Contact: Colleen Roche (212) 788-2958 or Jack Deacy
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani joined Harlem business and community leaders at Gracie Mansion to celebrate the kickoff of Harlem Week 98, which is being expanded to feature the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival this Summer. The Mayor also helped present "Milestone" awards to 10 individuals, companies and institutions being honored by the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the sponsor of Harlem Week 98.
"It is a great honor to announce plans for Harlem Week 98 and the fantastic new addition to it -- the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival," Mayor Giuliani said. "It is fitting that Harlem Week is expanding, because the Harlem of today is cleaner, safer and more prosperous than it has been in decades. And with this dramatic increase in the quality of life has come a new sense of pride and community. I look forward to the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival becoming a vibrant annual event to challenge the already established jazz festivals in New Orleans and Chicago."
This year Harlem Week 98 runs from July 30th through August 19th. The Harlem Jazz & Music Festival begins July 22 with a free outdoor concert at City Hall and concludes on August 22nd. Joining the Mayor at the reception were Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington, New York City Sheriff Tereas Mason, Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce President Lloyd Williams and Jazz percussionist Max Roach, Co-Chair of the Harlem Jazz & Music Festival. There were musical numbers performed by R&B stars Ray, Goodman & Brown.
Among those honored at the reception were Jazz legend Lionel Hampton, the King of Latin Music Tito Puente, renowned Calypso artist Robert "Lord" Nelson, original Motown member of the Supremes, Mary Wilson, flautist and songwriter Bobbi Humphrey, Jazz singer Phoebe Snow, M&T Bank Chair and CEO Atwood Collins III and publicist Terrie Williams. Also honored were the Museum of the City of New York and the National Black Theater, which is celebrating its 30th Anniversary.