MAGIC. MUSIC, MYSTERY & so much more to offer + bits and pieces

Norman Warwick says that njpac have

MAGIC. MUSIC, MYSTERY & so much moe to offer

When you check out the line-up for New Jersey Performing Arts Centre spectacular season—bigger than ever, with new performances beingannounced all the time, we are sure you would agree it must be a marvellous experience, to have today’s top talent minutes from home. ´You want it?´ njpac ask. ´We’ve got it ¡´

Sure, we host world-class performances on our stages in Newark. We’re also taking our shows on the road, producing and presenting exciting work across the country and around the world. Here’s what we’re doing and where we’re going.

We like to say that we’re more than a venue—we’re a community. We’re one of the few performing arts centers in the country with an entire department dedicated to reaching out, building connections and just plain having fun with our neighbors. Come say hello!

Every performer who steps onto the NJPAC stage has one thing in common: arts education made a difference in their lives. That’s why we’re proud to be one of the largest arts education providers in America.

James Moody (March 26, 1925 – December 9, 2010)^] was an American jazz saxophone and flute player and very occasional vocalist, playing predominantly in the bebop and hard bop styles.

Moody had an unexpected hit with “Moody’s Mood for Love,” a 1952 song written by Eddie Jefferson that used as its melody an improvised solo that Moody had played on a 1949 recording of “I’m in the Mood for Love.” Moody adopted the song as his own, recording it with Jefferson on his 1956 album Moody’s Mood for Love and performing the song regularly in concert, often singing the vocals himself.

njpac work with the TD James Moody jazz Festival to offer all sorts of showcases. The 11th annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival presents dozens of free and ticketed events! This year’s program offers events combining jazz luminaries in collaboration with artists known for R&B, poetry, hip hop, and so much more. The powerhouse vocalist Fantasia takes the stage on November 10th with Jazzmeia Horn.  NJPAC’s talented jazz advisor Christian McBride leading a night of jazz, hip hop and spoken word with Represent! presented as part of NJPAC’s City Verses program.

The festival kick-starts in person on November 10th with two powerhouse concerts: one of the today’s most creative forces in the contemporary jazz scene, Terence Blanchard, will be joined by his E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet for a special tribute to Wayne Shorter.  The spirit of jazz takes center stage with two dance-jazz collaborations: NJPAC dance advisor Savion Glover joins vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater on November 12th and renowned violinist Regina Carter performs with Carolyn Dorfman dance company in a world premiere commissioned by NJPAC.

It’s one thing to win a talent competition—but it’s what you do after that defines you as an artist. For Fantasia Barrino (left), winning American Idol in 2004 was just the beginning of a skyrocketing career. A GRAMMY® winner for her song “Bittersweet,” Fantasia acts, tours, records and continues to top the Billboard R&B charts. Jazzmeia Horn found her spotlight as winner of NJPAC’s Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competitionin 2013. Named “among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz” by The New York Times, Jazzmeia has received GRAMMY® noms for her albums Dear Love, A Social Call and Love and Liberation. Experience the unparalleled vocal stylings of these two award-winning singers.

Two-time Oscar® nominee, six-time GRAMMY® winner and 2018 USA Fellow trumpeter/composer Terence Blanchard is joined by The E-Collective and Turtle Island Quartet (right). When he’s not wowing crowds around the world with his masterful jazz trumpet, Terence is scoring Spike Lee films including When the Levees Broke, Malcolm X, Da 5 Bloods and BlacKkKlansman. His opera Fire Shut Up in My Bones opened the Metropolitan Opera’s 2021-22 season. With his quintet The E-Collective, Terence released the albums Breathless, LIVE and 2021’s ABSENCE, a tribute to Wayne Shorter with neo-classical string ensemble Turtle Island Quartet.

Icons Dee Dee Bridgewater and Savion Glover (left) come together for an evening of jazz, dance, and improvisation like you’ve never seen before. Featuring special guest Dumpstaphunk.

In celebration of the Allman Brothers Band’s Eat a Peach, the group Trouble No More will perform the album in its entirety. The iconic record was released 50 years ago in 1972 and contains some of the ABB’s most beloved songs, including “Melissa,” “Blue Sky,” “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More,” “One Way Out” and “Mountain Jam.” Trouble No More is Brandon “Taz” Niederaurer (Guitar, Vocals), Daniel Donato (Guitar, Vocals), Dylan Niederauer (Bass Guitar), Jack Ryan (Drums), Lamar Williams Jr. (Vocals), Nikki Glaspie (Drums), Peter Levin (Keys) and Roosevelt Collier (Pedal Steel Guitar)

Welcome back to NJPAC the GRAMMY® winning Yellowjackets (right): Russell Ferrante (piano, synths), Bob Mintzer (woodwinds, EWI), Will Kennedy (drums) and Dane Alderson (bass). After 25 albums and countless sold-out tours, the longstanding jazz-fusion quartet continues to push the creative boundaries of genre and composition. Get in the groove with their sophisticated arrangements, tight rhythms and expansive improvisations.

