponsored by prominent North Shore arts patrons and Douglas Elliman real estate agents Tom Postilio and Mickey Conlon, the series provides a cultural focal point for the upcoming season on Long Island.
“Mark your calendars for all three dates because you won’t want to miss any one of these incredible performances,” said Jazz Loft founder Tom Manuel. “We are beyond thrilled to announce that Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, John Pizzarelli and Peter Cincotti will enliven the stage at The Jazz Loft this summer.”
Long Island artists demand to be recognized
The Long Island Arts Alliance is asking artists, performers and creators to share their stories amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lauren Wagner, executive director of LIAA, said that over the last two years, the group has been asking creatives to share the experiences pre-pandemic and onward in hopes that new legislation will be created to further help the art and culture sector locally.
“The percentage of job losses in the arts is three times worse than other nonprofit organizations,” she said.
LIAA serves as an alliance of and for the region’s not-for-profit arts, cultural and arts education organizations. LIAA promotes awareness of and participation in Long Island’s world-class arts and cultural institutions in both Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Newsday Article
The Jazz Loft's Sixth Annual Harbor Jazz Festival
The Jazz Age
Outdoor live jazz has been a tradition in the village of Stony Brook with the old Dogwood Hollow Amphitheater hosting legends like Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman back in the '50s and '60s. Today, that legacy continues with The Jazz Loft’s 6th annual Harbor Jazz Festival from Sept. 22-25 after last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic.
"It feels good to be doing what we are used to doing," says Tom Manuel, president and founder of The Jazz Loft. "I think people have this newfound appreciation for the music after it was silenced for such a lengthy period."
Newsday Article
Four stages pop up in Stony Brook Village
this summer for weekly event series
President and founder of the The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook, Thomas J. Manuel spoke to Newsday about what visitors can expect at this year's Summer SWAP, a collaborative celebration of music, history and art held in Stony Brook village.

Newsday photographer Thomas Ferrara won first place in the portrait category for the 87th Annual National Headliner Awards for "Jazz Musicians Out Cruisin'" for a photo of Jazz Loft musicians
Newsday photographer Thomas Ferrara won first place in the portrait category for the 87th Annual National Headliner Awards for "Jazz Musicians Out Cruisin'" for a photo of Jazz Loft musicians setting out on their 2020 Pop Up Concerts series. Not a surprise that the flashy convertible and Jazz Musicians caught the eye of the judges.

The Village Times Herald article
on "The Jazz Loft" Gardiner Foundation Gift
Tom Manuel, founder of The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook, is always grateful when someone comes along and offers a helping hand, but during the pandemic, his gratitude is overflowing.
Before New York State’s mandatory shutdowns, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation awarded The Jazz Loft a grant in the amount of $40,000 to match funds coming from local resident and patron Dan Oliveri.