All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival

After three days of jazz events throughout the city, the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival brought it home on Sunday to Tompkins Square Park, across the street from the legendary Bird’s Avenue B residence.

About 4,000 music fans packed the park on a perfect day to enjoy some solid, uplifting (and free) music from up-and-comers to genuine legends.

WBGO, the long-running jazz station in Newark (and one of the sponsors), lent their DJ Brian Delp to emcee the proceedings. Delp made a point to have a moment of silence for the recently departed master jazz guitarist Russell Malone, to whom he dedicated the entire festival.

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 2 — The very talented Alexis Lombre opened the show.Photo by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 3 — 25 year-old Ekep Nkwelle, with Russell Hall, gave a rousing and memorable performancePhoto by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 4 — Superblue, the combo featuring Kurt Elling on vocals and Charlie Hunter on guitar, was augmented by the Huntertones Horns -Chris Ott (trombone), Dan White (saxophone), Kenyatta Beasley (trumpet). Not pictured- Julius Rodriguez (keys), Marcus Finnie (drums)Photo by Bob Krasner

Alexis Lombre opened the show with her fine vocals and keyboard skills on display. Ekep Nkwelle upped the ante with a voice that, supported by some excellent players, sent chills up one’s spine and left no doubt that the 25-year-old has a major career ahead of her.

Erika Elliott, executive artistic director of City Parks Foundation, remarked, “The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is one of my absolute favorite things we produce because it brings together the highest quality elder statesmen and masters. And the next generation of performers and the audience is just as multigenerational as what you see on the stage!”

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 5 — About 4.000 people packed Tompkins Square Park for the 32 Charlie Parker Jazz FestivalPhoto by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 6 — Photo by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 7 — Photo by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 8 — Photo by Bob Krasner

Louis Hayes, the 87-year-old drummer who has played with the likes of John Coltrane, Kenny Burrell, McCoy Tyner, Hank Mobley, Cecil Taylor, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver, and Cannonball Adderley (and that’s a partial list), presented a solid set of instrumentals that felt like a set you’d hear in a classic nightclub.

By the time Superblue took the stage, the crowd was ready for anything, and they got a little bit of everything.

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 9 — Pascal Marinier selling his designs under his Sigi’Nommo linePhoto by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 10 — “It was just so beautiful,” said 25 year old Green.Photo by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 11 — Photo by Bob Krasner

All that jazz: Thousands swing at Tompkins Square Park to smooth sounds of Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 12 — Photo by Bob Krasner

Led by vocalist Kurt Elling (who can sing just about anything) and guitarist Charlie Hunter (who also played the bass lines), the group mixed straightforward jazz with funk, hipster patter, vocalese, a drum/voice battle, some bebop, and a lot of soul. They blended it all together to become more than the sum of its parts.

For 25-year-old music fan Green, who we found dancing near the stage, the Superblue set was the day’s favorite.

“It was just so beautiful to be in that open energy,” she told us when it was all over. “I feel like sometimes there’s pain in New York, but it was great to see the joy.”