The acclaimed New Jersey-based dance troupe returns to NJPAC with the world premiere of Jazz Legends and the Power of NOW!  (left) This performance features innovative choreography by Carolyn Dorfman and Juel D. Lane, a live musical  performance by jazz violinist extraordinaire Regina Carter (co-commissioned by NJPAC), and choreography set to the vibrant jazz recordings of trumpet legend Louis Prima. With virtuosity, speed and depth, these artists take you on a heart-pounding roller coaster ride of life’s journeys—resulting in pure joy.

“Musical, magical, and full of surprises.”

–Carla Maxwell, Limón Dance Company

It’s impossible to sit still when Issac Delgado and Alain Perez take the stage. They won a 2021 GRAMMY® for their platinum album Cha Cha Chá: Homenaje a lo tradicional, and now they’re bringing their dazzling style of salsa and jazz to NJPAC. Issac Delgado is one of Cuba’s most famous salsa and timba vocalists, best known as the lead singer of ‘80s group NG La Banda. Alain Perez is an exceptionally versatile multi-instrumentalist forging new paths in modern Cuban jazz. The duo will have you on your feet as they honor the musical traditions that came before, and dance fearlessly toward the future.

NEA Jazz Master Maria Schneider (left) returns to NJPAC with her genre-defying orchestra. Widely acclaimed for her sophisticated large-ensemble recordings, Schneider is a gifted arranger and composer whose highly original work often blurs the lines between post-bop, classical and the avant-garde. Her GRAMMY® winning albums include 2005’s Concert in the Garden, 2008’s Sky Blue, and 2015’s The Thompson Fields. Schneider’s dedicated passion for artist’s rights informed her GRAMMY® winning album Data Lords, which was also a finalist for the 2021 Pulitzer Prize.

Produced by NJPAC and Seth Abramson, Rabbit Moon Productions, Inc.

 Rakim, Speech, Chuck D, Nikki Giovanni, Jessica Care Moore, Mayor Ras Baraka, The Last Poets, Javon Jackson and Christian McBride Situation (right)

Christian McBride – Musical Director

For one un-missable night, NJPAC’s City Verses program unites the leading voices in jazz, hip hop and poetry. The legendary lineup includes hip hop stars Rakim (Paid in Full), Speech (Arrested Development), and Chuck D (Public Enemy); award-winning poets and spoken word performers Nikki Giovanni, jessica Care moore, Mayor Ras Baraka, and The Last Poets (Abiodun Oyewole, Umar Bin Hassan, and Babadon Babatunde); Musical Director (and NJPAC Jazz Advisor) Christian McBride and the Christian McBride Situation. We’ll also celebrate the young poets who have participated in City Verses this year, and hear some of their incredible original work. Blaring horns and baring souls, these masterful artists exclaim their vision of justice, change, and joy.

This program is made possible by NJPAC and Rutgers-Newark’s City Verses: Elevating Voices through Jazz and Poetry initiative, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

This unique partnership between NJPAC and Rutgers University-Newark celebrates the rich historical connection between jazz and poetry, creates opportunities for public engagement, strengthens community ties through the arts, amplifies the authentic voices of the people of Greater Newark, and engages a new generation of poets, jazz musicians and teaching artists.

Produced by NJPAC and Seth Abramson, Rabbit Moon Productions, Inc

Join us for another edition of Dorthaan’s Place, (right) the legendary jazz brunch series curated by Newark’s First Lady of Jazz, Dorthaan Kirk.

Kick back with a mimosa, NICO’s mouth-watering brunch menu and the Vanessa Rubin Trio. (right) Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, Vanessa’s voice exudes crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to the microphone, including the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother, traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father, and her love of the Motown Sound…especially girl groups like the Supremes.

There are two brunch seatings to choose from: 11am (performance begins at 11:30 am) or 1pm (performance begins at 1:30 pm). Dorthaan’s Place will sell out! 

