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The Jazz Loft

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Pixabay photo

The Jazz Loft, located at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook, will be offering an exclusive wine tasting event in the Loft’s Coal Bin, on Thursday, October 12 from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

The tasting, lead by Laura Landor and Tom Manuel, will feature six wines and offerings of gourmet cheeses and hors d’oeuvres that will be prepared with each wine.

The Coal Bin, affectionately refered to as the Jazz Loft’s Speakeasy, transports patrons back in time when special permission was needed to enter such an establishment (HINT: the password is Tom Manuel’s favorite cocktail) and turntables played vintage music using vinyl records on a rare BIG sound system.

The evening is limited to just 12 people, so reserve your spot early. Tickets are $125. For more information and tickets visit thejazzloft.org

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The Jazz Loft. Photo by Heidi Sutton

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook presents big band sounds with the Jazz Loft Big Band on Thursday, October 5 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. with a very special performance highlighting arrangements by composer/arranger Oliver Nelson. The 17-piece big band is under the direction of Jazz Loft founder Thomas Manuel.

Currently, The Jazz Loft has on display the music, instruments and other memorabilia from Oliver Nelson. In 2022 The Jazz Loft presented several performances of Nelson’s The Kennedy Dream: A Musical Tribute to John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

In existence since 1997, The Jazz Loft’s Big Band is the Loft’s main ensemble and throughout the year presents many large-scale projects, including the Nutcracker Suite, the Sinatra shows and more. The Jazz Loft Big Band also serves as the Jazz Loft’s “musical ambassador” performing throughout Long Island and beyond.

The band features five saxophones; four trombones; four trumpets; piano; bass; drums and a guitar. (We told you it was BIG) and throughout the years many renowned Jazz musicians have called the band home, including Teddy Charles, Chuck Genduso, Jack Carman, Frank Vaccaro, Percy Brice, Lloyd Trotman, Chasey Dean, Sonny Dallas, Marilyn Maye, The Four Freshman, Ken Peplowski, Warren Vache, Lauren Kinhan, Houston Person, Nicole Zuraitis, Pete Caldera and Danny Bacher.

This the first concert in The Jazz Loft’s new Lloyd Trotman Bass Series celebrating the history and place in the history of Jazz that the bass holds. The Lloyd Trotman Archives are at The Jazz Loft and the concert series is made possible through funding from The Lloyd Trotman Estate via his daughter, Linda Trotman, The Robert Lion David Gardiner Foundation, Dan Oliveri, and others.

Tickets for the Jazz Loft Big Band Oliver Nelson Project are $30, $25, $20, $15. For more information, call 631-751-1895 or visit www.thejazzloft.org.

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Grammy-award nominated Nicole Zuraitis will perform with her band on Sept. 22.

The Jazz Loft, located along the charming Stony Brook waterfront and nearby historic village, presents the 8th Harbor Jazz Festival 2023 from Wednesday, Sept. 20 to Saturday, Sept. 23.

The four celebratory days of Jazz will feature internationally-known acts, including the Nicole Zuraitis Quintet, Warren Vache Ensemble, Sam Dillon/Andrew Gould Quintet, the Mingus Big Band, Hye Seon Hong Jazz Orchestra, and Tom Manuel and the Jazz Loft Big Band with vocalist Pete Caldera. 

Much of the festival will take place outdoors on two stages overlooking Stony Brook Harbor, as well inside the Jazz Loft at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook. This year’s festival also features two new gallery exhibits inside The Jazz Loft: A photography exhibit by Ildi Tillmann and paintings by Ukranian artist Oxana Uryasev.

“The year’s 8th annual Harbor Jazz Festival line-up promises to deliver an extraordinary experience and unique opportunity to hear performances from some of the finest Jazz artists in the world,” said Tom Manuel, President and Founder of The Jazz Loft. “Many of the acts booked for this year’s festival perform at some of New York’s top venues and clubs. It’s amazing for our Long Island community that this years’ festival brings them all right here in our own backyard.” 

This year, outdoor concerts on Saturday, Sept. 23, will take place throughout the day on two stages: one on the Jazz Loft’s front lawn, and the second location across the street on the Stony Brook Village Green. All concerts on Saturday are FREE to the public! Just bring a lawn chair or blanket. (In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will take place inside The Jazz Loft.)

