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Jazz at the Barn: Reviving Intimacy in Huntington’s Music Scene

Posted onMarch 4, 2025, 12:29 pmAuthorJohn Segreto Leave a comment

While live music is often experienced in large arenas or busy clubs, Jazz! at the Barn
brings a more intimate vibe to the occasion. Located at the historic Conklin Farmhouse and Barn
in Huntington, this new series gives its audience a chance to really connect with the performers.

Created by Patty Eljaiek and her husband Vince Scuderi, the series was inspired by their
fond memories and commitment to fostering community through music. “I’ve always missed
having a regular spot to see great jazz…” Scuderi said. His longing goes back to the days of
Sonny’s Place in Seaford, a beloved venue that once hosted jazz musicians nightly. “… so Patty
suggested applying for a grant to make something happen,” he said.

With a Creative Communities Grant awarded by the Huntington Arts Council in April
2024, they kicked off their first month-long series at the Conklin Barn. “Because April is Jazz
Appreciation Month, it was a great fit,” Eljaiek said. The feedback was extremely positive, and
the Huntington Historical Society encouraged them to continue on their own. Since then, Jazz at
the Barn has evolved into a monthly tradition.

The Conklin Barn’s warm and inviting atmosphere offers an ideal backdrop for jazz.
“Oddly enough, the acoustics are very good,” Scuderi said. “It’s not boomy or echoey, and the
audience loves the intimacy of having performers right in front of them.” The barn’s limited
capacity at roughly 40 seats makes each show feel exclusive and personal, with artists
appreciating the space too. “They get to experiment and play with musicians they don’t normally
collaborate with, which is great,” Eljaiek said. This creative freedom often results in unique and
memorable performances.

The February 16 show featured Yvonnick Prené, a Parisian chromatic harmonica player,
alongside drummer Jordan Young and pianist Ian McDonald. Prené’s journey into jazz began at
the age of seven in Paris, where he learned blues harmonica. “I listened to a lot of blues CDs
from my father’s collection. That’s how I learned… by listening and transcribing Sonny Boy
Williamson, Sonny Terry, and Little Walter,” he said.

By the time he was 14, Prené discovered jazz legends like Charlie Parker and Django
Reinhardt but found his diatonic harmonica limiting. “It was a challenge… so I switched to the
chromatic,” he explained, allowing him to fully explore jazz improvisation.

Prené and his trio were a last-minute configuration after a scheduling change prevented
his original pianist from attending. “We’ve played together once before, so sometimes it's more a
band being made up for the occasion,” he said. For Prené, playing in a setting like the Conklin
Barn offers something truly special. “Here, we create more connection with the audience. It’s a
very different atmosphere; the setting, the wood, the barn… I’ve never played in a place like this
before.”

The series has drawn a diverse audience from Huntington where the timing of the events,
Sunday afternoons, makes them accessible to seniors and families alike. “We’ve had babies,
young families, and multi-generational groups all come out,” Eljaiek said.

Jazz at the Barn has become a much needed platform for the Long Island music scene,
especially after COVID-19 forced a number of local venues, like Revolution Bar & Music Hall
in Amityville, to close their doors. “People have thanked us for providing this,” Eljaiek said.
“It’s really nice to have a space where this can happen.”

Prené echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of making jazz more
accessible. “We were staying at home for a while with COVID, and now people are really
excited to come out again. We need more venues like this, more organizations to support jazz,
and more funding from the state or patrons of the arts,” he said. “Jazz clubs can be expensive,
and that makes it hard for younger audiences to access the music. It’s good to have this place.”

While the series has seen success, sustaining it is a challenge. Patty and Vince cover the
costs themselves while they search for sponsors to help support the musicians and keep the
venue open. Challenges aside, they still remain dedicated to the project. “We’re getting more
musicians reaching out to us,” Eljaiek said excitedly. “Sam Dillon is going to be playing later in
March, so we’re getting more people interested.”

Jazz at the Barn stands as a vibrant tribute to Long Island’s music and community. As
Patty and Vince keep organizing memorable events, they're inviting everyone to join in and
experience the magic.

A schedule of future shows can be found here.

John Segreto is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s
School of Communication and Journalism Working Newsroom program for students and
local media.

