574 views · 09/05/11 · Ranjay Mitra

This album is a continuation of the New York City Street Musicians & Street Artists project that documents various street musicians & street artists and performers from New York City. This is a collection of NYC Street Musicians & NYC Street Artists from Central Park, Subways and generally various places in the city.

The New York City Street Musicians & Street Artists is an ongoing photography project to photograph and document the street musicians of NYC as accurately as possible. I owe thanks for the musicians and artists who I have photographed and who had been kind and patient enough to help me through this photo project.

These photos are done on locations with professional Nikon Photography equipments. The photos displayed here are intentionally kept with to a very low resolution. If you need the original high resolution files for large prints, please connect with me for details.

Click on the individual New York City Street Musicians & Street Artists image to enlarge.

Please note the New York City Street Musicians & Street Artists album is a multi page gallery. The page links are at the end of each gallery.

Yannyck Chaka (Chaka Chocolate) & Matinga Playing African Music on Djembe in Central Park, NYC – Yannyck Chaka, popularly known as Chaka Chocolate, was born in Congo, Africa while Matinga comes from Tanzania. They are both influenced by Jungle Music & that is what they play on their Djembe most of the time.

Yannyck Chaka is now a New York City resident & formed the central park drumming circle in 1997. The circle has over 15 members now & their members have been increasing every year. Their music genre lies mostly around African pop music, African tribal & war music, Reggae, Hip Hop, African Samba, Rock, Rumba, Soca , Soukouss, & belly dances.

Yannyck Chaka Jungle Boy Chaka Chocolate African Drummers Djembe Musicians Central Park New York CityYannyck Chaka Jungle Boy Chaka Chocolate African Drummers Djembe Musicians Central Park New York CityYannyck Chaka Jungle Boy Chaka Chocolate African Drummers Djembe Musicians Central Park New York CityYannyck Chaka Jungle Boy Chaka Chocolate African Drummers Djembe Musicians Central Park New York CityYannyck Chaka Jungle Boy Chaka Chocolate African Drummers Djembe Musicians Central Park New York CityYannyck Chaka Jungle Boy Chaka Chocolate African Drummers Djembe Musicians Central Park New York City

Art Bennett Playing Saxophone in Central Park, NYC – Art Bennett is in his mid 50s now & plays his saxophone & Jazz music regularly now a days in various parts of New York City & frequently in the Central Park.

He is retired now & plays the saxophone full time, often teaching & playing for the church. He had to stop music for 20 years to look after his family. Now that his children are all grown up and left the house, he could get back to his first love – saxophone.

Art Bennett Saxophone Piano Jazz Player Central Park New York City MusicianArt Bennett Saxophone Piano Jazz Player Central Park New York City MusicianArt Bennett Saxophone Piano Jazz Player Central Park New York City MusicianArt Bennett Saxophone Piano Jazz Player Central Park New York City MusicianArt Bennett Saxophone Piano Jazz Player Central Park New York City MusicianArt Bennett Saxophone Piano Jazz Player Central Park New York City Musician

Susan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park, NYC – Susan is a seasoned violinist, with over 35 years of experience playing the violin in various places across the world. She grew up in a family of musicians – her father played the cello, her mother played the piano and her sister is an opera singer. So it was only a matter of time before Susan Keller found her love of the violin.

She graduated in music from the Indiana University & spent a lot of time in the European countries with her Turkish husband, absorbing the melodies of Bach, Pachelbel and the others. Every summer weekend she now plays her violin in Central Park, New York City, near the statue of Christopher Columbus.

Susan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park New York City MusiciansSusan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park New York City MusiciansSusan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park New York City MusiciansSusan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park New York City MusiciansSusan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park New York City MusiciansSusan Keser Playing Violin in Central Park New York City Musicians

Ralph U Williams playing the Saxophone & Jazz in Central Park, New York City – Ralph U Williams, now in his late forties, has been playing the saxophone & flutes since his school days. He moved from Florida to San Francisco, playing in various streets & party halls in San Francisco.

Ralph U Williams has been playing in New York City since 1994. He was playing the “One and Only Love” when I met him at the Poet’s Walk in Central Park. Apart from the Saxophones, he also plays the flute & has played the Clarinet only when he was with the Navy music corps.