Shows for Sept. 20, 21 and 22 are ticketed events. For a full schedule, visit www.thejazzloft.org. For more information, call 631-751-1895.

The full schedule for the Harbor Jazz Festival:

Sept. 20 (Wednesday) 7 p.m.

Opening Reception & Jam Session with the Keenan Zach Trio

All tickets $10

Sept. 21 (Thursday) 7-9:30 p.m.

The Bad Little Big Band, featuring guest artist Ken Peplowski on clarinet

The 12-member Bad Little Big Band led by pianist Rich Iacona and vocalist Madeline Kole accompanies the band.

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child, children under 5 free.

Sept. 22 (Friday) 7-9:30 p.m.

The Nicole Zuraitis Quintet

Grammy-award nominated Nicole Zuraitis 

Tickets $30, $25, $20

Sept. 23 (Saturday) – All Saturday shows are OUTDOORS and FREE! In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will take place inside The Jazz Loft.

Village Green Stage:

1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Hye Seon Hong Jazz Orchestra

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Mingus Big Band

7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Tom Manuel and The Jazz Loft Big Band, featuring Pete Caldera

Jazz Loft Lawn Stage:

3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Warren Vache Ensemble with Warren Vache on cornet; Earl Sauls on bass and Eddie Montero on accordion.

6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Sam Dillon and Andrew Gould Quintet

All Saturday Events on the Stony Brook Village Green and are FREE to the general public.

This article originally appeared in TBR News Media’s Harvest Times supplement on Sept. 14.

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Several pieces from the famous Blue Guitar Collection, once on display in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, will be part of the Jazz Loft’s annual John Monteleone: Art of the Guitar Festival

These stunning historic and iconic guitars were once on display at the Smithsonian!

Several pieces from the famous Blue Guitar Collection, once on display in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, will be part of the Jazz Loft’s annual John Monteleone: Art of the Guitar Festival, August 11-12, at the Jazz Loft in Stony Brook. In addition to the blue guitars, the festival will also include an exhibit of iconic and historic guitars, including James D’Aquisto Excel, a Monteleone Mirabella Carmela and a Monteleone Radio City Deluxe.

The vision of a Blue Guitar Collection came from vintage guitar collector, the late Scott Chinery, a major figure in the vintage guitarworld. A lover of the arch top guitar, Chinery said he “often thought that it would be neat… to get all the greatest builders together and have them interpret the same guitar, an 18-inch archtop, in the same color blue.”

The result went beyond anything the various luthiers had ever done.

“We ended up with a collection of the greatest archtop guitars ever made,” Chinery said.

The Blue Guitar Collection was displayed at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History from 1997 through 1998. The Blue D’Aquisto Centura Deluxe, the Benedetto La Cremona Azzurra and the Monteleone Rocket Convertible were featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the museum’s “Guitar Heroes” exhibit in 2011. After Chinery’s passing in 2000, the guitars have remained with the Chinery family and in 2021 were passed along to The Archtop Foundation.The Foundation’s goal is to share the collection with everyone.

Numerous samples from the collection will be available to professional musicians looking to record on–or just experience– these wonderful instruments, as part of the guitar festival at the Jaz Loft. Renowned guitar craftsman John Monteleone, will feature two days and nights of demonstrations, exhibits, workshops and performances by Dario Napoli, John Jorgenson, Frank Vignola, Vinny Raniolo and Steve Salerno.

Other iconic guitars on display will include John Monteleone’s Grand Central Station; a trio of blonde D’Angelico New Yorkers, including George Benson’s; James D’Aquisto, Bucky Pizzarelli’s D’Angelico and his very first guitar; a restored Epiphone Deluxe by way of master luthier Cris Mirabella, and a collection of Cris’s own creations including, ‘Carmela.’

The Jazz Loft is located at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook. Tickets for the guitar festival can be purchased here: https://www.thejazzloft.org/tickets

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Melanie Marod

The Jazz Loft, in partnership with Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine continues its 2023 Summer Stage With A Purpose (Summer SWAP), an outdoor concert series of Thursday evenings throughout the summer, with a performance by vocalist Melanie Marod on Thursday Aug. 10 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Marod has performed at Birdland, The Blue Note, The Oak Room at The Plaza Hotel, and the Carlton. The band includes Michael O’Brien on bass; Paul Francis on drums; John Simon on sax and flute’ and Pete Smith on guitar.

