Jazz for Jennings Benefit to Be Held on June 26

On June 26, the Watermill Center will be hosting the Jazz for Jennings brunch and outdoor concert.

The annual concert began in 1996, initially held at the house of ABC news anchor Peter Jennings and his wife, television and documentary producer Kayce Jennings, acting as a benefit for the Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center (BHCCRC).

Following Jennings’s death in 2005, the annual concert ended, returning just last year after a long hiatus, honoring Jennings and his devotion to the BHCCRC.

“The Center never had another angel,” BHCCRC community adviser Debra McEneaney says, regarding the loss of Jennings. The concert last year marked the return to the annual event, which not only collects established musicians for a day-long event of music, but helps provide for the Center’s programs and expansion into other outlets and activities for the children.

The BHCCRC has been a touchstone for countless individuals and families on the East End, offering programs to children and acting as a center for the community. Recently the Center launched a music program at the Watermill Center, with a series of classes taught by composer and trumpeter Jon Faddis. The Center has also formed partnerships with Parrish Art Museum and Topping Rose House, among other local establishments, that provide special events for the children.

“Jazz for Jennings will help to expand these programs,” explains McEneaney on the extensive and diverse list of programs that the Center offers to the children, which can all be viewed on the Center’s website.

The lineup for this year’s concert has yet to be released, but there’s no doubt it will be a fine collection of distinguished artists. Last year’s show featured performances by Faddis, Christian McBride, Eric Reed and Delfeayo Marsalis. Be sure to keep an eye open for this year’s lineup, which will be released in the weeks to come.

The Watermill Center is located at 39 Water Mill Towd Road, Water Mill. Tickets to Jazz for Jennings can be purchased at bhccrc.org.