Ralph U Williams Saxophones Flute Player Central Park New York City MusicianRalph U Williams Saxophones Flute Player Central Park New York City MusicianRalph U Williams Saxophones Flute Player Central Park New York City MusicianRalph U Williams Saxophones Flute Player Central Park New York City MusicianRalph U Williams Saxophones Flute Player Central Park New York City MusicianRalph U Williams Saxophones Flute Player Central Park New York City Musician

Tarun Krishna Das & Danny of Elementary Penguins Playing in Central Park, NYC – Tarun Krishna Das, Danny Cohen & Steve from the Elementary Penguins, play music in Central Park regularly on weekends to play a variety of music from the 70s & the 80s. While Tarun Krishna Das plays the harmonium and the clarinet, Danny & Steve plays the guitar along with rendering vocals.

They play a medley of songs from the Beatles, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams and the Flamingos. Tarun has been playing in New York City since 2001 while Danny joined him from around 2008. Most of the time they would play in Central Park but they have also played in various other streets of New York City & the NYC Subways.

Elementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYCElementary Penguins Tarun Krishna Das Danny Cohen Steve Playing Music in Central Park NYC

Gabbano Miguel Viola Playing the Djembe in Central Park, NYC – Gabbano Miguel Viola is an experienced Latin rock star, song writer and a composer of Latin music. Although the Djembe is not his first choice of instruments, he is extremely good at it.

Gabbano Miguel Viola is a master piano player and a singer of Spanish pop music. He lives in New York City and on weekends he joins the group of African musicians & drummers in Central Park for a relaxing & social exercise.

NYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano ViolaNYC Central Park Piano Djembe Player Gabbano Viola

Austin Becker Playing the Saxophone in Central Park, NYC – Austin, a 25 year old saxophone player from upstate New York, has been playing music every summer in Central Park & other parts of New York City for the last 3 years.

Austin Becker grew up in upstate New York & has been studying jazz music & saxophone in Manhattan School of Music, NYC. When he gets the time & some company, he would play in Central Park, NYC. When I met Austin, he was playing with Brian Vinson on the bass & Tetsutarou Yasui on the percussion.

New York City Central Park Jazz Saxophone Player Austin BeckerNew York City Central Park Jazz Saxophone Player Austin BeckerNew York City Central Park Jazz Saxophone Player Austin BeckerNew York City Central Park Jazz Saxophone Player Austin BeckerNew York City Central Park Jazz Saxophone Player Austin BeckerNew York City Central Park Jazz Saxophone Player Austin Becker

Kevie Collins Playing the guitar in Central Park, NYC – Kevie Collins was visiting New York with her family from Nashville, Tennessee when I met her playing her guitar & singing her own lyrics in Central Park, NYC.

Kevie Collins, now in her mid thirties, has been playing the guitar since she was 16 years old. Now she is a full time musician in Nashville & writes her own lyrics for gigs.

New York City Central Park Guitar Player Kevie CollinsNew York City Central Park Guitar Player Kevie CollinsNew York City Central Park Guitar Player Kevie CollinsNew York City Central Park Guitar Player Kevie CollinsNew York City Central Park Guitar Player Kevie CollinsNew York City Central Park Guitar Player Kevie Collins

While Kevie was playing her music in Central Park, her 10 year old rescued friend Manchester, laid at her feet, giving her company & possibly enjoying the music as much as the other people on Poet’s Walk.

Emma Playing the Fiddle in Central Park, NYC – Emma was traveling from Boston with her parents and her little sister Aby when she took the time to play her violin in Central Park, New York City.

I met Emma & her family when she was just finishing up one of her short performances on the Poet’s Walk and picking up the congratulations from the bystanders. At 5 years old, Emma could play the allegro, minuet, lightly row & waltz on her fiddle.

Central Park New York City Fiddle Player Emma ConleyCentral Park New York City Fiddle Player Emma ConleyCentral Park New York City Fiddle Player Emma ConleyCentral Park New York City Fiddle Player Emma ConleyCentral Park New York City Fiddle Player Emma ConleyCentral Park New York City Fiddle Player Emma Conley

These photos of Emma & Aby were taken at New York City with the permission of her parents (who are also appearing on a few of these photos).

Singer & Guitar player Daniel Keddo & Kofi in Central Park, New York City – Daniel Keddo & his cousin Kofi Mensah are originally from Michigan & were visiting their uncle in New Jersey in an attempt to try out the street musician life in New York City.

Daniele is 24 now & he has been playing the piano, bass, drums & guitar since he was 7 years old, accompanying his father who used to be a pastor in Ghana. When I met Daniel, he had just arrived in New York & wanted to stay a couple of days & see if he could work out a life as a musician in Central Park.

New York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central Park

New York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central ParkNew York City Musician Daniel Kedo Central Park

 

The Complete Project documenting the New York City Street Musicians & Artists are available on the following links:

8 Responses

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