The free event will be held on the front lawn of the Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook and is a wonderful way to experience all that Stony Brook village and our community businesses have to offer.

“This series was born from the desire to have the Jazz Loft collaborate with Stony Brook University, and Stony Brook Medicine as a way to invest in the community and especially to nurture cultural development,” said Jazz Loft founder Tom Manuel.

“We are so proud that Thomas Manuel, a member of our university community, has established the Jazz Loft, which celebrates the history and performance of jazz,” said Judith Greiman, Chief Deputy to the President/Senior Vice President for Government and Community Relations. “We welcomed the opportunity to sponsor these shows, enabling our broader community to come together to enjoy extraordinary musical talent.”

The Jazz Loft will be offering a variety of refreshments for sale in the Basie Garden which is adjacent to the Jazz Loft. Attendees are welcome to bring their own chairs and blankets to set up on the lawn.

The series continues with a performance by The Phoenix Big Band on Aug. 24.

For more information contact the Jazz Loft at: 631-751-1895 or visit https://www.thejazzloft.org

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The Jazz Loft. Photo by Heidi Sutton

Located at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook, The Jazz Loft offers a month of great music in August:

Wednesday, August 2, at 1p.m.

Young at Heart: Bobby Darin

Tom Manuel and the Jazz Loft Trio will be playing tunes honoring Bobby Darin for this month’s Young at Heart. Young at Heart is a monthly themed afternoon jazz concert series to help seniors enjoy and remember familiar tunes.

Tickets: $10

Wednesday, August 2

Jam Session at 7 p.m.

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach and Jazz musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage with fellow jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, August 3

Jazz Loft Big Band: Stomping at the Savoy

Stomping at the Savoy is a 17-piece big band directed by Tom Manuel, the band will be using a trumpet to celebrate the Lindy Hop Swing Craze of the 1940’s

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

Wednesday, August 9 

Jam Session at 7 p.m.           

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

 

Thursday, August 10 at 6 p.m.

Summer SWAP: Melanie Marod (vox) Ensemble

The Jazz Loft will be holding four outdoor Summer Swap concerts on the Jazz Loft front lawn throughout the summer. This show will feature the Equity Brass Band and is FREE!

The Summer Swap series is sponsored by Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine.

FREE on the Jazz Loft lawn

Friday, August 11 at 6 p.m.

Monteleone: The Art of Guitar: Opening Reception

John Monteleone is one of the world’s greatest guitar builders. John Monteleone, guitarist Steve Salerno, and guitarist Anthony Wilson play and discuss guitars in the collection.

FREE

 

Friday, August 11 at 7 p.m.

Art of the Guitar: John Jorgenson Quintet           

The John Jorgenson Quintet is an American gypsy jazz band led by guitarist John Jorgenson. The John Jorgenson Quintet will be performing at the festival!

Tickets: $40 General Admission

Saturday, August 12 at 12 p.m.

Art of the Guitar: Guitar Workshop John Monteleone and Steve Salerno

John Monteleone and Steve Salerno will be holding a guitar workshop.

FREE 

 

Saturday, August 12 at 1 p.m.

Art of the Guitar: Steve Salerno Trio

Steve Salerno is an active performer of Jazz and classical music. The Steve Salerno Trio which is led by Steve Salerno will be performing at the Art of the Guitar festival.

Tickets: $35 General Admission

Saturday, August 12 at 4 p.m.

Art of the Guitar: Frank Vignola and Vinny Raniolo      

Frank Vignola is one of the most popular and sought after guitarists on the international music scene. Vinny Raniolo is best known for his accompanying skills and is a very high demand rhythm guitarist.

Tickets: $35 General Admission

Saturday, August 12 at 7 p.m.

Art of the Guitar: The Dario Napoli Trio

Italian guitarist and composer Dario Napoli has built an international reputation in the world of gypsy jazz.  The Dario Napoli Trio, led by Dario Napoli on lead guitar, Tommaso Papini on rhythm guitar, and Tonino De Sensi on bass will be performing.

