Music En Plein Air with Jesse Lewis and Friends

Immerse yourself in music, art, and nature with an outdoor performance overlooking the Palisades. Guitarist Jesse Lewis and pianist and composer Daniel Kelly create spontaneous compositions of ambient music in response to the seasonal landscape, inspired by Hudson River School paintings, as well as Impressionist Childe Hassam’s Summer Sea, Isles of Shoals. You’re encouraged to engage deeply by sketching, writing, and reflecting on this multisensory, meditative experience.

Capacity is limited. In order to ensure participation, please arrive early in order to be seated. In the event of rain, this program will take place in the Hudson Room. Recommended for ages 18+.

Jesse Lewis is a New York–based guitarist known for ambient music that blends instrumental textures with natural soundscapes, incorporating elements like birdsong and wind into his improvisations. Described by The New York Times as “an articulate ace” and by Stereophile Magazine as “a poet of the steel string,” he is a versatile collaborator across jazz, world music, pop, and electronica. Lewis has performed at premier venues including the Blue Note, Birdland, Carnegie Hall, and major international festivals.

Daniel Kelly, a former HRM Teaching Artist-in-Residence, has been praised by Time Out New York as “powerfully moving.” He has performed with Grammy Award–winning jazz legends Michael Brecker and Joe Lovano, as well as Lauryn Hill and the Bang on a Can All-Stars. Kelly has toured Southeast Asia and India with the Kennedy Center/U.S. State Department Jazz Ambassadors program, and he composes for chamber ensembles, film, and multimedia theater. His socially engaged practice draws on visual art, literature, and personal stories to create interdisciplinary work that uplifts diverse voices.

Support provided by Art Bridges.