Divine Sarah Vaughan (left)—Newark’s greatest musical gift to the world—got her start as the winner of a talent contest. NJPAC honors her legacy every year with The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Now entering its second decade, “The SASSY Awards” is the only international jazz vocal competition of its kind, open to all genders. At this public performance, you’ll witness the next generation of powerhouse jazz vocalists ready to take their rightful place in the global spotlight.

The event is hosted by WBGO Morning Jazz host Gary Walker. Our panel of all-star judges includes Regina Carter, Christian McBride, T.S. Monk, Pat Prescott and Maria Schneider. Contestants are evaluated on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation and ability to swing. The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize and a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business.

You may be wondering if this festival can be as good as it sounds, especially if you are not familiar with some of the guests and their work, or are simply taking tentative stepos into the jazz genre, but if so I urge you to look back.

Whether or not you are familiar with these names or are taking your first tentative steps into the genre of jazz Sidetracks And Detours would strongly recommend that you check out the njpac web site at

https://www.njpac.org/about/mission-and-history/

There you will find an encylopaedia of information and an incredibly comprehensive review of last years festival ´that captures the joy and excitement of the event.

All performances listed above are a part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival

The Dee Dee Bridgewater & Savion Glover and Carolyn Dorfman Dance performances are part of the M&T Bank Dance Series

The Dee Dee Bridgewater & Savion Glover performance is part of the American Song series at NJPAC, which is presented, in part, through the generous support of the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the David S. Steiner and Sylvia Steiner Charitable Trust, the Joan and Allen Bildner Family Fund, and the Smart Family Foundation/David S. Stone, Esq., Stone & Magnanini

Represent! A Night of Jazz, Hip Hop and Spoken Word is part of City Verses, which is conducted in partnership with Rutgers University-Newark. Support for this program was provided by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Meanwhile Jazz In Reading also inform us that at 7.30 on Friday 16 September at The Progress Theatre, you can catch Jam Experiment featuring a return to the venue for Jonny Mansfield on vibraphone with Noah Stoneman at the piano,  Will Sach on bass and Dave Hamblett on percussion. Tickets £18.00 (£16.00 concessions, £9 under 16) plus maximum 5% booking fee-


It’s been four years since Jonny debuted here in August 2018 with Jam Experiment and again the following month with Jazz at Progress’ biggest line-up to date with Elftet. 

They say we can expect an explosion of creativity!

Jonny Mansfield is an award-winning percussionist and composer. He has worked with international artists such as Chris Potter, Orlando Weeks and Yazz Ahmed, performing worldwide. He released his debut album with his 11-piece ensemble ‘Elftet’ after being awarded the Kenny Wheeler Prize in 2018.

He was nominated for an Ivor Novello award for ‘Best Large Ensemble Jazz Composition’ for a commission by Marsden Jazz Festival to write an hour-long suite setting Simon Armitage (Poet Laureate) poems.

Jonny was also commissioned to write a vibraphone and trombone duo, for London Symphony Orchestra principals Neil Percy and Peter Moore, which was premiered at LSO St. Lukes.

Other plaudits include the Tebbut Exhibition Award, Richard Turner Award, Scott Philbrick Jazz Scholarship and the Principal’s Award from the Royal Academy of Music.

His quartet explores contemporary compositions whilst communicating through improvisations. Influences are drawn from Norwegian drummer Thomas Strønen, Chilean guitarist Camilla Meza and saxophonist Melisa Aldana.

‘Strikingly original music’ – Jazzwise.

‘Jonny Mansfield, whose incredible relaxed demeanor belied the quite mystifying way he managed to make this complex instrument sing’ – London Jazz News.

‘Really beautiful music’ – Jorge Rossy

‘A musical vision beyond his years’ – Evan Parker

Hugh Turner is a superbly exciting guitarist. His playing style steeped in the blues and combined with the funkier side of jazz, creates a sonically exciting soundscape that fizzes with power, groove and stunning musicality. Hugh’s music appeals to a wide range of audiences from jazz aficionados to lovers of raw, musical energy and his performances have been a huge success at jazz clubs and music venues throughout the UK for over two decades.

On Saturday 24^th September, Hugh will present a varied programme of exciting groove-fuelled repertoire with soulful tenor sax from Ukrainian superstar Anatoliy Vyacheslavov, spellbinding trumpet from Stuart Henderson, accompanied by a hard swinging and funky rhythm section comprising the excellent Raph Mizraki on acoustic bass and virtuosic drummer Steve Wyndam.

It’s set to be a tremendous evening of jazz funk at its finest showcased in a lovely jazz club setting.

 Doors 6.45pm | Show 7.30pm.