Tickets: $35 General Admission

Wednesday, August 16 at 7 p.m.

Jam Session   

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow Jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, August 17 at 7 p.m. 

The Bad Little Big Band

The 12 member Bad Little Big Band led by pianist Rich Iacona,and vocalist Madeline Kole accompanies the band. Iacona has added to the band’s repertoire with fresh and new arrangements that are performed at the Jazz Loft.

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

 

Wednesday, August 23 at 7 p.m.

Jam Session

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow Jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, August 24 at 6 p.m.

Summer SWAP

The Jazz Loft will be holding four outdoor Summer Swap concerts on the Jazz Loft front lawn throughout the summer. This show will feature the Equity Brass Band and is FREE!

The Summer Swap series is sponsored by Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine.

FREE on the Jazz Loft lawn

 

Friday, August 25 at 7 p.m.

Nicole Zuraitis Sings the Keely Smith Songbook

Nicole Zuraitis is a Grammy nominated American Jazz vocalist, pianist, songwriter, and arranger. Nicole will be performing with the Jazz Loft big band this month!

Tickets: $35 Adult, $30 Senior, $25 Student, $20 Children

Saturday, August 26 at 7 p.m.

Nicole Zuraitis Sings the Keely Smith Songbook

Nicole Zuraitis is a Grammy nominated American Jazz vocalist, pianist, songwriter, and arranger. Nicole will be performing with the Jazz Loft big band this month!

Tickets: $35 Adult, $30 Senior, $25 Student, $20 Children

Wednesday, August 30 at 7 p.m.

Jam Session

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, August 31 at 7 p.m.

Interplay Jazz Orchestra

The 16-piece Interplay Jazz Orchestra performs original compositions and arrangements written by band members.

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

 

For tickets, visit www.thejazzloft.org. For more information, call 631-751-1895.

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Yvonnick Prené

The Jazz Loft, 275 Christian Ave., Stony Brook welcomes a unique artist and instrument to the performance space on Friday, August 28 at 7 p.m. when Yvonnick Prené, the harmonica ambassador, performs with his quartet. He will take the stage along with Dayna Stephens on tenor sax; Greg Lewis “Organ Monk” on b3 organ; and Aaron Seeber on drums.

Prené has fast become one of the rising stars in the harmonica world. He has performed with top Jazz artists including Kevin Hays, Pasquale Grasso, Bill Stewart, Rich Perry, Jon Cowherd and Peter Bernstein among many others. Prené is an ambassador of Hohner chromatic harmonicas.

Prené was already playing the harmonica at the age of 17, in Parisian club scenes. He later earned a master’s degree in music at the Sorbonne University in Paris, at 22 and while still enrolled, he moved to New York City to receive multiple full-tuition scholarships at the City College of New York, Columbia University and at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.

To hear the harmonica magic, see: https://youtu.be/h4yVf6FYPqI

Visit  https://www.thejazzloft.org/tickets for tickets.

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Photo from The Jazz Loft

Located at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook, The Jazz Loft offers a month of great music in July:

Wednesday, July 5

Young at Heart: Requests! at 1 p.m.

Tom Manuel and the Jazz Loft Trio will take requests from the audience for this month’s Young at Heart. Young at Heart is a monthly themed afternoon jazz concert series to help seniors enjoy and remember familiar tunes.

Tickets: $10

Wednesday, July 5

Jazz 101: Long Island Jazz Legends with Darrell Smith

6 p.m.

Tickets: $15

Wednesday, July 5

Jam Session at 7 p.m.

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow Jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, July 6 at 7 p.m.

Viva Cuba!

17 piece Latin Big Band directed by Tom Manuel celebrating the music of Prez Prado, Xavier Cugat, Machito, Tito Puente and others

Tickets: $40 Adult, $35 Senior, $30 Student, $25 Child

Friday, July 7 at 7 p.m.

Viva Cuba!

17 piece Latin Big Band directed by Tom Manuel celebrating the music of Prez Prado, Xavier Cugat, Machito, Tito Puente and others

Tickets: $40 Adult, $35 Senior, $30 Student, $25 Child

Wednesday, July 12 at 7 p.m.

