Eric Puente Jazz Quartet to perform “Jazz: Made in America” at the Hen Hud Library

By Dave Mueller

January 24, 2024

The Hendrick Hudson Free Library presents a Coffeehouse Concert series event featuring Eric Puente Jazz Quartet. On Sunday, January 28, from 2:00-4:00 pm the Eric Punete Jazz Quartet will be performing and discussing “The History of Jazz: Made in America” in the Constance Dyckman Community Room of the library.

This event is free and open to the public. Reservation are not required. The Hendrick Hudson Free Library is located at 185 Kings Ferry Rd, Montrose, NY 10548.

The Eric Punete Jazz Quartet entertains audiences with its improvisation, digging into the deep legacy of American Jazz and will be performing modern and classic jazz standards. Joining Eric Puente (drums), will be Rich Williams on the saxophone, Tim Regusis on piano, and Bob Gingery on the bass.

The Eric Puente Jazz Quartet was founded by drummer Eric Puente and saxophonist Rich Williams to honor and perform Jazz music. Jazz is considered to be one of the few art forms that was “born in America”. The music genre originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major form of musical expression in traditional and popular music.

Rich Williams on sax, Rich Paganello on piano, John Goldberg on bass, and Eric Puente on drums

Eric and Rich have been collaborating for years, bringing their combined experience to creatively express new life into the music. Eric Puente has played and recorded with various artists and in various styles, including big-band, bebop/latin jazz, classical orchestra, and blues/rock/pop/folk. Puente has performed on Broadway and toured extensively throughout the US, Canada and UK. Rich Williams has performed with members of Phish, Moe, Twiddle, The Gregg Allman Band, Raq, Floodwood, Maceo Parker and Melvin Sparks. He is currently the Band Director at Mahopac High School.

Locally, the Eric Puente Jazz Quartet has performed in many area establishments throughout the lower Hudson Valley, including here in Peekskill at the Beanrunner Cafe, and on Esther Street which was closed down to car traffic in 2020 and holds community events and concerts throughout the year.

If you would like to have your event publicized and advertised for free, please add your event to the Peekskill Herald Event Calendar. You may even get to become a highlighted featured event of the week. Do you like what you see? Click here to subscribe for free to the Peekskill Herald. Do you really like what you see and want to support local thriving journalism? Click here to donate and become a member of the Peekskill Herald. The Peekskill Herald is a 501c3 charitable organization and all donations are tax-deductible.

About the Contributor

Dave Mueller

As a Peekskill native, Dave is thrilled to be working with the Peekskill Herald showcasing featured calendar events. A 1999 graduate of PHS, he remembers reading and enjoying the original weekly print edition of the Peekskill Herald every Thursday. He especially liked the political stories, local features and sports coverage when it was written by Peekskill Runner columnist Jack Burns who always managed to weave history into the running times. An avid hiker, he enjoys exploring the local trails as well as the concrete ones in his job as a conductor for Metro North Railroad. He’s a former teacher and co-founder of the Friends of the Peekskill Dog Park, where he frequently can be found with his Koda. He’s happy to be part of the Herald’s growth as the source of local news for Peekskill and looks forward to highlighting a few of many of the events and happenings in Peekskill and the surrounding communities. Reach Dave at [email protected]