Been to Long Island City lately? While many of us are aware that Long Island City is home to a number of world-class cultural organizations (such as MoMA PS1, the Chocolate Factory, LaGuardia Performing Arts Center and Socrates Sculpture Park), some of us might not be aware of the smaller arts organizations that also call Long Island City home.  We met with one such group last week – the wonderful folks from The Long Island City Jazz Alliance (LICJA).

We made the short trek across the East River to chat with LICJA founders Amanda Monaco, Teri and Mark Wade over coffee. (By the way, they suggested we meet at a delightful place, The Sage General Store. Highly recommended.) They gave us the lowdown on the local arts scene, and how they formed LICJA to establish a local jazz presence and see it thrive in the neighborhood. We got a sense of what makes Long Island City both special and challenging to live and work in as an artist – with its eclectic mix of new and old in every sense.

We admire LICJA for its long-standing dedication to the community and investment in local musicians. We hope you can check them out at their weekly jam sessions, Monday evenings at Domaine Wine Bar (another excellent meeting place). Be sure to say hi to Amanda, Mark and Teri. They are a friendly bunch!

P.S. To get further acquainted with Long Island City, check out The Long Island City Cultural Alliance.