Jam Session 

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow Jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, July 13 at 6 p.m.

Summer Swap

The Jazz Loft will be holding four outdoor Summer Swap concerts on the Jazz Loft front lawn throughout the summer. This show will feature the Equity Brass Band and is FREE! 

The Summer Swap series is sponsored by Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine.

FREE on the Jazz Loft lawn

Tuesday, July 18 at 7 p.m.

Jazz Loft Bottle Launch Wine Tasting

The Jazz Loft will be offering concert goers the option of purchasing wine by the bottle at performances. To get a taste of the wine list, The Jazz Loft Bottle Launch will give attendees an opportunity to taste the new selection of wines, with wine specialist Paul Yolango of Opici Wines and Laura Landor of the Jazz Loft. The evening includes a tasting of each wine and discussion of the flavor profiles.

Tickets are $25 and $10 for Friends Circle members.

Wednesday, July 19 

Jam Session at 7 p.m.

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow Jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, July 20 at 7 p.m.

The Bad Little Big Band

The 12-member Bad Little Big Band led by pianist Rich Iacona and featuring vocalist Madeline Kole presents fresh and new arrangements.

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

Wednesday, July 26 at 7 p.m.

Jam Session 

Jam Sessions are led by Keenan Zach Jazz and musicians of all ages are invited to play on stage along with fellow Jazz enthusiasts.

Tickets: $10, after 8 p.m. $5

Thursday, July 27 at 7 p.m. 

Interplay Jazz Orchestra

The 16-piece Interplay Jazz Orchestra performs original compositions and arrangements written by band members.

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

Friday, July 28 at 7 p.m.

Yvonick Prene Quartet with Dayna Stephens, tenor saxophone

Yvonick Prene, harmonica, Dayna Sean Stephens, tenor saxophone.

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

Saturday, July 29 at 7 p.m.

Bull Mays Trio

Bill Mays, piano, Dean Johnson, bass, Ron Vincent, drums

Tickets: $30 Adult, $25 Senior, $20 Student, $15 Child

 

For tickets, visit www.thejazzloft.org. For more information, call 631-751-1895.

 

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From left, Joshua Landress of J. Landress Brass and Tom Manuel with the gold-plated cornet recently acquired by The Jazz Loft. Photo courtesy of The Jazz Loft

The Jazz Loft’s Museum contains more than 10,000 pieces of jazz relics, including sheet music, instruments, recordings, artwork and furniture once owned by some of the Jazz greats. The Jazz Loft’s memorabilia come from as close as New York City and as far away as Europe! How does it get to Stony Brook? Look no further than Jazz Loft founder and President Tom Manuel, who is always on the lookout for something fresh and unique that can fit inside a rented van.

Recently, Manuel has been scouring the streets of New York City in search of something with a great story behind it…and he found it at the J. Landress Brass store on 38 West 32nd Street Suite 908 which is owned by Joshua Landress. The latest Jazz Loft acquisition—a 1978 gold-plated King Super 20 cornet that was used by Wild Bill Davison—came all the way from Europe, and serendipitously made its way to New York City. A defining feature of the cornet is that it’s highly engraved and even has Wild Bill Davison’s name on it.

Davison was an American Jazz cornet player who had a career that lasted 70 years. Throughout his career he worked with over hundreds of bands and made more than 20 albums between the years of 1965 and 1975.

Davison was known for his astounding playing and musicianship and always knew how to amuse the audience with his uncanny ability to play while chewing gum, without missing a single note and is best remembered for his association with Eddie Condon, with whom he worked and recorded music with from mid 1940s until Condon’s last concert. One of his most well-known songs was “Blue and Broken Hearted” that he played alongside Condon and Edmond Hall. Davison got to play with bands such as the Ohio Lucky Seven, The All-Star Stompers, George Wettling’s All Stars, and Art Hodes’ Hot Five.

“I am thrilled to be adding this outstanding item to the Jazz Loft’s museum holdings,” Manuel said. “Wild Bill Davison’s gold-plated cornet is not only a beautiful work of art visually, but an instrument that represents one of the early practitioners of Jazz.”