CAPTION (Photo by John Segreto)
The Yvonnick Prené Trio—featuring Prené on harmonica, Ian McDonald on keyboard, and
Jordan Young on drums—delivering an intimate performance at Jazz at the Barn in Huntington’s
historic Conklin Barn.

AuthorJohn Segreto

Jazz at the Barn: Reviving Intimacy in Huntington’s Music Scene

While live music is often experienced in large arenas or busy clubs, Jazz! at the Barn brings a more intimate vibe to the occasion. Located at the historic Conklin Farmhouse and Barn in Huntington, this new series gives its audience a chance to really connect with the performers.

Created by Patty Eljaiek and her husband Vince Scuderi, the series was inspired by their fond memories and commitment to fostering community through music. “I’ve always missed having a regular spot to see great jazz…” Scuderi said. His longing goes back to the days of Sonny’s Place in Seaford, a beloved venue that once hosted jazz musicians nightly. “ – so Patty suggested applying for a grant to make something happen,” he said.

With a Creative Communities Grant awarded by the Huntington Arts Council in April 2024, they kicked off their first month-long series at the Conklin Barn. “Because April is Jazz Appreciation Month, it was a great fit,” Eljaiek said. The feedback was extremely positive, and
the Huntington Historical Society encouraged them to continue on their own. Since then, Jazz at the Barn has evolved into a monthly tradition.

The Conklin Barn’s warm and inviting atmosphere offers an ideal backdrop for jazz.
“Oddly enough, the acoustics are very good,” Scuderi said. “It’s not boomy or echoey, and the audience loves the intimacy of having performers right in front of them.” The barn’s limited
capacity at roughly 40 seats makes each show feel exclusive and personal, with artists appreciating the space too. “They get to experiment and play with musicians they don’t normally collaborate with, which is great,” Eljaiek said. This creative freedom often results in unique and memorable performances.

The February 16 show featured Yvonnick Prené, a Parisian chromatic harmonica player, alongside drummer Jordan Young and pianist Ian McDonald. Prené’s journey into jazz began at the age of seven in Paris, where he learned blues harmonica. “I listened to a lot of blues CDs from my father’s collection. That’s how I learned… by listening and transcribing Sonny Boy Williamson, Sonny Terry, and Little Walter,” he said.

By the time he was 14, Prené discovered jazz legends like Charlie Parker and Django Reinhardt but found his diatonic harmonica limiting. “It was a challenge… so I switched to the chromatic,” he explained, allowing him to fully explore jazz improvisation.

Prené and his trio were a last-minute configuration after a scheduling change prevented his original pianist from attending. “We’ve played together once before, so sometimes it's more a band being made up for the occasion,” he said. For Prené, playing in a setting like the Conklin Barn offers something truly special. “Here, we create more connection with the audience. It’s a very different atmosphere; the setting, the wood, the barn… I’ve never played in a place like this before.”

The series has drawn a diverse audience from Huntington where the timing of the events, Sunday afternoons, makes them accessible to seniors and families alike. “We’ve had babies, young families, and multi-generational groups all come out,” Eljaiek said.

Jazz at the Barn has become a much needed platform for the Long Island music scene, especially after COVID-19 forced a number of local venues, like Revolution Bar and Music Hall in Amityville, to close their doors. “People have thanked us for providing this,” Eljaiek said. “It’s really nice to have a space where this can happen.”

Prené echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of making jazz more
accessible. “We were staying at home for a while with COVID, and now people are really excited to come out again. We need more venues like this, more organizations to support jazz, and more funding from the state or patrons of the arts,” he said. “Jazz clubs can be expensive, and that makes it hard for younger audiences to access the music. It’s good to have this place.”

While the series has seen success, sustaining it is a challenge. Patty and Vince cover the costs themselves while they search for sponsors to help support the musicians and keep the venue open. Challenges aside, they still remain dedicated to the project. “We’re getting more musicians reaching out to us,” Eljaiek said excitedly. “Sam Dillon is going to be playing later in March, so we’re getting more people interested.”

Jazz at the Barn stands as a vibrant tribute to Long Island’s music and community. As Patty and Vince keep organizing memorable events, they’re inviting everyone to join in and experience the magic.

John Segreto is a reporter with The SBU Media Group, part of Stony Brook University’s School of Communication and Journalism Working Newsroom program for students and local media.