 
Book tickets here   £15 standard ticket price. Tickets are reduced to £5 for anyone living or working in adult social care and anyone in receipt of benefits from DWP – please get in touch for details: fleur@fleurstevensonjazz.co.uk / 07795974223
 

There will be a bar and stone-baked pizza on offer  from local pub the Queens Head.

Venue: Crowmarsh Village Hall, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8ED. Plenty of free parking is available.

It’s set to be a tremendous evening of jazz funk at its finest showcased in a lovely jazz club setting.

 Doors 6.45pm | Show 7.30pm.

 
Book tickets here   £15 standard ticket price. Tickets are reduced to £5 for anyone living or working in adult social care and anyone in receipt of benefits from DWP – please get in touch for details: fleur@fleurstevensonjazz.co.uk / 07795974223
 

There will be a bar and stone-baked pizza on offer  from local pub the Queens Head.

Venue: Crowmarsh Village Hall, Benson Lane, Crowmarsh Gifford, OX10 8ED.

Plenty of free parking is available.

We were pleased to find the  September newsletter from Music That´s Going Places, already amongst our incoming e-mails at the end of last week.. There are some familiar names and some new faces coming up that we hope you’ll find interesting

The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (right) opens its new season by taking the vital, soul-stirring music from its latest, internationally acclaimed album, Where Rivers Meet on tour. Celebrating the great saxophone expressionists, Albert Ayler, Anthony Braxton, Ornette Coleman and Dewey Redman in four specially commissioned suites, Where Rivers Meet is a blues and gospel-driven, at times intricate but direct musical experience. Concerts are in Edinburgh on Thursday 29th, Aberdeen on Friday 30th and Glasgow on Saturday 1s.

Jazz at the Merchants House in Glasgow returns with an exciting monthly programme, beginning with pianist Peter Johnstone’s trio on Sunday 11th. Peter has been hailed as one of the UK’s finest young jazz musicians and his work with the award-winning Square One, in Prime Trio, where he turns his talents to organ, and with the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra backs this up.

photo mgp 3 Pianist Fergus McCreadie’s trio plays two concerts in September as part of the Scotland on Tour project, which aims to bring life back into the live music scene following the Covid pandemic. Fergus’ latest album, Forest Floor has been shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize and he’ll find out if he’s won in between his trio’s concerts in Aboyne on Friday 2nd and Dunoon on Friday 30th

Singer Tina May’s untimely death at he end of March was devastating to her family and many friends. Tina (left) sang at Ronnie Scott’s often over the years and a special concert is being held at the club on Tuesday 27th in her honour. There’s a lovely tribute on the gig page and singers Claire Martin and Ian Shaw, saxophonist Alan Barnes and trumpeter Bruce Adams are among the musicians announced as appearing for Tina so far.  

E Rere Ra by singer Allana Goldsmith and pianist Mark Baynes is the latest album to come this way from New Zealand’s fertile jazz scene. This one is quite different as it marries jazz with the Maori language and the songs draw on Allana’s native folk wisdom. Mark is originally from Alton in Hampshire and brings chops honed in studies with vibes master Gary Burton and with super pianists Hal Galper and Andy Laverne to his accompaniments. You can sample their music here

Jazz in September is   MUSIC THAT´S GOING PLACES

Nairn Community & Arts Centre Sat 24: Jeff Barhart Trio Aberdeen Blue Lamp Sun 4: Marisha Addison Qnt & Los Acousticos Bandidos Thu 29: Fine Men with Foul Tongues Queen’s Cross Church Fri 30: Scottish National Jazz Orchestra Aboyne Deeside Community Theatre Fri 2: Fergus McCreadie Trio Dunoon Burgh Hall Fri 30: Fergus McCreadie Trio Forres Rafford Village Hall Sat 24: Brian Kellock & Colin Steele Qnt Edinburgh Jazz Bar Sun 4: Georgia Cecile Wed 7: Martin Kershaw Salutes Jerome Kern Fri 9: Kevin Barrett Group Wed 14: Malcolm MacFarlane: Alchemy Thu 15: Bebop Conservation Society feat Freddie King Fri 16: Boptimism Wed 21: Mosel Shift Fri 23: Martin Kershaw Salutes Art Pepper  Fri 30: Atlantic Road Trip Queen’s Hall Thu 29: Scottish National Jazz Orchestra Glasgow Blue Arrow Fri 2: Marianne McGregor Fri 30: Fine Men with Foul Tongues Glad Cafe Tue 20: Mezcla Merchants House Sun 11: Peter Johnstone Trio Greenock Beacon Arts Centre Thu 29: Beacon Jazz Club tbc Linlithgow Queen Margaret Hall Sat 3: Skylark – The Songs of Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer London 606 Club Thu 1: Benefit for Ukraine Thu 8: Ryan Quigley Qnt Thu 15: Jason Rebello Trio  Sat 17: Deschanel Gordon Wed 21: Tamir Hendelman Ronnie Scott’s Fri 2: Nubiyan Twist Sat 3: Dennis Rollins’ Funky Funk Mon 5 – Sat 10: Georgie Fame w/ Guy Barker Big Band  Wed 14: Chico Freeman-Antonio Farao Qrt Fri 16 – Sat 17: Trilok Gurtu  Tue 20: Mike Stern Band Thu 22: Kirk Lightsey Mon 26: Ronnie Scott Jazz Orchestra Tue 27: Tina May Tribute Concert (This is not intended as a comprehensive list – other gigs are available)

