Overlook Concert: Manhattan School of Music Jazz Ensemble in Riverside Park event image
116th Street Overlook, Riverside Park, Morningside Heights, Manhattan

Overlook Concert: Manhattan School of Music Jazz Ensemble in Riverside Park

Student jazz players from the Manhattan School of Music fill Riverside Park's 116th Street overlook with sound above the Hudson.

Wikimedia Commons image; Public domain; attribution: Bieretz, Renee, creator; source page: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Riverside_Park_Overlook_and_Promenade_over_railroad_at_West_116th_Street_from_Greenway,_looking_southeast._Note_Cobra_light_on_left,_Riverside_Park_lampposts_in_front_of_arcades._-_HAER_NY-334-26.tif

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A jazz ensemble from the Manhattan School of Music sets up at Riverside Park's 116th Street Overlook, playing traditional and contemporary tunes that carry out over the Hudson. It's part of Riverside Park Conservancy's fall Overlook Concert series, which runs three Sundays with brass and blues bookending this date. If you want an easy, free fall afternoon of live jazz near Columbia, this is it.

What to expect

Expect a small, informal crowd on benches and the stone overlook, with dog walkers and joggers pausing to listen. Sets last about an hour and a half, and the fall trees and river views make it a relaxed backdrop.

Good to know

  • Enter Riverside Park at 116th Street and Riverside Drive; the 1 to 116th Street–Columbia University is a short walk.
  • Seating is limited to benches and ledges, so bring a blanket or a small folding stool.
  • Performances are outdoors and weather dependent.
  • The overlook is a good stop before or after a walk along the Hudson River Greenway.
  • Well suited to families and older adults looking for a mellow outing.

Going? Keep it.

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Common questions

Is the Riverside Park Overlook Concert free?

Yes. NYC Parks lists it as a free Riverside Park Conservancy concert.

Who performs on October 11?

A jazz ensemble of student musicians from the Manhattan School of Music.

Are there other concerts in the series?

Yes. Brownstone Brass plays Oct 4 and French Cookin' Blues plays Oct 18, 2026.