The gold-plated cornet is not only on display at The Jazz Loft, but Manuel is very excited to get the chance to use the cornet in future performances.

Located at 275 Christian Avenue in Stony Brook, the museum is open Thursdays to Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. Admission fee is $10. For more information, visit www.thejazzloft.org.

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Renee Fondacaro of Old Field Apothecary with one of her scented candles, ‘Long Island Sound'. Photo by Julianne Mosher
'Long Island Sound' scented candle from Old Field Apothecary. Photo by Julianne Mosher
A variety of scented candles by Old Field Apothecary. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Renee Fondacaro in her candle making studio in Old Field. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Room and linen sprays by Old Field Apothecary. Photo by Julianne Mosher
Assorted scented candles by Old Field Apothecary. Photo by Julianne Mosher
One woman’s pandemic project brings local scents across Long Island

By Julianne Mosher

When the world shut down in 2020, Renee Fondacaro immediately knew she wanted to take on a hobby. 

Always a fan of candles, Fondacaro would have them constantly burning in her Old Field home. She took on a hobby at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by blending essential oil scents with a clean, healthier candle wax base that she would drop off at her friends’ homes.

“I had ordered a candle kit because the pandemic was boring,” she said. “I made a bunch of them and would drop them off to my friends because I felt like it was a little gift that could maybe bring happiness when everyone was so stressed out.”

And they did bring happiness — because they smelled great. Fondacaro’s friends and family began to ask her, “Why are you not selling these?”

So, just about six months later, the mom of three signed up for her first craft fair in October 2020 where she made her first official sale. She and her husband John, who is a veterinarian specialist, decided that instead of a hobby, this was going to be a business. Soon after, they formed an LLC, got insurance and trademarked, and settled on the name “Old Field Apothecary,” as she creates her mini masterpieces right inside her Old Field home.

As a two-time cancer survivor, and retired nurse, Fondacaro is very health conscious. As an avid candle lover, sometimes it’s hard to know what exactly is being put into the air we breathe. That’s why she decided to make her candles at Old Field Apothecary 100% natural.

“It was really important for me to find ingredients that were very, very clean,” she said. “Candles can be very toxic if they’re not made with good, clean ingredients.”

Using clean coconut and apricot cream wax, she melts the mixture into jars that are heat safe for with woodburning wicks that make the perfect crackling sound. She would ask people what scents they were looking for, and now, nearly three years later, she has created over 80 different types, along with linen and room sprays and wax melts. She said the process is relatively simple, the longest part is melting the wax.

Fondacaro, who grew up in Setauket, would travel to local farmers markets and other craft fairs, along with making a website to sell her products. But she wanted to include the community even more. She started to approach local and other Long Island-based stores to start collaborating with including the Three Village Historical Society in Setauket and The Reboli Center for Art and History, The Long Island Museum, and The Jazz Loft in Stony Brook (where the candles are named after famous jazz musicians).

She began to venture out of the local Three Village area, too, including a collab with Kidd Squid Brewing Company in Sag Harbor and the Raynham Hall Museum in Oyster Bay. She is currently planning a scent for a shop on Block Island, too, and for some wineries on the North Fork.

But the Reboli Center is the place that has the most variety. Lois Reboli, president of the center, said that Fondacaro walked in one day and they talked about a collaboration. She couldn’t be happier with their partnership.

“Her candles are exceptional and we are very honored to have them at our place,” said Reboli. “They bring in a lot of foot traffic from people who may have not come into the Reboli Center before.”

Fondacaro said some of her most popular scents are the lavender candles because they’re calming and not overwhelming. She loves the more woodsy, earthy scents. 

“Almost everyone who buys my candles always come back and tell me that they really can see the difference in the way they burn,” she said. “They don’t get headaches. They don’t get watery eyes. They don’t get side effects and symptoms from any toxins, so I love that.”

And there is a scent for everyone: blackberry and musk, coffee bean and cacao, strawberry cream truffle, or “after the rain” — just to name a few. Plus, they’re animal friendly so furry friends can enjoy these new smells, too. 

Candles start at $27.95 and are hand-poured right in Old Field. To view the entire collection, visit www.oldfieldapothecary.com

This article originally appeared in Summer Times, a seasonal guide supplement by TBR News Media.

 

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