Bettye LaVette, August 2012

Mad. Sq. Music is the Conservancy’s outdoor concert series and one of the best ways to enjoy free world class performances in New York City. For information about the series please contact us at (212) 325-2101.

Mad. Sq. Music: The Oval Lawn Series runs on Wednesday evenings from June 19 through August 7 and presents nationally touring acts. Check below and our calendar for our full lineup! For more details see the 2013 press release.

Mad. Sq. Music: Oval Lawn Series is presented by Kew Management, Zwicker Electric Co.,Inc., NYC Culture, NYSCA, radio partner WFUV 90.7FM, Fatty Cue, Time Out New York, ACE Hotel New York, Motion Laboratories and Benvenuto Cafe.

Mad. Sq. Music is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. Mad. Sq. Music is also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

Mad. Sq. Music: The Studio Series is devoted to folk, blues and Americana and pairs established and upcoming artists each fall during our intimate Saturday afternoon shows. Check back in August 2013 for our Studio Series lineup.

PAST EVENTS FROM 2011

Jun 22, 2011 – 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Tonight: Tift Merritt!

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

PLEASE NOTE: Tonight’s concert will take place at the southern end of the Park, on the gravel area south of the fountain. Tift Merritt, along with her longtime band, kicks off the 2011 Mad. Sq. Music: Oval Lawn Series with her beautiful vocals and moving songwriting. Her first record landed on the top ten lists… Read more

Jun 29, 2011 – 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Dale Ann Bradley, The Steel Wheels

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

Dale Ann Bradley was the 2007, 2008, and 2009 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year. She has been hailed by Alison Krauss as one of the greatest vocalists in country and bluegrass music. Her voice is “shimmering” (The Washington Post), “angelic” (Billboard), and “exceptional” (Bluegrass Unlimited), and her performances fill every venue… Read more

Jul 6, 2011 – 6:00pm - 8:30pm

Lionel Loueke Trio, Edmar Castaneda Trio plus special guest Andrea Tierra

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

Originally from the West African nation of Benin, guitarist Lionel Loueke has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past several years. He was picked as top Rising Star guitarist in Down Beat magazine’s annual Critics Poll in 2008 and 2009. Loueke met bassist Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth at Berklee College of Music. Together… Read more

Jul 13, 2011 – 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Christian McBride & Inside Straight

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

Bassist extraordinaire, composer, and educator, Christian McBride has been one of the most important and omnipresent figures in the jazz world for 20 years. He has played with and arranged for Isaac Hayes, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, and the one and only Godfather of Soul himself, James Brown. Named “Hot Jazz Artist” of 1992 by… Read more

Jul 20, 2011 – 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Mad. Sq. Music: Red Horse with Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

Red Horse is the debut album from folk’s newest supergroup featuring Eliza Gilkyson, John Gorka, and Lucy Kaplansky. Together these three veteran songwriters team up to cover each other’s songs and breathe new life into old favorites. Awash in gorgeous harmonies and simple acoustic production, this album is sure to be an instant folk classic… Read more

Jul 27, 2011 – 7:00pm - 8:30pm

David Wax Museum

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

Recently anointed as Boston’s Americana Artist of the Year, David Wax Museum has been called “one of Boston’s hottest new bands” (Boston Globe). It is no surprise that their acclaimed performance at the 2010 Newport Folk Festival was hailed as one of NPR’s All Songs Considered Highlights of the entire weekend. The Museum fuses traditional… Read more

Aug 10, 2011 – 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Oval Lawn Series: Davell Crawford

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

The critically acclaimed “Prince of New Orleans,” Davell Crawford is a major force in American Roots music. Grandson to 1950s R&B star James Crawford and godson of Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, Crawford developed his diverse musical talents at an early age and has become one of the most exciting live performers to come out of… Read more

Jun 30, 2011

Bluegrass and BBQ Night with Dale Ann Bradley and The Steel Wheels

Barbecue, Bluegrass, Dale Ann Bradley, Music, Oval Lawn, Photos, The Steel Wheels, Video

What better way to kick off the Independence Day weekend than with a night of traditional American music and traditional American grub? Madison Square Park’s annual Bluegrass and BBQ night featured the harmonic stylings of acclaimed bluegrass songstress, Dale Ann Bradley, and break-out Americana band, The Steel Wheels – all accompanied by finger-lickin’ eats from… Read more

Aug 3, 2011 – 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Pedrito Martinez Group

Bluegrass, Concert, Folk, Jazz, Music, Oval Lawn, Soul

**Today’s concert will be at our rain location in the southern end of the park** Pedrito Martinez is a world-class conga player, singer, and bandleader. Originally from Cuba, Pedrito has settled in New York City and performed with dozens of top acts such as Paquito D’Rivera, Taj Mahal, John Scofield and more, and has been… Read more

Oct 1, 2011 – 3:00pm - 5:00pm

JOHN HAMMOND • SUZIE VINNICK

Americana, Blues, Concert, Folk, Kids, Music

MAD. SQ. MUSIC: STUDIO SERIES John Hammond Grammy winner and Blues Hall of Fame inductee John Hammond has a career that spans more than three decades. He was on the scene at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid-’60s. “John’s sound is so compelling, complete, symmetrical and soulful with just his voice,… Read more