Although I love my jazz folk, blues and country I somehow find all my favourite music, as most readers will know by now, by the genre entitled  Americana, a sort of gentrified collection of the most authentic of those styles. There will be a fantastic line up of such acts at the Americanafest in Nashville from Tuesday 13^th  and four days through to the 17^th September.   James McMurtry, (whom we featured in our article entitled Of Stories And Songs on 11^th August and that is still available in our archives) will be appearing. He is thea poet and the  song-writing son of Larry McMurtry, the western –genre novelist. His three or four minutes songs hook us just the same way as the books did. As we listen to his lyrics we are constantly asking ´what just happened?´ or ´what´s going to happen next?´   There are plenty of great names playing, and these include Asleep At The Wheel, in the past referred to as a Texas Swing Band and a more recently emerged artist in Molly Tuttle. There are features on both those acts available in our archives of over 700 articles.   Jim Lauderdale will be giving a songwriter´s set as well,   As you see from the poster (xx) there are also more than 100 other artistes playing at various venues throughout the event and we are very grateful to American Songwrioter sharing this information with us.  See comprehensive details below.

Meanwhile the currently featured Hot Biscuits jazz programme, presented by Steve Bewick, this week includes, Gravy Boat, from Emma Johnson by Gary Heywood-Everett. Also in the broadcast are pieces from Tony Heiberg celebrating James Webb. Liane Carroll, Carl Orr, Mátyás Gayer, Bob Mintzer & Big Band, finishing with Nguyễn Bảo Long. If this looks interesting then tell your friends. You can follow Steve bewicks´s Hot Biscuits broadcasts broadcasts at www.mixcloud.com/stevebewick 24/07.

On the other hand, Monster Radio on 99.9fm plays much the same music in a slightly more excitable manner. The presenters are English the music is British and the audience is mostly ex pat British residents living in Europe and the Canary Islands. We recommend the five o´clock evening show called The Perfect Storm, one of the stations few ´magazine´ programmes, presented by Aileen AJ the DJ Hendry (left) , that includes live interviews with guests and includes their own selection of music. it is invariably interesting and often quite astonishing. Tonight her guest on The Perfect Storm is English/ Aussie author Isobel Blackthorn. Isobel has just arrived in Fuerteventura on a non lucrative residents visa and hopes to get to work soon on her sixth book set in the Canary Islands. We will be talking about her fascinating life and career and hearing her chosen playlist.

Sidetracks And Detours know for certain that Isobel is a thoughtful and exciting interviewee as we interviewed her about her novel The Drago Tree, (set In Lanzarote) when she visited the island several years ago tgo promote the work. She also delivered an excellent question and answer session for The Lanzarote Writing Group that needs to be rer-established since the return to England of its former facilitator, Sue Almond. We interviewed Isobel for our pages here and for Lanzarote Information and I really look forward to listening in to Aileen´s show tonight and catching up on Isobel´s work.r

Tune in Monster radio Lanzarote 99.9fm or listen via the web monster radio.es or the radio garden app.

Aileen is something of a human bridge, bringing together painters, poets, musicians, dancers, photographers and movers and shakers from all over the island. She deftly introduces people to each other, then slips away as they begin to talk to each other and learn how much they have in common, and how useful they might be to one another. AJ the DJ, as we call her, is perhaps one of the most important movers and shakers of this world to so many people here on Lanzarote and, too, of her listenership throughout Europe.

There are other musical genres besides jazz of course. If you are a regular reader of Sidetracks And Detours and fall within our main demographics you would probably love the sensational sounds of the sixties presented in a mature and informative style on Boom Radio by some presenters you will remember from that era.